Durga is a raag of five swaras: Sa, Re, Ma, Pa and Dha, all shuddh, with neither Ga nor Ni. It is Bhoopali's cousin, the same shape with Ma in place of Ga, and its mood is quite different: joyful, devotional and full of light. It belongs to Bilawal thaat and to the second prahar of the night.
Hear it
How it moves
Ma is Durga's vadi and Sa its samvadi. Its phrases circle Ma, Pa and Dha:
Its hour
Durga belongs to the second prahar of the night, from 9 to midnight.
On the bansuri
- S
- R
- M
- P
- D
- S
- Its swaras are all shuddh, and its leaps, Sa to Re to Ma, Pa to Dha to Sa, are open: play them with a full, clear tone.
- Its Ma is shuddh: keep it from drifting sharp.
Look-alikes
Shivranjani has five swaras too, with komal Ga in place of Ma:
Practise it
- Long notes on Ma and Sa.
- The aaroh and avaroh.
- Paltas in its five swaras, in threes.
- The pakad and the phrases.
All ten alankars in Durga, to hear in your Sa →
Meend starts it with Aaroh–Avaroh, Pakad, Paltas in Durga, 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 Durga?
Ga and Ni. It uses Sa, Re, Ma, Pa and Dha.
How is Durga different from Bhoopali?
One swara: Durga has Ma where Bhoopali has Ga.