S-r-G-mM-P-d-N-S Poorvi is a long-lived sunset raga from East India, which to many evokes a serious mood of mystical contemplation. Mixing wide and narrow intervals (all swaras have at least one immediate neighbour), its complex twists and turns belie the base scale’s neat, symmetrical nature – with Sa and Pa often being omitted in ascent […]
• Raag Poorvi •
• Raag Megh •
S-R-m-P-n-S Among the oldest surviving members of the Malhar family, Megh (‘cloud’) is said to have saved the life of Tansen himself. Legend holds that great composer’s forceful rendition of Deepak caused the waters and streams around him to boil, and all the oil lamps to burn uncontrollably in Emperor Akbar’s royal palace. His efforts to […]
• Raag Kafi •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Perhaps more like an compendium of folk tunes than a fully codified raga framework, Kafi offers unusual chromatic freedoms. Almost always appearing in mishra (‘mixed’) form, renditions will often borrow from affiliated ragas as well as semi-classical styles such as thumri, dadra, and ghazal. Lyrical material tends towards the romantic, matched by free-roaming melodies. […]
• Raag Charukeshi •
S-R-G-m-P-d-n-S Adopted from Carnatic music, Charukeshi calls for wide-open melodic exploration, favouring long melodies which wind around themselves while visiting the furthest reaches of all three octaves. Like many Southern scales, it is often used as a canvas for reshaping and recolouring ideas from adjacent ragas, while itself presenting an odd marriage of major and […]
• Raag Bhimpalasi •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Associated with the invigorating warmth of the late afternoon sun, Bhimpalasi evokes multiple shades of shringara (‘romantic love, erotic desire’). Thought to have arisen from an archaic union between Bheem and Palas, the raga calls for direct, passionate melodic outpourings, balancing a deft pentatonic ascent with the symmetry-inducing addition of Re and Dha going […]
• Raag Bhairav •
S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S Revered as the primary raga of Lord Shiva, Bhairav takes its name from Kala Bhairava (‘fearsome form’) – an apocalyptic manifestation of the deity fabled to have cut off one of Brahma’s five heads to silence his arrogance. Renditions reflect the gravity of this ancient lore, depicting Shiva’s tandav (‘dance of destruction’) with wide-roving […]
• Raag Bageshri •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S An ancient raga of the late night, Bageshri is associated with vipralambha – the profound shades of longing felt by a separated lover. These sentiments are reflected in its multipolar phraseology: artists may resolve towards Sa for a clustered, inward-turning feel, or towards shuddha ma for a more open, expansive sound – often seen […]
• Raag Sehera •
S-R-G-M-d-n-S Among the strangest of raga scales, Sehera’s six swaras are all spaced out in two-semitone jumps (akin to the Western Whole-Tone scale and the Carnatic Gopriya). The resulting symmetries summon a curious, centreless mood (also famous as the ‘dream sequence‘ of countless soundtracks) – best explored by sarangiya Sultan Khan, who described Sehera as “the […]
• Raag Shahana •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S A late night raga, Shahana (literally: ‘of royal demeanour’) is a close cousin of the more famous Bageshri, sharing the same swaras but focusing more on the use of shuddha Dha as a melodic endpoint. Usually classed as a member of the Kanada family, Deepak Raja notes that Shahana is linked in medieval texts […]
• Raag Mudriki Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S Described by Rajan Parrikar as “an uncommon Kanada variety on which there prevails no consensus”. Formed by “introduc[ing] a shuddha Dha into the Adana stream” (e.g. Ramrang’s rendition) – although “the Agra-Atrauli edition comes in a different flavour, involving…a recurring phrase RmRP” (e.g. Sharafat Hussain Khan). Seemingly unrecorded by non-vocalists. • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search […]
• Raag Kalingada •
S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S Kalingada shares the same seven swaras as Bhairav, but approaches them differently – preferring a straighter, less ornamented character (as per Rajan Parrikar: “Kalingada has a flippant mien…far less austere than Bhairav. The Ga and Pa are advanced to positions of influence, [and] the swara-lagav is mostly linear, without the andolit treatment prevalent in […]
• Raag Zeelaf •
S-G-m-P-d-S A rare audav raga fabled to have been created by 13th-century qawwali pioneer Amir Khusrau, somewhat resembling ‘Charukeshi minus Re & ni’. As per Rajan Parrikar, “this haunting pentatonic melody is composed of the following swaras: SGmPd: Jitendra Abhisheki gives a superb account with his own composition. Notice the strong ma…[and] the subtle Gm/S meend”. […]
• Raag Raisa Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Manjiri Asnare-Kelkar (2012)— [motifs, e.g. 0:35] n(DSnDn)P, mPDn S\D/n\P, (P)S\mP m\g, (m)gm, m m/n\P/S(n), R(g)S R\nS, (P)nP, P(nmP) m(gm), m(nmP), m\gm, RSR… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the […]
• Raag Prabhat (Bhairav) •
S-r-G-mM-P-d-N-S A morning form summarised by Bose as “a combination of three or four ragas dominated by the Bhairav-ang…with a touch of Lalit-ang only in the avroh (where both Ma come together)…The vadi Ma separates Prabhat Bhairav from Bhairav, while Pa keeps it away from Lalit” (also see the congruent-but-distinct Lalit Pancham). Pakad include GmG; rSrS; […]
• Raag Paraj Kalingada •
S-r-G-mM-P-d-N-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Kedar & Narayanrao Bodas (2017)— [refrain, e.g. 0:36] N, dP, GmG, N(rSNS) N(N)d N, dP, (P)GmG Md dr(SN)S N(N)d N, dP, (P)GmG (G)M GrS… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also […]
• Raag Paraj •
S-r-G-mM-P-d-N-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Ulhas Kashalkar (2011)— [bandish, e.g. 1:52] dNS, S(rN) S(N) N(SN) (N)d (dP)P (Pd), P(MP)M, d (NSNr)S, S(NS), (rSN) dNS; S(rN)S, PdP, GmG, dNS… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see […]
• Raag Malayalam •
S-R-G-m-P-d-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Ali Akbar Khan (1977)— [refrain, e.g. 20:15] G G, n\dPmP, (G)m, (mPG)m, G, GG G\R, S n\d… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List): Swaras: -4 | […]
• Raag Madhumad Sarang •
S-R-m-P-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Kaivalya Kumar Gurav (2015)— [refrain, e.g. 1:23] m(R)m\R, (m)RS, nR, R(mRPm)RS S… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List): Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 […]
• Raag Lalit Pancham •
S-r-G-mM-P-d-N-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Kishori Amonkar (2000)— [Swaras] • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List): Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+ Sapta: Audav […]
• Raag Lachari Todi •
S-R-gG-m-P-dD-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Amjad Ali Khan (2022)— [motifs, e.g. 2:48] RnSRG, G(m), G(mR), (G)m, m, m(GP), P(D) m(P) m(gR), R; P/n n\P, P(d) m(P), m(gR), m P/S n\d, n\d(P) P; P/g S/R, S/g S/R, R\S S(nSP), P(S)n, n/S, n(dP) P; m\R mP(n), D, D, […]
• Raag Hussaini Kanada •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Pandit Jasraj (~1990s)— [bandish, e.g. 1:11] (P)mP P(DnD)S, n\PP P(mPmn)m\g m, m(nDn)P PP; mPDnSS, S S(nS)D, (nR)S S(RnS)S, P m(Pmgm), mPDnSS… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full […]
• Raag Gunjikauns •
S-R-G-m-P-d-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Sarahang (?)— [Swaras] • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List): Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+ Sapta: Audav | […]
• Raag Gaurimanjari •
S-rR-G-mM-P-d-nN-S An intricate ten-toned raga created by Ali Akbar Khan via blending ideas from across the Lalit–Gauri spectrum (Gaurimanjari: ‘Bouquet of Gauris’) – notable for its winding melodic motions and dense, crowded swara-space (some renditions employ all specific positions except komal ga). Its core form also possesses the ultra-rare property of rotational symmetry (i.e. the […]
• Raag Gauri •
S-r-G-m-P-d-N-S Described by Deepak Raja as “difficult to render in its purity”, Gauri is associated with viraha shringara (‘the piety arising from the separation of lovers’). The raga had at least two distinct forms as far back as the 16th century, and continues to manifest in several variations – spanning a main Bhairav-ang ‘shuddha ma‘ […]
• Raag Din ki Puriya •
S-r-G-M-d-N-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Sanjeev Abhyankar (2002)— [refrain, e.g. 0:03] SS SS(NS) d d(MGMdM), M(G)G (S)rS S; SS SS(NSd) d d(MGMdM), (dMG)M (M)G (G)rS; SS SS(NSd) d… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see […]
• Raag Dhanashree •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Shubha Mudgal (1990s)— [refrain, e.g. 2:44] SS(n) n(D)D, D(n)m, (Pmn)P (m)g, (mgm)R RRn S(mgPmnPSnS); SS(n) n(D)D, D(nDn)m, m(PmPn)P, S(nSnDn), n(DnP)P… • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag […]
• Raag Desi •
S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S [summary] • Raga Megalist (365+) • Search | Glossary | Tags • Hindustani Raga Index • —Aditya Modak (2020)— [Swaras] • Classifiers • Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List): Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+ Sapta: Audav […]
