Mapping the Ragas

Key Considerations in mapping the modern Ragas to the Murchannã system:

• Reassigning the svaras of the Raga from its preceding, following and the consonant notes its ancient names
• Ascribing the raga to its possible original murchannã to establish its Sthãyi rasa.
• Analyzing the other svaras and their role to match up with the overall rasa.
• Establishing the possible intonation of the notes in ratio indications

Possible positions of the Grãmas in Sitar:

• Sa on the seventh fret
• Sa on the Pancham or the second fret
• Sa on the Bãj string
• Sa on the Rishab fret ie eighth fret – Madyam Grãma

Pa as Sa or Ma in the modern Sitar would give the following corresponding swaras of the Grãma Mûrchannã system:

Sitar	P	D	n	N	S	r	R	G	m	M
S. Grãma	S	R	g	G	m		P	D	n	N
M. Grãma	m	P		D	n	N	S	R	g	G

Using the above as the reference the following associations could be created for the individual personality, character, or effect (Bhãva) of a swara and the mood (Rasa) that swara creates when it is the tonic or modern Sa. This is how the ancient modes or Mûrchannã were created. These Mûrchannã ’s  gave rise to Jã tis and the music was based on these Jãtis.

The svaras in the brackets are the ancient svaras and the main names the modern svaras as found on the Sitar frets.

Svara	Bhãva	Rasa
Shadaj            (m) (n)	Rati (delightful Hãs (happy) Shoka  – sad	Shringãra romance of meeting, Hãsya – joy Karunã – longing
Komal Rishab (N)	Shoka – sad	Karuna – longing
Rishab            (P) (S)	Hãs (happy), Rati (delightful) Utsah (uplifting) Vismaya (surprising) Krõdh (angry)	Hasya (joy) Shringar (romance of separation) Virya (heroism) Adbhuta (amazement) Raudra (excited fury)
Gandhãr (D) (R)	Bhaya (fear) Jugupsã – uneasy Utsãh, Vismaya, Krodh	Bhayãnak (scary) Vibhatsva (disgust) Virya (heroism),Adbhuta (amazement), Raudra (excited fury).
Madyam (n,g)	Shoka  (sad)	Karunã (longing)
Tivra Madyam (N, G)	Shoka (sad)	Karunã (longing)
Pancham (S) (m)	Utsah (uplifting) Vismaya (surprising) Krõdh (angry) Hãs (happy), Rati (delightful)	Virya (heroism),Adbhuta (amazement), Raudra (excited fury). Shringãra (romance of meeting,) Hãsya – joy
Dhaivat  (R) (P)	Utsah (uplifting) Vismaya (surprising) Krõdh (angry) Hãs (happy), Rati (delightful)	Virya (heroism),Adbhuta (amazement), Raudra (excited fury). Hasya (joy) Shringar (romance of separation)
Komal Nishãd  (g)	Shoka  (sad)	Karunã (longing)
Nishãd  (G) (D)	Shoka (sad) Bhaya (fear) Jugupsã – uneasy	Karunã (longing) Bhayãnak (scary) Vibhatsva (disgust)

Using the above an attempt is made to categorize the modern Rãgas according to the modern tonic (Sa) and Mûrchannã Graha Swara (starting swara).

Shadaj

Madyam

Rati, Hãs

Shringãra (Sanjog), Hãsya

Yaman Kalyãn, Bhopãli, Pahãdi, Gaund Sã Rang, Jhinjhoti, Jansan Mohini, Kalãvati, Shãm Kalyãn, Kãmod. Kedãr, Hameer, Nandi, Behãg, Mãru Behag

Komal Rishab

Kakli Nishâd

Shoka

Karuna

Mãrvã, need more investigation. Mãrvã could also be concieved from another starting svara and thus could be possible variations.

Rishab

Pancham Shadaj

Hãs, Rati Utsãh, Vismaya, Krodh

Shringãra (Viyog), Hãsya Virya, Adbhuta, Raudra

Bhageshri, Bhimplasi (?), Rageshri, Pancham, Hemant, Kaunsi Kanhra, Malkauns, Jog Kauns,

Gandhar

Dhaivat Rishab

Bhaya, Jugupsa Utsãh, Utsah, Vismaya, Krodh

Bhayanak, Vibhatsva Virya, Adbhuta, Raudra

Asãvari, Bhairavi, Mãlkauns, Bhimplãsi, Sindhurã Kafi, Darbãri Kãnhrã, Meldalan, Bilãskhani Todi,

Madyam

Nishad and Gandhâr

Shoka

Karunã

Tanpurã in Madyam

Jogiã, Bhairav, Bhatiyãr, Mãnjh Khamãj (Thumri), Lalit,

Tanpurã in Pancham

Kaushik Dhwani, Bhinna Shadaj, Lalitã Dhvani, Lalit (Shudh),

Tivra Madyam

Kâkli Nishâd and Antar Gandhâr

Shoka

Karunã

Bhairavi, Purvi, Meldalan, (Need more investigation)

Pancham

Shadaj Madyam

Utsãh, Vismaya, Krodh Hãs, Rati

Virya, Adbhuta, Raudra Shringãra (Sanjog), Hãsya

Kãfi, Hori Kãfi, Asã, Mãlgunji,  Bhãgeshri, Rãgeshri,  Jog, Mãru Behãg, Behãg, Kedãra, Hameer, Nandi

Dhaivat

Rishab Pancham

Utsãh, Vismaya, Krodh Hãs, Rati

Virya, Adbhuta, Raudra Shringãra (viyog), Hãsya

Bhairvi, Dhãni, Jaunpuri, Kãfi, Chãrukeshi (?), Ahir bhairav (?) , Bilãskhãni Todi (?), Sãlagvarãli todi, Bhup Todi, Dhanãshri, Gãwti,

Komal Nishad

Gandhâr

Shoka

Karunã

Shivranjni, Miyã Ki Todi, Madhuvanti, Multãni, Bhopãl Todi, Puriyã Dhanãshri, Sohini, Mãrvã, Puriyã Kalyãn, Shree

Nishad

Antar Gandhâr Dhiavat

Bhaya, Jugupsa Utsãh, Shoka

Bhayanak, Vibhatsva Karunã

Bhairavi (Shudh), Bilãskhãni Todi, Meladhalan (Brahaspati), Mãkauns, Miyã Ki Todi, Gujari Todi

Note

The chikaris on Sa do not allow the Pancham samvadi ragas to shine in Pancham Murchannas.

Mapping the Ragas

Shadaj on Seventh Fret

The amalgamation (sanshlej) of the two Grãma tones gives the tones of the Murchannã system and later in the Deshi Music generated various possible melãs, thãts and the Ragas.

Shadaj Grama -

S

R

g

G

m

P

D

n

N

Madyam Grama

m

P

D

n

N

S

R

g

G

Thus we get the combined ten svaras:

S            R            g            G            m            M            P            D            n            N

In the Hindustani Sitar these ten Svaras are present on the main string middle register.

S

R

g

G

m

M

P

D

n

N

Various Murchannãs or Melãs can be constructed when in a given scale the pairs n N,  g G and m M are used. This is not allowed in the Bharat tradition but came into being due to the public demand and the new trends. In the phenomena of the Indianization the Indian music culture  has adjusted the new trends and scales in their system within the Murchannã intonation.

Example:

Kalyãn

Ancient	n	S	R	G	m	P	D	n
Modern	S	R	G	M	P	D	N	S

Bilãval

Ancient	n	S	R	g	m	P	D	n
Modern	S	R	G	m	P	D	N	S

Bhairav

Ancient	n	N	R	g	m	M	D	n
Modern	S	r	G	m	P	d	N	S

Purvi

Ancient	n	N	R	G	m	M	D	n
Modern	S	r	G	M	P	d	N	S

Mãrvã

Ancient	n	N	R	G	m	P	D	n
Modern	S	r	G	M	P	D	N	S

Todi

Ancient	g	G	M	D	n	N	R	g
Modern	S	r	g	M	P	d	N	S

Kãfi

Ancient	S	R	g	m	P	D	n	S
Modern	S	R	g	m	P	D	n	S

Asãvari

Ancient	P	D	n	S	R	g	m	P
Modern	S	R	g	m	P	d	n	S

Khamãj

Ancient	S	R	G	m	P	D	n	S
Modern	S	R	G	m	P	D	n	S

Bhairvi

Ancient	R	g	m	P	D	n	S	R
Modern	S	r	g	m	P	d	n	S