Purvi
पूर्वी
S r G M# P, M# d N S' | S' N d P, M# G M G r S
Origins & Context
Raag Purvi is a Purvi thaat raga of Hindustani music, performed at dusk, that uses komal Re and Dha, both forms of Ma and the other notes shuddha. Komal means lowered, shuddha natural, and a thaat is a parent scale. Purvi gives the thaat its name. It is also written Purbi, Purabi or Paurabi.
In this notation, lowercase r and d are komal, M# is tivra Ma and M shuddha Ma, and an apostrophe marks the upper octave. George Howlett gives the aroha, or ascent, as S r G M# P, M# d N S', with Pa only closing the first run. One teaching outline gives the avaroha, or descent, as S' N d P, M# G M G r S. It names Ga as the vadi, the most prominent note, and Ni as the samvadi, its partner.
The AUTRIM project of the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the University of Amsterdam notes that Purvi is not heard very often on the concert platform today. It finds some likeness with Puriya Dhanashri, and hears Purvi always close on M# G r S.
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 r G M# P, M# d N S'
Avroh (Descent)
S' N d P, M# G M G r S
Pakad (Catch Phrase)
S r G, M# G M G, M# d P, N d P, G M# P, M# G M G r S
Tanpura Tuning
P - S - S - .S
Additional Notes
Phraseologies
Key for these phrases: lowercase r and d are komal, M# is tivra Ma, M shuddha Ma, and an apostrophe puts a note in the upper octave.
One teaching outline makes Ga very prominent, as both vadi and resting note, and gives the turn M# G M G r S, where shuddha Ma falls between two Ga. The AUTRIM project starts the ascent from the lower Ni and lets Pa close a rising run. In the descent it hears a typical movement from Pa through both forms of Ma to Ga, with komal Re often kept short before Ga.
Counting the Pa in its straight climb, the outline labels Purvi sampurna both ways. AUTRIM adds that Paraj and Bihag share the phrase P M# G M G.
Common Phrases
Around the World
Global connections and equivalent scales
With Sa on C, Purvi uses C, D flat, E, F, F sharp, G, A flat and B. George Howlett gives the double harmonic scale with a double fourth as its jazz translation, and Carnatic Kamavardhini as an approximate counterpart.