S-r-g-m-d-N-S An invention of Agra vocalist S.N. Ratanjankar, Viyogavarali (also titled ‘Viyog Varali Todi’) was derived by omitting Pa from the Carnatic Dhenuka (melakarta #9) – resembling ‘Chandrakauns plus komal re’ or ‘Gujiri Todi shuddha ma’. All swaras except Ni appear in their lowest specific variants, with the use of ga restricted to Todi-ang avroh […]

• Raag Viyogavarali •
 


• Raag Kesari Kalyan •
S-R-G-P-D-N-S Kesari Kalyan is formed by removing Kalyan’s most characteristic swara – tivra Ma – leaving a curious shadav scale (prakriti with Shankara). Legendary Gwalior vocalist and educator Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’ appears to have created the raga: hear his own rendition, and also listen to him discuss it in the context of “two key ideas […]
 


• Raag Vijayanagari •
S-R-g-M-P-D-S A scale of Southern origin, seemingly imported North by Gwalior guru Balabhau Umdekar, which matches the swara set of ‘Madhuvanti minus Ni’ (although the Carnatic form is classed as a janya of Hemavati). While I can’t trace any of Umdekar’s recordings, Malini Rajurkar has performed his pair of dedicated bandish: Sajana Ghara Avo & […]
 
