S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S Though prakriti with Darbari, Adana favours a ‘lighter, flittering’ treatment: often summoned via skipping ga in aroha, limiting ornaments on komal dha, and focusing more on madhya and taar saptak (exemplified in Budhaditya Mukherjee‘s concise rendition: gat transcribed below). Komal ga is reintroduced via the gmRS Kanada signature in avroh – and some artists may […]
• Raag Adana •
• Raag Badhans Sarang •
S-R-m-P-D-nN-S A seldom-heard Sarang variant which appears in several different guises. All main forms include the swaras SRmPDnS, and most add shuddha Ni, while some also include shuddha Ga amidst other quirks. Thankfully, rare raga explorer Moumita Mitra recently conducted a survey of known renditions (read in full below), categorising them into three streams: ‘komal […]
• Raag Shuddha Kalyan •
S-R-G-M-P-D-N-S A popular early night raga, Shuddha Kalyan ascends with the same 5 swaras as Bhupali (SRGPDS), and descends with the full 7 of Yaman (SNDPMGRS), leading some to title it ‘Bhoop-Kalyan’. Phrases tend to end on the poorvang-slanted Sa, Re, Ga, or Pa – and both the ‘avroh-only’ swaras (Ni & Ma) must be treated subtly […]
• Raag Kaushiki •
S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S A mysterious Malkauns-adjacent raga of great historic renown, now seldom heard in its traditional form. Instead, it is known through its influence on Kaunsi Kanada (still called ‘Kaushiki Kanada’ by some). Ragas entitled ‘Kaushika/Kaushiki’ are mentioned in numerous ancient texts, including the 11th-century writings of Abhinavagupta (“Bhinnashadaja, Kaushiki, and Bhinnapanchama are favoured in Summer”), […]
• Raag Chandni Todi •
S-r-g-M-P-D-n-S Equivalent to ‘Todi’s poorvang + Kafi’s uttarang‘ (or ‘Ahiri tivra Ma’), the SrgMPDnS scale has barely been explored in Hindustani music – in fact, I couldn’t trace a single recording of it until late 2025, when vocalist Ashish Dha sent me his experiment in a new raga titled Chandni Todi (‘Moonlit Todi’). He describes […]
• Raag Swanandi •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Fashioned by Agra vocalist Jagannathbuwa Purohit ‘Gunidas’ (also the creator of Jogkauns and Jaun Bhairav), fusing material from Bhatiyar, Bihag, and Bhinna Shadja into an engrossing new whole. Bhatiyar forms the main base, with its phrases being reworked to match the swaras of Bilawal thaat (e.g. PGRS; SD NDP, PDPm), with Bhinna Shadja contributing […]
• Raag Simhendra Madhyamam •
S-R-g-M-P-d-N-S Borrowed from a South Indian ragam (mela #57), Simhendra Madhyamam takes the form of ‘Kirwani tivra Ma’, ‘Todi shuddha re’, or ‘Madhuvanti komal dha’. Despite the broad popularity of its Carnatic congruent (hailed by Charulatha Mani as “regal, meditative, bold, and striking”), the raga remains rare in the North – with its phraseological norms […]
• Raag Sampurna Malkauns •
S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S More of an umbrella term for assorted ‘sampurna-modified Malkauns’ renditions than a specific form (i.e. with Re and Pa added, thus completing the sapta swara). As per Deepak Raja: “Amongst the various manifestations of the concept, the most celebrated is that of Kesarbai Kerkar…[which] uses 9 swaras [SRgGmPdDnS] instead of the minimum 7. Its […]
• Raag Puriya Kalyan •
S-r-G-M-P-D-N-S Effectively combining the poorvang of Puriya Dhanashree with the uttarang of Yaman, Puriya Kalyan covers the seven swaras of Marwa thaat. Pa is prominent in descent, but may be skipped in Kalyanic ascending passages such as MDNS – and Sa is often omitted in both upward and downward motions, with mandra saptak Ni favoured […]
• Raag Malayalam •
S-R-G-m-P-d-n-S A barely-documented morning raga created by Ali Akbar Khan sometime around the 1970s – named in honour of his mother (‘Malaya’) and father (‘Alam’: also the name of Khan’s son, born in 1982) [n.b. the Tamil-derived Dravidian language family of the same title is of a separate etymology, derived from ‘mala+alam’: ‘the land near the […]
• Raag Madhukant •
S-R-g-M-P-D-n-S An oddly-shaped and thinly-analysed sampurna raga, taking the shape of ‘Madhuvanti’s poorvang + Kafi’s uttarang’ (or ‘Kafi tivra Ma’). Analysed by Jairazbhoy in 1971: “Ragas in which the Pa has a leading note [MP], while the Sa does not [nS]…Madhukauns and Madhukant are both modern ragas which appear to be evolving rapidly…Madhukant [is] unstable […]
• Raag Lalita Sohini •
S-r-G-mM-D-N-S A blend of the early-morning Lalit and late-night Sohini, with the melodies of the latter dominating the aural impression, reportedly created by Agra vocalist Yunus Ahmed Khan in the mid-20th century. Raja notes that “while Sohini is a resident of the upper tetrachord, Lalit is a resident of the lower tetrachord. Thus, the resulting melodic entity […]
• Raag Kalashri •
S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Introduced by Kirana legend Bhimsen Joshi, via combining Kalavati and Rageshri to span the full seven swaras of Khamaj thaat. Aarshin Karande notes that the raga’s origins lie in Gopalkrishna Bhobe’s 1969 sangeet natak [Marathi musical drama] ‘Dhanya Te Gayani Kala‘ (“Bhimsen-ji developed upon the melody, becoming Kalashri…He even named his home in Pune […]
• Raag Hem Bihag •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Often cited as an invention of Ravi Shankar, Hem Bihag was in fact devised by his teacher Allauddin Khan – as noted by Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan when they chose it to open a tribute concert just a few weeks on from their guru’s 1972 death, at the reputed age of 110 (below: […]
• Raag Chaya Malhar •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Profiled by Parrikar as “a compound melody formed by joining elements of Chaya to the Malhar raganga signature [mRm\RP]…The nyas on Pa is important, but an inapposite nyas on Re or undue brightening of ma may tilt the development towards Nat Malhar”. Listen to his Gwalior guru Ramrang’s rendition, seasoned with a particularly prominent […]
• Raag Baradi •
S-r-G-M-P-D-N-S A long-lived and diffuse sonic lineage variously referred to as ‘Baradi’, ‘Barari’, ‘Varati’, and ‘Varali’, which appears in several overlapping modern forms, typically spanning the territory around Marwa thaat (Bhatkhande’s Sangeet Shastra Vol.3, published around a century ago, notes 13 distinct variants). Some artists omit tivra Ma, and others may add komal dha (‘Poorvi–ang’) – […]
• Raag Anjani Kalyan •
S-R-g-M-P-D-N-S A creation of Gwalior vocalist and educator Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’ – named in honour of Anjana, a mythic Vanara princess fabled in Hindu lore as Lord Hanuman‘s mother. As per his student Rajan Parrikar, “the basic idea involves rendering the aroha of Madhuvanti sampurna, by taking in both [shuddha] Re and Dha. The aroha […]
• Raag Chanchalas Malhar •
S-R-g-m-P-nN-S Chanchalas Malhar (canchalas: ‘restless’, ‘flirting’, ‘fickle’) is an aprachalit stream of the monsoon family, seldom heard in the modern era. As per SIMA, the basic framework is derived from Megh, with other movements borrowed from Nayaki Kanada (e.g. mPnnP) – along with distinct srutis of komal ga and ni, both of which are raised […]
• Raag Nandkauns •
S-gG-m-P-d-n-S A poorvang–uttarang blend of Jog and Malkauns (despite the name, there are no traces of Nand). Shuddha ma, as the natural meeting point between both ragas, assumes the most prominence (sometimes hinting at a ma-murchana of SRgmPnNS) – along with frequent use of a highly expressive n\P glide. Remains rare on the concert platform, […]
• Raag Miyan ki Sarang •
S-R-m-P-D-nN-S A relatively straightforward mixture of Miyan ki Malhar and Brindabani Sarang, which omits Ga throughout in the fashion of the latter raga, while showcasing the former’s nDNS uttarang phrase (Jairazbhoy observes that “Dha is attached to ni, more or less as an ornament”). Refer to assorted vocal renditions by Apoorva Gokhale, K.G. Ginde, Shounak Abhisheki, […]
• Raag Desi •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Desi (not to be confused with Desh) is a diffuse raga lineage, spanning several intertwined variants. Generally prakriti with Kafi, it may also follow the komal dha swara set of Asavari, as well as arriving in double-Dha form (Parrikar also discusses a rare double-Re variant known as ‘Utari Desi / Komal Desi’, likely connected […]
• Raag Dakshinatya Basant •
S-r-G-m-P-D-N-S A springtime raga described by sarodiya Joydeep Mukherjee as “very rare…adapted from Carnatic music” (hear him play it on “a very rare instrument, the Radhika Mohanveena”, created by Radhika Mohan Maitra in 1948 – accompanied by Subhasish Sabyasachi, “the first ambidextrous percussionist of India“). The name translates as ‘Southern Basant’ (to distinguish it from the […]
• Raag Bihari •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Connected to historic folk tunes of the Bihar region, Bihari is popular as a setting for thumri and other romantic song styles. Its core movements lie close to Tilak Kamod, also drawing on Shuddha Nat, and sometimes featuring mishra flourishes. Kishori Amonkar’s renditions are among my personal favourites (bandish: “Sleep will not come to […]
• Raag Bhatiyari Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-D-N-S A hybrid of two morning ragas: Bhairav and Bhatiyar. While movements of the latter take centre-stage, its typical PGrS descending phrase is replaced by Bhairav’s GmG\rS signature: Ramrang offers indicative patterns including Sm; mPGm; GmPDNP; DmPGmP; DNr; NDP; GmPmrS; PGmrS, occasionally seasoned with tivra Ma via MDS [n.b. ‘Bhairav-Bhatiyar’, though built from the same […]
• Raag Vardhini •
S-gG-m-P-d-n-S Adapted from Carnatic music’s mela #32 (‘Ragavardhini’: strictly speaking, the Northern form should perhaps be spelled this way too), Vardhini matches the swaras of Nandkauns or ‘Jogkauns komal ni’. Seemingly introduced to the Northern ragascape via the Dagarvani Dhrupad – as per information kindly supplied by Pelva Naik, “Vardhini came into the Dagar gharana, as far […]
• Raag Tankeshree •
S-r-G-M-P-d-N-S Tankeshree is a seldom-performed Shree–ang raga, which lies closest to the predominant form of Triveni (the same scale minus Ma). Pa is strong and tivra Ma is weak – at least based on the evidence of Omkarnath Thakur’s soaring 1940 rendition (Malan Laaye Chun Chun Kaliyan), which regularly ascends in sparse SGP fashion (also […]
• Raag Shuddha Sarang •
S-R-mM-P-D-N-S A prominent early afternoon raga of the Sarang family, often said to evoke sringara. Ga is omitted, Dha is ornamental, and shuddha ma is introduced in avroh (always before Re, and sometimes adjacent to the tivra, e.g. MmR) – with Tanarang giving a pakad of NDSNRS (n.b. older variants of the raga also employed […]
• Raag Shree Kalyan •
S-r-G-M-P-D-N-S Congruent with the seven swaras of Puriya Kalyan (=Marwa thaat), Shree Kalyan is an enchanting product of Kumar Gandharva’s prolific imagination (also see Madhusurja, Lagan Gandhar, Saheli Todi, Rati Bhairav, Bihad Bhairav, and Bhavmat Bhairav). The movements of his main rendition (Dekho Re Rut Phoolan Lagi) place Shree’s tritonal re–Pa sangati on stark display, […]
• Raag Savani •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S An evening raga, which, despite its regular titling of ‘Savani Kalyan’, usually lies closer to Bihag than the Kalyan family – chiefly via avoiding tivra Ma, and giving greater strength to the Sa–Pa sangati. In the raga’s main incarnation, Dha and Ni are often rendered durbal, and may be skipped via PSP turnarounds (although […]
• Raag Rampriya •
S-r-G-M-P-D-n-S A mysterious sampurna form which follows the swara set of ‘Ahir Bhairav tivra Ma’, ‘Vachaspati komal re’, or ‘Puriya Kalyan komal ni’ (I’ve also seen the scale referred to as ‘Persian Vachaspati’ and ‘Ram Puriya Kalyan’). The ‘Rampriya’ moniker derives from a congruent Carnatic raga, although it is unclear whether this is a post-hoc […]
• Raag Raisa Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Despite regional variances, Raisa Kanada is generally considered to be distinguished by an idiosyncratic sequence involving shuddha Dha – given by Ramrang as nDPDPmP. Most interpretations fall close to Shahana (the two names have similar meaning: shahana: ‘of royal demeanour’, ‘raisa’: ‘rich, noble-born’) – with some also linking the raga to Nayaki Kanada, Kafi, […]
• Raag Noor Sarang •
S-R-mM-P-D-N-S A rare raga of the Sarang family, around which there exists limited melodic consensus. As per Abhirang’s account, “when we only use tivra Ma in Shuddha Sarang, it is converted to Noor Sarang…in avroh, the Dha is kept ‘free’ [e.g. ornamented D(NP)]” – also noting its proximity to Jaymini Sarang (both Ni). Dhrupad interpretations […]
• Raag Mangal Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-D-N-S A ‘shuddha Dha Bhairav’ offshoot, which thus allows for Durga-like uttarang movements such as mPDS. Ronu Majumdar also touches on Bhupali (e.g. SDS SDPDS: gat transcribed below), placing these passages in contrast to Bhairav’s signature GrS conclusion phrase. Subbha Rao’s Raga Nidhi Vol.3 notes that the raga’s movements are anchored in the pentatonic swara […]
• Raag Mand •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Arising from the festive folk tunes of Rajasthan, Mand (not to be confused with Nand) is a multifaceted raga form, popular in light-classical settings. Generally based around a Bilawal swara set, some artists also add komal ga, komal dha, and tivra Ma among other mishra touches – setting them in heavily-ornamented vakra movements (e.g. […]
• Raag Malti Basant •
S-r-G-mM-D-N-S A rare springtime raga, summarised in Narayanrao Patwardhan’s 1964 Raga Vigyan as a fusion of Puriya, Basant, Sohini, & Hindol (see chalan phrases below) – although Deepak Raja recounts a conversation with Ulhas Kashalkar, who states that “there is no Hindol in it…the raga has shades of Puriya and Sohini as well as Basant…Mainly [sung] in […]
• Raag Kambhoji •
S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Sometimes summarised as ‘Dhrupad Jhinjhoti’, Kambhoji also invites shades of Kalavati via omitting ma in upward motions (Parrikar: GPD; PD; GPDnD; nDS). The raga’s history stretches back to pre-Medieval times: listed as a derivative of Shree in Narada’s 8th-century Sangita Makaranda, and as a spouse of Nat-Narayani in Pundarika Vittala’s 16th-century works (n.b. some speculate […]
• Raag Hemavati •
S-R-g-M-P-D-n-S Adopted from Carnatic mela #58, Hemavati matches the swaras of ‘Kafi tivra Ma‘, ‘Madhuvanti komal ni’, or ‘Vachaspati komal ga’. Prominently associated with Hariprasad Chaurasia, although it is unclear who may have first borrowed the scale from the South: Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan also recorded it, as has Amjad Ali Khan, with broad melodic variance […]
• Raag Gauri Basant •
S-r-G-M-P-d-N-S Introduced by prolific raga creator Kumar Gandharva via fusing Gauri with Basant’s tivra Ma incarnation. His original renditions also prominently showcase a Bhairav-ang G\r slide – but this fragment lacks its usual support from shuddha ma above, instead being followed in the bandish by Basant-like turns such as GPd; PMPG (…this shift is timed […]
• Raag Sakh •
S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S Despite their historic renown, the Sakh family is seldom-heard in the modern era. While nomenclature varies, the ‘main’ Sakh raga is generally held to be a Khamaj–prakriti form, with mood and movements proximate to Rageshri and Gaoti – evident in Patiala pair Amanat & Fateh Ali Khan’s soothing ma-focused rendition, built around characteristic phrases […]
• Raag Jungala •
S-R-g-m-P-d-n-S The term ‘Jungala’ (or ‘Jangla’) generally indicates a ‘reworked’ variant of a well-known raga rather than a specific set of swaras – for example Yunus Hussain Khan’s ‘Jangla-Gara‘ restricts Gara‘s melodies to shuddha Ga and Ni only, and Jagdish Prasad’s ‘Jangla-Bhairavi‘ adds a prominent double-Ni to Bhairavi‘s basic shape. Usually associated with folk-derived forms, several […]
• Raag Purva •
S-r-G-M-P-D-N-S As per Deepak Raja’s insightful analysis, “Purva [bears] resemblance to Puriya in terms of swara material, phraseology, melodic centre of gravity, and aural impression” – also adding that, while sitarist Vilayat Khan considered the raga indistinguishable from Puriya Kalyan, it is in fact marked out by “differential weightages given to different segments of the […]
• Raag Manjari Bihag •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Produced via a chalan bheda of Bihag, Manjari Bihag also lies close to Pat Bihag, typically differing from both these forms via the exclusion of tivra Ma. Most prominently recorded by Aslam Khan ‘Khusrang’: his 1989 album rendition (bandish: Sohat Kanha & Sughara Banara More Ghar Aaye) gives centre stage to a strong Ni […]
• Raag Khokar •
S-G-m-P-D-nN-S A captivating raga with disparate modern strands. In its predominant Jaipur-Atrauli incarnation, Khokar is, according to some, essentially identical to Bihagda, itself a fusion of Bihag and Khamaj (Deepak Raja: “A melodic analysis of the so-called Khokar confirms its identity with Bihagda…[any] distinction remains unsupported by either logic or evidence”). On the other hand, […]
• Raag Jaitashree •
S-r-G-M-P-d-N-S A sunset raga prominent in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, blending Shree with Jait’s komal re incarnation. Some, such as Ulhas Kashalkar, render the aroha ‘triswari’, limiting it to the three swaras of Malashree (SGP), set in Jait Kalyan-style phrases such as SG, GP, PSP – although the avroh is more clustered, often skipping taar Sa […]
• Raag Hemant •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Described by Deepak Raja as “amongst the most charming melodic entities to have gained currency in the last 50 years”, Hemant’s creation is often credited to Ravi Shankar, who began performing it from the 1940s onwards (some say it featured in his very first concert) – however it more likely originated with his guru […]
• Raag Samant Sarang •
S-R-m-P-D-nN-S A Sarang raga which, while infrequently performed, has found stable root in several vocal and instrumental gharanas. As per Parrikar, “shuddha Dha taken in vakra prayogas is the definitive theme, including tonal sentences of the type RmP; RmPDnDPmR; RmR; mDP. Some employ both Ni, others have use for only the komal…There is an occasional […]
• Raag Maluha (Kalyan) •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Maluha (‘Tearful’) is compound raga which draws on forms including Kamod and Shyam Kalyan. Tivra Ma and komal ni are mostly restricted to ornamental use (e.g. GP(MDPM)P), and the avroh may feature touches of Khem Kalyan and other proximate forms. The liner notes to a 1966 Nikhil Banerjee album describe Maluha Kalyan as “an […]
• Raag Hussaini Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Cited by Aarshin Karande as a creation of Hussain Shah, the last Emperor of Jaipur’s Sharqi Dynasty (1458-1505) – who found time for musical innovation amidst a perpetually violent, invasion-laden reign (also see Jungala). Karande considers Hussaini Kanada to be a blend of Nayaki Kanada and Shuddha Bahar (“this raga uniquely extracts a mood […]
• Raag Hindolita •
S-G-mM-P-D-N-S A blend of Hindol and Lalit, seemingly introduced by Kirana master Bhimsen Joshi – who recorded it a handful of times over the years, including at the 1992 Sawai Gandharva Festival with Zakir Hussain, and for his 1997 Rarely-Heard Ragas album (also featuring Jaijaiwanti Nat and Bageshri Bahar). Given the sparsity of its recorded […]
• Raag Sameshwari •
S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S An intriguing experiment in drawing direct inspiration from the distant past, Sameshwari is a creation of musicologist and vichtra veena maestro Lalmani Misra, inspired by his study of ancient Vedic chant practices. As explained by his daughter Ragini Trivedi, “Sameshwari is an attempt to preserve the notes used in Sāmgana [Vedic hymn singing]…Sāmik chanters […]
• Raag Loom •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S A rare but charming all-shuddha raga, said by some to be an older form of the Bilawal lineage. Most commonly associated with Ali Akbar Khan, who performed several variants over the course of his long career: including the ‘pure’ Loom, as well as Loom Nat and Loom Mand (all SRGmPDNS). During one concert, Khan […]
• Raag Anup •
S-R-gG-m-P-n-S A recent creation of vocalist Sadhana Shiledar which serves to highlight the continuing phenomenon of ragas being inspired by regional folk melodies. As per her accompanying notes to a 2018 performance, “Anup is a dhun-ugam [folk-derived] raga, based on a folk tune from Dewas in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh”. Her full-length 2025 […]
• Raag Amrut Ranjani •
S-gG-m-dD-n-S An ingenious evening raga created by the late (and vastly underappreciated) santoor maestro Ulhas Bapat, based around mirroring Jog‘s GmgS catchphrase in the uttarang as Dndm: thus hinting at a ma-murchana (i.e. ‘double-Ga is to Sa as double-Dha is to ma‘). This allows Amrut Ranjani (meaning ‘Nectar of Delight’) to sample flavours of Bageshri (DnS), Rageshri […]
• Raag Shanmukhpriya •
S-R-g-M-P-d-n-S A strange scale imported from the Carnatic mela #56, equivalent to ‘Darbari tivra Ma’ (or ‘Hemavati komal dha’). Despite its Southern popularity, it is still little-known in the North, with only a few Hindustani artists having explored it in any depth. Among these, Rampur-Sahaswan singer Hafeez Ahmed Khan provides direct insight into its workings […]
• Raag Rishabhapriya •
S-R-G-M-P-d-n-S Already a rare mode in Carnatic music (mela #62), Rishabhapriya has barely been touched by Hindustani musicians. Equivalent to ‘Charukeshi tivra Ma’ or ‘Vachaspati komal dha’, all poorvang swaras are set to their highest specific positions, and all uttarang swaras are at their lowest (SRGM+PdnS: like ‘Yaman’s poorvang + Bhairavi’s uttarang’). The rare Ma–ni sangati […]
• Raag Bayati •
S-r̃-g̃-m-P-ᵭ-ñ-S A unique experiment by vocalist Dinkar Kaikini, based on adapting an Middle Eastern melodic form known as Maqam-al-Bayati – resulting in highly unusual sruti tunings for re, ga, dha, & ni, all of which are set to ‘quarter-tonal’ shades roughly halfway between komal and shuddha (thus, only Sa, ma, & Pa are left at […]
• Raag Asa •
S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S Asa (‘Hope’) is a historically influential raga which still enjoys widespread fame in Sikh musical traditions. Long popular in the Punjab, it is mentioned over a hundred times in the Guru Granth Sahib (1604), connected to the Kafi and Asavari lineages of that era. Most major Gurus have composed shabads in it – as […]
