S-R-G-P-N-S

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Hansadhwani translates to ‘Call of Swans’ – a creature with rich cultural associations in the Subcontinent (Saraswati, goddess of music and learning, is often depicted atop a swan: said to symbolise purity, discernment, and the process of breathing). Originally imported from a Carnatic ragam, the raga’s pentatonic simplicity invites the listener towards the calm of nature, with a strong vadi-samvadi pairing of Sa–Pa retaining a central reassurance amidst what Jairazbhoy describes as “an inherently unbalanced scale”. As per a moving account sent in by psychologist and sound practitioner Vinod Mudliar in early 2024, listening to Vijay Kannan’s solo bansuri renditions of Hansadhwani helped him to cope during the strains of his cancer treatment in 2010 (Mudliar now “intends to conduct experiments studying brain waves, to see the effect of certain ragas on patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy…”). Refer to further performances by Parveen Sultana (alap transcribed below), Shivkumar Sharma, and Hariprasad Chaurasia, as well as a special 2008 concert involving 1000 sitarists. Compare to related forms including Shankara (add Dha), Bhupali (swap Ni for Dha), and the ultra-rare Veenavadini (komal ni instead) – as well as compounds such as Pannalal Ghosh’s Hansa Narayani, and other ragas linked to the same goddess (e.g. Saraswati and Ambika Sarang).

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• Raga Megalist (365+) •

राग हंसध्वनी

Search | Glossary | Tags

• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRGPNS

Avroh: SNPGRS

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Chalan: e.g. PNS(G)R; RGP(G)R; (S)RG; RSR; GP; GPN; PNS; PNSGR; (R)G(R)S; NPGP(G)R; (R)G(R)S (Bor/Vyas)

—Parveen Sultana (2018)—

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[alap phrases, e.g. 0:56] (N)P/SN(SN), P/S(NSPGSNRSN), (NP)SN(SN)S, (N)S S(NPGPNRS), N(PSN)GR, NRSNPG, PGPS NRS, PS, PG, S…

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• Carnatic Origins •

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—Ragam Hamsadhwani—

(T.M. Krishna)

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[All ragas of Carnatic origin]

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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: (none found)

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–G–P–N–S

• Reverse: SrmdnS

• Negative: 3-2-2-1-2-1-1

• Imperfect: 2 (Re, Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: none

• Murchanas: none

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• Quirks: ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: Hamsadhwani

S-R₂-G₃-P-N₃-S

• Jazz: Ionian (no 4th/6th)

1-2-3-5-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-7-11-0

(2–2–3–4–1)

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o • o • o • • o • • • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ni)

• Names: Hansadhwani, Hamsadhwani, Haunsadhwani, Hans Dhwani

• Transliterations: Hindi (हंसध्वनी); Kannada (ಹಂಸಧ್ವನಿ); Malayalam (ഹംസധ്വനി); Telugu (హంసధ్వని); Tamil (ஹம்சத்வனி)

—Hariprasad Chaurasia (~2000s)—