Durga (raga)

Durga is a raga in Hindustani Classical music. It shares some features with Shuddha Saveri of Carnatic music (such as the note positions), but is significantly different from it in terms of the sancharas of the raga.

Durga
ThaatBilaval
TypeAudava
Time of dayNight, 9-12[1]
ArohanaSa Re Ma Pa Dha Sa
AvarohanaSa Dha Pa Ma Re Sa
PakadRe Ma Pa Dha, Ma Re
VadiMa
SamavadiSa
SimilarShuddha Saveri

Unless mentioned otherwise, notes refer to the concept of notes in Indian classical music, called ‘swara’ in Hindustani.Durga raga evokes the sringara rasa – romantic love.[2]

Technical description

FeatureDetailNotes
Jati / NatureAudav-Audav5 Notes on both Aaroh and Avroh[3]
ArohaSa Re Ma Pa Dha Saसा रे म प ध सा^
AvarohaSa Dha Ma, Pa Dha Ma, Re Dha. Saसा^ ध म, प ध म, रे ध_ सा Pancham should not be a resting note in Avroh[4]
PakadRe Ma Pa Dha, Ma Pa Dha, Ma Re, Sa Re Dha. Sa
VadiMa
SamvadiSa
Poorvang-UttarangPoorvangThe lower half of the saptak (octave) i.e. S R G M are present.
ThaatBilawal

Notes and features

  1. All swaras used are suddha
  2. Gandhar and Nishad are not used.

Example composition

R m P D ; P D m ; m P D D m ; D m P D S' ; D D S' S' D D m; m P D ; m R, D S;Here m is Shuddha Madhyam, M is Tivra Madhyam but this is not used in Durga at all.

Samay (time)

Second Prahar of night : 9:00 p.m. to midnight (nishitha)

Comparable to

Malhar

Durga has the same notes as Malhar, another popular raag and one of old pedigree. The aural experience of both are significantly different. Technically, they are made apart by the use of rishabh (Re). Durga is also readily distinguished by its salient use of the phrase Sa Re Dha Sa

1) Common phrase Re Pa, distinguished by the use of Re
Both Durga and Malhar have the Re Pa pairing (sangati), however, the Re Pa cohort in Malhar involves a repetition of Re twice or thrice. More importantly the Re has a kaṇ of shuddha madhyam. (ma)

  • Malhar: Ma Re Re Re[ma] Pa
  • Durga: Ma Pa Dha Sa’ Re Dha Pa Dha Ma Re Pa.

Here, in Malhar, the transition between Re to Pa, the Re has a kaṇ of ma, and is not independently pronounced. The ma is shown stuck to Re in square brackets.Stylistically, the duplication of ‘Re’ is also noted.

2) Different phrases
Also present in the pakad of the raag, Sa Re, Dha Sa is the quintessential phrase of Durga, which is not present in Malhar. (dha denotes dhaivat (dha) of the lower octave i.e. mandra saptak)[5]

Jaldhar Kedar

Jaldhar Kedar is a variant of, the major raag Kedar , and a part of the raagang of its namesake.


Film songs

SongMovieComposerArtists
Geet Gaya Pattharon NeGeet Gaya Patharon NeRamlal Hirapanna ChowdhuryAsha Bhosle
Chanda Re Mori Patiya Le JaBanjaarin(1960 film)Chand PardesiMukesh (singer) & Lata Mangeshkar
Brindavan Ka Krishna KanhaiyaMiss Mary (1957 film)Hemant KumarLata Mangeshkar & Mohammed Rafi
Hum Intezar KarengeBahu BegumRoshan (music director)Mohammed Rafi
Hoga Tumse Pyara KaunZamane Ko Dikhana HaiR D BurmanShailendra Singh

Bollywood songs

  1. Geet gaya pattharo ne - Geet Gaya Patharon Ne (1964)
  2. Chanda re mori patiya le ja - Banjaarin
  3. Vrindavan ka Krishna Kanhaiya - Miss Mary
  4. Hum intezaar karenge – Bahu Begam
  5. Be Nazaara - Mom
  6. Hoga Tumse Pyara Kaun - Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai

Language:Tamil

Note that the following songs are composed in Shuddha Saveri, the equivalent of raga Durga in Carnatic music.

SongMovieComposerSinger
Sithaye Ye SithayeSivakaviPapanasam SivanM. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
Vaadikkai MaranthathumKalyana ParisuA. M. RajahA. M. Rajah, P. Susheela
Manjal MugamKarnanViswanathan–RamamoorthyP. Susheela
Aadiyile Perukkeduthu AadivarumRadha (1973)M. S. Viswanathan
Swararaaga

(Ragamalika:ShuddhaSaveri,Shivaranjani)

Andha 7 NaatkalP. Jayachandran, Vani Jairam
Poonthendral KaatrragaAval Oru KavarimaanR. RamanujamMalaysia V. Sarangapani, P. Susheela
Radha Radha Nee EngeMeendum KokilaIllayarajaS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Kovilmani OsaiKizhakke Pogum RailMalaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
Kadhal MayakamPudhumai PennP. Jayachandran,Sunandha
Rettai KilligalOre Oru GramathileyK.J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra
Malargalil Adum ilamaiKalyanaramanS. P. Sailaja
Asai Kiliyey Naan SolliTheertha KaraiyinileMano
Sithakathi pookaleRajakumaranS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Nattu Vacha RojaAranmanai KiliP. Susheela
Manamagale ManamagaleThevar MaganMinmini, Swarnalatha,Sindhuja
Sandiyare SandiyareVirumaandiShreya Ghoshal
ManasaoramAyyanSriram Parthasarathy, Sadhana Sargam
Maanada KodiMuthal VasanthamS. Janaki
Unakagave Naan Uyir VazhigirenRasigan Oru RasigaiRaveendran
VanakkiliyeKalloori VaasalDeva
Kottungadi KummiSurieyanS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
En Uyir ThozhiyeKangalal Kaidhu SeiA. R. RahmanUnni Menon, Chinmayi
Sollitharavaa SollitharavaaMajaaVidyasagarMadhu Balakrishnan, Sadhana Sargam
Athikaalaiyil SevalaiNee Varuvai EnaS. A. RajkumarP. Unnikrishnan, Sujatha
MuraliNagadevathaiHamsalekhaP. Unnikrishnan,K. S. Chithra
O Maha ZeeyaThamizh PadamKannanHariharan, Shweta

References