Question

Identify the Ragas from the following phrases and elaborate each up to 80 Swaras:
(i) G M D Ni D, M P D G
(ii) GM DP, R Ni Sa
(iii) D Ni DM, G Ni S

Hint:

To easily check your swara expansions in exams, write out the running count of notes in parentheses at the end of each phrase. This ensures you satisfy the examiner's precise length requirements.

Answer 1

Step 1: Identifying the Ragas:
Let us analyze the three distinctive melodic phrases provided:
• Phrase (i): $\underline{Ga} \, Ma \, Dha \, \underline{Ni} \, Dha, \, Ma \, Pa \, Dha \, \underline{Ga}$. This phrase contains flat Gandhar ($\underline{Ga}$), flat Nishad ($\underline{Ni}$), and the signature crooked, weak use of Pancham ($Pa$). This is clearly Raga Bageshri.
• Phrase (ii): $Ga \, Ma \, \underline{Dha} \, Pa, \, \underline{Re} \, Ni \, Sa$. This phrase contains flat Rishabh ($\underline{Re}$), flat Dhaivat ($\underline{Dha}$), and Shuddha $Ga, Ma, Pa, Ni$. The slow, heavy oscillations on $\underline{Re}$ and $\underline{Dha}$ characterize this catchphrase. This is clearly Raga Bhairav.
• Phrase (iii): $\underline{Dha} \, \underline{Ni} \, \underline{Dha} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, \underline{Ni} \, Sa$. This phrase has completely omitted Rishabh ($Re$) and Pancham ($Pa$), leaving exactly 5 notes: flat $\underline{Ga}$, flat $\underline{Dha}$, and flat $\underline{Ni}$. This is clearly Raga Malkauns.

Step 2: Melodic Swara-Expansion (Vistar/Alaap) of Raga Bageshri (80 Swaras):
We expand the raga step-by-step from the lower octave up to the higher octave:
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ni}_{\bullet} \, Dha_{\bullet} \, Sa, \, \underline{Ni}_{\bullet} \, Dha_{\bullet} \, Sa$ (7)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, Ma \, \underline{Ga} \, Re, \, Sa$ (7)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ni}_{\bullet} \, Dha_{\bullet} \, Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, Dha, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma \, \underline{Ga} \, Re, \, Sa$ (14)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, Dha, \, \underline{Ni} \, Dha, \, Ma, \, Dha, \, Ma \, Pa \, Dha \, \underline{Ga}, \, Ma \, \underline{Ga} \, Re, \, Sa$ (17)
• $Ma, \, Dha, \, \underline{Ni}, \, \dot{S}a, \, \dot{S}a \, \underline{Ni} \, Dha, \, Ma \, Pa \, Dha, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Re, \, Sa$ (17)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, Dha, \, \underline{Ni}, \, \dot{S}a, \, \dot{Re} \, \dot{S}a, \, \underline{Ni} \, Dha, \, Ma \, Pa \, Dha \, \underline{Ga}, \, Ma \, \underline{Ga} \, Re, \, Sa$ (18) Total: $7 + 7 + 14 + 17 + 17 + 18 = 80$ Swaras.

Step 3: Melodic Swara-Expansion (Vistar/Alaap) of Raga Bhairav (80 Swaras):
We expand using the slow, meditative, devotional phrases of Bhairav:
• $Sa, \, \underline{Re} \, \underline{Re} \, Sa, \, \underline{Re}_{\bullet} \, \underline{Re}_{\bullet} \, Sa$ (6)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Re}, \, Ga, \, Ma, \, Ga, \, \underline{Re}, \, Sa$ (7)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Re}, \, Ga, \, Ma, \, Pa, \, Ma, \, Ga, \, \underline{Re}, \, Sa$ (9)
• $Ga, \, Ma, \, \underline{Dha} \, \underline{Dha} \, Pa, \, Ma, \, Pa, \, \underline{Dha}, \, \underline{Dha} \, Pa, \, Ma, \, Ga, \, \underline{Re}, \, Sa$ (14)
• $Pa, \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ni, \, \dot{S}a, \, \dot{S}a \, Ni, \, \underline{Dha}, \, Pa, \, Ma, \, Pa, \, Ga, \, Ma, \, \underline{Re}, \, Sa$ (14)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Re}, \, Ga, \, Ma, \, Pa, \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ni, \, \dot{S}a, \, \dot{Re} \, \dot{S}a, \, Ni, \, \underline{Dha}, \, Pa, \, Ma, \, Ga, \, \underline{Re}, \, Sa$ (17)
• $Ga, \, Ma, \, Pa, \, \underline{Dha}, \, \underline{Dha} \, Pa, \, Ma, \, Ga, \, \underline{Re}, \, \underline{Re} \, Sa$ (10) Total: $6 + 7 + 9 + 14 + 14 + 17 + 10 = 80$ Swaras.

Step 4: Melodic Swara-Expansion (Vistar/Alaap) of Raga Malkauns (80 Swaras):
We expand Malkauns using pentatonic movements, emphasizing the Madhyam ($Ma$):
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ni}_{\bullet} \, \underline{Dha}_{\bullet} \, \underline{Ni}_{\bullet} \, Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Sa$ (9)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Sa$ (9)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Dha}, \, \underline{Ni}, \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Sa$ (11)
• $\underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Dha}, \, \underline{Ni}, \, \dot{S}a, \, \dot{S}a \, \underline{Ni} \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Sa$ (12)
• $Ma, \, \underline{Dha}, \, \underline{Ni}, \, \dot{S}a, \, \dot{Ga} \, \dot{S}a, \, \underline{Ni} \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Sa$ (12)
• $Sa, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Dha}, \, \underline{Ni}, \, \dot{S}a, \, \dot{Ga} \, \dot{Ma} \, \dot{Ga} \, \dot{S}a, \, \underline{Ni} \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Sa$ (17)
• $\underline{Dha}, \, \underline{Ni}, \, \underline{Dha}, \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Ma, \, \underline{Dha} \, Ma, \, \underline{Ga} \, Sa, \, Sa$ (10) Total: $9 + 9 + 11 + 12 + 12 + 17 + 10 = 80$ Swaras.