Kirwani came to Hindustani music from the Karnatic tradition, where it is the 21st melakarta. Its swaras are Sa, Re, komal Ga, Ma, Pa, komal Dha and shuddh Ni: between komal Dha and shuddh Ni lies a step wider than any in the shuddh scale, and that gap gives Kirwani its ache. It belongs to none of Bhatkhande's ten thaats.
Hear it
How it moves
Pa is its vadi and Sa its samvadi.
Its hour
Kirwani is played late at night, in the third prahar.
On the bansuri
- S
- R
- G
- M
- P
- D
- N
- S
- The step from komal Dha to shuddh Ni is wide: play it cleanly, and let it ring.
- Tune komal Ga and Dha against the tanpura; keep Ni bright.
Look-alikes
Charukeshi joins its halves the other way round: shuddh Ga below, komal Ni above.
Patdeep has Kirwani's swaras but for one: a shuddh Dha.
Practise it
- Long notes on Pa and Sa.
- The aaroh and avaroh.
- Paltas in its swaras, in threes.
- The pakad and the phrases.
All ten alankars in Kirwani, to hear in your Sa →
Meend starts it with Aaroh–Avaroh, Pakad, Paltas in Kirwani, 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
Where does Kirwani come from?
The Karnatic tradition, where it is the 21st melakarta.
What gives Kirwani its sound?
The wide step from komal Dha to shuddh Ni, with komal Ga below.