Gaur Sarang
गौर सारंग
S, G R M G, P M# D P, N D S' | S' D N P, D M# P G, M R, G R, P, R S
Origins & Context
Raag Gaur Sarang is a Kalyan thaat raga of Hindustani music, performed in the afternoon, that uses all the shuddha notes with tivra Ma as well. Shuddha means natural, tivra raised, and a thaat is a parent scale. It is also written Gaud Sarang, or Din ki Bihag. George Howlett tags its thaat as inexact and links it to the Bihag raganga.
In this notation, M# is tivra Ma and an apostrophe the upper octave. Darbar gives the aroha, or ascent, as S, G R M G, P M# D P, N D S'. Its avaroha, or descent, is S' D N P, D M# P G, M R, G R, P, R S. The vadi, the most prominent note, is Ga. The samvadi, its partner, is Dha in one teaching outline and Pa in Darbar's account. The AUTRIM project of the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the University of Amsterdam calls Dha rather weak.
The Sarang in its name is disputed. Darbar calls the raga supposedly a blend of the features of Gaud and Sarang. AUTRIM reports that some musicians find the name misleading, and Howlett writes that it typically carries few hints of the Sarang family. AUTRIM notes phrases such as P R shared with Chhayanat. One teaching outline likens its overall effect to that of Kedar or Bihag, night ragas, although Gaur Sarang belongs to the afternoon.
KalaSudha presents Hindustani musicians in concert and releases their recordings. Its academy teaches ragas online and in local workshops, and each course is built by its instructor with KalaSudha.
Technical Details
Melodic structure and movement patterns
Aroha (Ascent)
S, G R M G, P M# D P, N D S'
Avroh (Descent)
S' D N P, D M# P G, M R, G R, P, R S
Pakad (Catch Phrase)
S G R M G P R S, M G P, D P S', S' D P M G, G R M G P R S
Additional Notes
Phraseologies
Key for these phrases: M# is tivra Ma, and an apostrophe puts a note in the upper octave.
The AUTRIM project calls Gaur Sarang one of the best examples of zig-zag melodic movement. Darbar likens it to a river with many bends that needs a brisk tempo, since a very slow pace undercuts its lively character.
The catch phrase opens S G R M G P R S, returning to Sa through Pa and Re, and rests on Ga, Pa and upper Sa.
Common Phrases
Around the World
Global connections and equivalent scales
With Sa on C, Gaur Sarang uses C, D, E, F, F sharp, G, A and B. George Howlett gives the jazz scale he calls Lydionian, 1 2 3 4 #4 5 6 7, as its translation, the same eight notes.