There are different views regarding this raga’s period of origin. Some believe it to be an ancient raga with a new name while others opine that it was first introduced around 1930s! However, this beautiful raga does not fit into any of Thhaats (parent scales of Hindustani music) though it resembles Multani (Hindustani) and Dharmavati (Carnatic).
Thhaat (parent scale)
None
Jaati:
Audav-Sampoorn (5-notes in ascent and 7-notes in descent)
Vaadi:
Pancham (P), Teevra Madhyam (m) according to some
Samvaadi:
Rishabh (R ), or Shadja (S) as the samvaadi of Teevra Madhyam
Swaras:
Omits Rishabh and Dhaivat in the ascent but includes them in the descending order emphatically, employs Komal Gandhaar (g) and Teevra Madhyam (m), rest shuddh swaras
Aaroh (ascent):
N.S g m P N S’ (Western Notes: B C D# F# G B C’)
Avaroh (descent)
S’N D P m g R S (Western Notes: C B A F F# D# D C)
Key phrases:
m g R S, N.S, S N.D.P., m.P.N.S, N.S m g, g m P, D P D m P, g m P N, N S’, m’g’R’S’, R’S’N D P, m P g, m g R S
Time:
Late afternoon (around sunset)
Both Multaani and Madhuwanti have same ascending order. The difference lies in the descent wherein Mdhuwanti deploys Shuddh Rishabh and Dhaivat (R and D) instead of Multani’s Ati-Komal Rishabh and Dhaicat (r and d). Moreover, Madhuwanti lays a lot of emphasis on its Rishabh while Multani’s Rishabh arrives fleetingly. Madhuwanti’s emotional appeal makes it very popular. Some gharana musicians also include Komal Nishaad (n) to enhance its beauty.
1. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Music of India
2. The Raga-ness of the Ragas by Deepak Raja
3. Abhinav Geetanjali by Pandit Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’
1. Pandit Ravi Shankar (sitar)
2. Ustad Bismillah Khan (shehnai)
3. Pandit Jasraj (vocal)
4. Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (santoor)
5. Ustad Rashid Khan (vocal)
Pandit Rajendra Prasanna performs Raag Madhuvanti on the shennai, alongside Sanju Sahai (tabla) and Tanmay Deochake (harmonium) at Darbar Festival 2012.
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