by Rajan P. Parrikar
First published on SAWF on March 20, 2000
Rajan Parrikar (Cape Canaveral, Florida, 1989)
Photo by: Dr. Anand Bariya
A discussion on Raga Gaud Sarang is presented in this essay, with its development fortified by a handpicked selection of representative sound clips.
Let M = shuddha madhyam and m = teevra madhyam.
Gaud Sarang employs all seven shuddha swaras plus the teevra madhyam. The name “Gaud Sarang” is a misnomer, for there isn’t even a distant echo of the raganga Sarang in this raga — no matter how hard one squints. Yet, some insist on seeing a Sarang-shaped mirage. To neutralise this ill-founded association, certain musicians refer to it as “Din ki Bihag,” the daytime counterpart of Bihag — a proposition that holds water when its inner workings are scrutinised.
Raga Gaud Sarang is a vakra construct, falling under the rubric of ‘abstract’ ragas. An “abstract” raga cannot be reconstructed by merely threading together its tonal sequences, nor does it lend itself to simplistic linear aroha-avarohi formulations. It resides in a loftier domain of creativity and immersion. To call it “scalar” is to miss the point entirely, for a scale does not a raga make. The term “linear raga” might carry more validity but still fails to encapsulate its essence.
What distinguishes an abstract raga is its reliance on intricate, interlocking gestures that define its character. There’s no formula here, no ready-made recipe. Such ragas demand manthan — prolonged mental churning — for their gestalt to emerge. Nonetheless, Gaud Sarang, like its melodic cousins Kedar, Hameer, and Nand, wears a clear signature, making its identification effortless even for an untrained ear.
In his landmark work Raganidhi, Subbarao observes that Gaud Sarang lacks a Carnatic equivalent, though certain phrases in Shankarabhanaram bear similarities. He illustrates this with the Tamil kriti Muddu kumarayyane.
The definitive tonal cluster of Gaud Sarang is:
S, G R M G
The rest of the raga revolves around this nucleus, borrowing fragments from ragas such as Bihag and Bilawal. Its lakshanas are as follows:
S, G R M G, G M G P, [P] M G, S [P] M G
This sequence is the very life force — or, if you will, the G-spot — of Gaud Sarang. The transition S, G R M G unfolds as a delicate arc from rishab to madhyam to gandhar, followed by a distinctive treatment of pancham (shaken, not stirred). The descent P M G lands softly on gandhar, a key resting note. The madhyam is prolonged (deergha), though not sufficiently to qualify as a nyasa. These nuanced behaviours, difficult to fully express in prose, are made vivid in the accompanying sound clips.
The uttaranga behaviour and avarohi pathways are summarised as:
P, P S”, S” D P M G, R G R M G, P, R S
A sample chalan reads as follows:
S, G R M G, M G P, [P] M G
G M G P, PNDN m [P] M G, S [P] M G
G M P N S” R” N S” D P M G, PDPP S” R” S”, D N m [P] M G
Abstract ragas are fertile grounds for diversity of expression. Some musicians scale the tar shadaj through a Bihag-like G M P N, S”, while others prefer a simpler P S” trajectory. The descent S D P M G is reminiscent of Bilawal. The phrase P, R S often serves as a melodic full stop, though its treatment varies among practitioners.
The role of teevra madhyam in Gaud Sarang is supportive, not central. Faster passages may loosen its tightly-wound structure (shithil), as seen in renditions such as S”NDPMGRS. The occasional cameo by komal nishad adds a further layer of intrigue, appearing as a vivadi swara in phrases like S”, D n D P.
The foregoing ruminations are not exhaustive; they are a primer meant to whet your appetite. The attached audio pastiche fills the gaps and charts the raga’s versatility across classical and popular genres.
We kick off with Pt. Kishore Kumar of the Khandwa gharana. This rare cheez from FUNTOOSH (1956), penned by Sahir Ludhianvi and tuned by S.D. Burman, captures an enduring sentiment of Gaud Sarang, even if the explicit G R M G signature remains absent. Asha Bhonsle lends her voice alongside Panditji in this delicate number: woh dekhen to unki inayat.
A likely candidate for the ‘light’ brigade of Gaud Sarang is Lata Mangeshkar’s gem from PARDESI (1957), composed by the maestro Anil Biswas (alas, a Bengali): na dir deem.
This raga must have occupied a significant corner of Anil Biswas’ creative wardrobe, as evidenced by an earlier creation: a duet by Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar for HAMDARD (1953): rtu aaye rtu jaye.
An enchanting Lata solo graces EKADASHI (1955), set to music by Avinash Vyas: jhulo jhulo re.
Bengal’s musical heritage displays a particular fondness for Gaud Sarang — perhaps the “Gaud” in its name offers a clue to its provenance. S.D. Burman demonstrates this affinity with Asha Bhonsle in SOCIETY (1955): leheron mein jhoolun.
Anil Biswas reappears in CHHOTI CHHOTI BATEIN (1965), teaming with his wife Meena Kapoor for the evocative kuch aur zamana.
The year 1952 marked the debut of the gifted composer O.P. Nayyar, whose heart was steeped in the melodic idioms of his land despite his lack of formal training in classical music. His first film AASMAN featured this Geeta Dutt classic: dekho jadu bhare more naina.
This concludes our exploration of the ‘light’ Gaud Sarang repertoire. Despite its moniker, there is nothing light about the artistry required to execute these pieces at the level of Kishore, Lata, or Asha — it demands extraordinary gifts and subtlety.
In compiling this material, I benefited from the astute counsel of my friend Sir Vish Krishnan.
We warm up to the classical fare with D.V. Paluskar and his renowned rendition of the beloved cheez piyu pala na lage.
Gaud Sarang enjoys a place of pride among Gwalior musicians. We join C.R. Vyas in the closing moments of the traditional kajara re, set in vilambit Tilwada, before he transitions into the Punjabi bandish: mandi khabari na liti jani yar ve.
The Gwalior doyen Krishnarao Shankar Pandit dazzles with a sparkling tarana.
The Kirana contribution comes through the mastery of Bhimsen Joshi, whose rendition of saiyyon mai to ratadi remains an exemplar of the form.
With Kumar Gandharva, one expects innovation, and his Gaud Sarang does not disappoint. Note the deliberate emphasis on the phrase S” D N P in his unique take: piya basera.
Shifting to the instrumental realm, Ravi Shankar offers a passage marked by his commanding kharaj meends, executed with unerring precision.
Ali Akbar Khan introduces Gaud Sarang with a meditative alap, part of his album Legacy.
Umrao Khan, the son of sarangi maestro Bundu Khan, showcases his vocal and instrumental prowess in a Roopak composition: sundara nara karata singara.
Faiyyaz Khan, the Aftab-e-Mausiqui, provides a sublime statement in a khayal crafted by his father-in-law, Mehboob Khan (Daraspiya) of Atrauli: bina dekhe tore.
In my emphatic opinion, Mallikarjun Mansur‘s Gaud Sarang remains unparalleled. In these two selections, he wields the Jaipur-Atrauli standard issue with consummate artistry: Mallikarjun Mansur Cut 1 and Mallikarjun Mansur Cut 2.
We conclude with two compositions by Ramashreya Jha “Ramrang”. The first, najara na lage, is his original composition in dheema Teentala. The second, Bhavani pati Shambho, is an old Adarang composition in praise of Lord Shiva, rendered in Raga Chhaya-Gaud Sarang — a variation introducing a subtle infusion of Chhaya into the Gaud Sarang flow: Bhavani pati Shambho.