Devgiri Bilawal | SRGmPDnNS | Hindustani Raga Index

S-R-G-m-P-D-nN-S

A fusion of Bilawal, Kalyan, and Shuddha Kalyan, which either avoids the tivra Ma throughout or relegates it to an ornamental role. Balancing an uttarang-focus with a tendency for melodic development in mandra and madhya saptak, the raga (as per Thakurdas) prioritises Ga and Dha, also using Pa as a nyas – with komal ni appearing in avroh only. AUTRIM’s analysis notes characteristic phrases including NSRGmG; RGRS; PD\G; D\P\G; GPNDNS; DPmG, as well as overlap with Alhaiya Bilawal. Also refer to Aneesh Pradhan’s rundown of five stellar renditions, including a idiosyncratic sarod take by the legendary Allauddin Khan.

—Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’ (1989)—

[bandish, e.g. 2:16] (N)DP, (GR)G R, (SNR)SNS (S)NS, SRG (R)G, G(Pm)G mGR, (Gm)GR mGP (MPM), (PM)PG, GmnD(n)P (M)P (MPM)P, P(mP)D P(m)G mGR, GR, RGm(G)P, Gm PG, GR, S(NR)S N(DN)S…

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• 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 | Shadav | Sampurna

Poorvang: SRGM | SRG | SRM | SGM

Uttarang: PDNS | PDS | PNS | DNS

Varjit: Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni

Double: rR | gG | mM | dD | nN

Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.

Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Murchana: Bhup. | Bihag | Bilaw. | Charu.

Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: Desh, Des Malhar, Champak, Alhaiya Bilawal, Kukubh Bilawal, Bihagara, Bihagda, Nat Kamod, Gaud Malhar, Sorath, Arun Malhar, Tilak Malhar

–Proximate Forms–

Khamaj = ‘Devgiri Bilawal only ni‘

Bilawal = ‘Devgiri Bilawal only Ni‘

Miyan ki Malhar = ‘Devgiri Bilawal komal ga‘

Shankara Karan = ‘Devgiri Bilawal tivra Ma‘

(n.b. these are just ‘scalar similarities’, with nothing particular implied about phraseological overlap)

–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–D–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRgmPdnS (=Gandhari)

• Negative: 5-2-3-2

• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

–Global Translations–

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-N₃-S

1-2-3-4-5-6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-7-9-10-11-0

(2–2–1–2–2–1–1–1)

o • o • o o • o • o o o o

• Names: Devgiri Bilawal, Dev Giri Bilaval, Devagiri

• Transliterations: Hindi (देवगिरि बिलावल); Bengali (দেওগিরি বিলাবল)

—Vidhadyar Vyas (~2010s)—

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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!