Brindavani Sarang is a raag of noon, the third prahar of the day, named for Vrindavan, the forest of Krishna's childhood: a raag of the flute's own god, and a natural one for the bansuri. It has five swaras going up and five coming down: Sa, Re, Ma, Pa and Ni, with neither Ga nor Dha. Ni is shuddh going up and komal coming down, and that change is its whole colour. Bhatkhande placed it in Kafi thaat.
Hear it
How it moves
Re is its vadi and Pa its samvadi. Its phrases swing between Re and Pa, through Ma, and its two Nis meet at Sa:
Its hour
Brindavani Sarang belongs to the third prahar of the day, from noon to 3 in the afternoon: the bright, still heat of midday.
On the bansuri
- S
- R
- M
- P
- N
- N
- S
- Keep the two Nis distinct: shuddh Ni rising to Sa, komal Ni falling to Pa.
- The leaps, Re to Ma, Ma to Pa, and Pa to Ni, have no Ga or Dha to soften them: play them cleanly, and let the raag's brightness come from them.
Look-alikes
Miyan ki Malhar shares its Re–Pa movements and its two Nis, but adds komal Ga and Dha, and belongs to the rains:
Kafi has all seven swaras, with komal Ga and Ni:
Practise it
- Long notes on Re and Pa.
- The aaroh and avaroh, minding the two Nis.
- The pakad and the phrases.
Meend starts it with Aaroh–Avaroh, Pakad, Aalap and Bandish, 27 minutes a day, and listens as you play: each swara of the notation lit as it is played, the time kept, a lotus grown petal by petal.
Questions
Which swaras are left out of Brindavani Sarang?
Ga and Dha. It uses Sa, Re, Ma, Pa and both Nis.
Why does Brindavani Sarang use two Nis?
Shuddh Ni rises to Sa in the aaroh; komal Ni falls to Pa in the avaroh. The change is the raag's character.
When is Brindavani Sarang sung?
At midday, in the third prahar of the day.