S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S

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Dhanashree is a multivariate raga of ancient vintage (listed in Medieval lakshanagranthas as a ragini of Malkauns), which arrives in several present-day forms – usually matching the swaras of Kafi (SRgmPDnS), Khamaj double-Ni (SRGmPDnNS), Bhairavi (SrgmPdnS), Bilawal (SRGmPDNS), or Patdeep (SRgmPDNS). Characteristic motions tend to retain similar ‘generic’ movement patterns, mapping them to the differing chal of these base scales (e.g. Kafi vs. Khamaj: mgmRS vs. mGmRS). The predominant Kafi variant is perennially popular in kirtan and other Sikh devotional styles, but largely overshadowed on the classical stage by prakritis such as Bhimpalasi. Also see an AUTRIM pitch-graph of an Aslam Khan rendition (“Oh bird, please go and convey my message to my beloved; Ask him when he will return to my abode…”) – as well as the overlapping Puriya Dhanashree.

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• Raga Megalist (365+) •

राग धनाश्री

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

—Shubha Mudgal (1990s)—

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[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…

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• Ragmalas •

Historic miniature paintings (learn more)

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“Dhanashree, longing for her lover, paints his portrait in the belief that this may conjure the subject of the image. The floating moon and fiery red background suggest the intensity of her passion…” (Mewar, c.1690)

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• Classifiers •

Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):

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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.

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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: Kafi thaat, Kafi, Bageshri, Bhimpalasi, Shahana, Desi, Hussaini Kanada, Mudriki Kanada, Raisa Kanada

–Proximate Forms–

Khamaj = ‘Dhanashree shuddha Ga‘

Patdeep = ‘Dhanashree shuddha Ni‘

Ahiri = ‘Dhanashree komal re‘

Darbari = ‘Dhanashree komal dha‘

Sindhura = ‘Dhanashree double Ni‘

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

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–D–n–S

• Reverse: SRgmPDnS (=itself)

• Negative: 2-3-2-2-3 (e.g. Durga)

• Imperfect: 1 (Dha)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (S—M)

• Murchanas: Bilawal set

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• Quirks: ‘palindromic‘ (same intervals forwards & backwards) • ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Karnataka Devagandhara

S-R₂-G₂-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-S

• Jazz: Dorian

1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-5-7-9-10-0

(2–1–2–2–2–1–2)

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o • o o • o • o • o o • o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Dhanashree, Dhanashri, Dhanyashri, Dhanyasi, Dhannasika (archaic)

• Transliterations: Hindi (धनाश्री); Bengali (ধনশ্রী)

—Yashwant Bua Joshi (~1990s)—