Recommended resources
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Introduction
In our recent lessons, we've explored how different musical architectures can evoke specific spiritual states. We started with the peaceful grandeur of Raga Yaman, built with mostly natural notes, and then delved into the solemn, introspective world of Raga Bhairav, defined by its use of flattened (komal) Re and Dha. Each raga achieved its distinct character by altering the "source code" of the musical scale.
Today, we will investigate a third, and perhaps more radical, method for crafting a unique emotional landscape: subtraction. Our focus is to analyze the structure and introspective character of Raga Malkauns, noting its pentatonic scale and the complete absence of the notes Rishabh (Re) and Pancham (Pa). Malkauns is a raga of profound depth, reserved for the stillness of late night. By removing key notes, it creates a sound world that is at once ancient, meditative, and otherworldly, offering a powerful tool for turning the mind inward.
The Character of Malkauns: Severe Tranquility
Malkauns is not a raga of simple happiness or sadness. Its emotional territory is one of deep contemplation, serenity, and a potent, almost intoxicating, quietude. It is often described as evoking a state of "severe tranquility"—a peace that is not light or passive, but focused and profound.
To get a feel for its unique personality, let's start with a descriptive exploration.
Exploring Raag Malkauns: 'He who wears Serpents like Garlands' - Darbar
This article from Darbar beautifully captures the enigmatic mood of Malkauns, linking its structure to its emotional effect.
Read the introductory paragraph, which sets the scene, describing the raga's mood as "mournful yet always stable". Next, jump to the section discussing its associations, linked to courage and determination. Note the description of veeram (courage) as being imbued with "acceptance, determination, and the absence of infatuation"—a quality that resonates deeply with the Jain ideal of veetaragata (dispassion). Finally, read the concluding paragraph, which summarizes its essence as drawing the listener "away from impulse and delusion towards a suspended realm of contemplation."
Notably, for your interest in Jain philosophy, Malkauns has a special significance. It is traditionally believed to be the raga used by the Tirthankaras when delivering their divine sermons (Deshna) in the celestial assembly hall, the Samavasarana.
This section of the Wikipedia article explicitly mentions the raga's connection to Jain tradition.
Please read the short paragraph under the "Etymology" heading that begins In Jainism.
This connection suggests that the very structure of Malkauns is considered conducive to the transmission of ultimate truth, aligning perfectly with our exploration of music as a vehicle for spiritual insight.
The Structure of Malkauns: The Power of Five
What is the musical architecture that creates this profound, contemplative state? The answer lies in its radical simplicity. Malkauns is a pentatonic raga, meaning it uses only five notes in its scale.
Specifically, it omits two of the most fundamental notes in the Indian classical octave:
- Rishabh (Re) - the second degree of the scale.
- Pancham (Pa) - the perfect fifth, a powerful note of resolution and stability.
The notes that remain form the core of Malkauns:
Sa, komal Ga, shuddha Ma, komal Dha, komal Ni
Let's break down its formal grammar.
This article provides the essential grammatical details of the raga.
First, review the summary table at the top of the page, which lists the key characteristics like its Thaat (Bhairavi), Arohana (ascent), and Avarohana (descent). The term "Audava" in the "Type" row is the technical name for a five-note raga. Then, read the sections "Arohana and avarohana" and "Vadi and Samavadi" to formally identify the notes and the raga's "king" and "minister" notes.
Here is a summary of the raga's structure:
- Jati (Type): Audav-Audav (pentatonic in both ascent and descent).
- Aaroh (Ascent):
Ṇ̣ S G̱ M Ḏ Ṉ Ṡ(The dot below a note signifies the lower octave, the dot above signifies the higher octave). - Avroh (Descent):
Ṡ Ṉ Ḏ M G̱ S - Vadi (King Note):
M(Madhyam) - Samvadi (Minister Note):
S(Shadaj)
The omission of Pa is particularly transformative. In most ragas, the Sa-Pa interval (tonic to perfect fifth) provides a strong sense of grounding and resolution. By removing Pa, Malkauns deletes this primary anchor. The Vadi (King) note becomes Ma, shifting the raga's center of gravity and creating a sound world that feels ungrounded in a worldly sense, thus opening a space for introspection. This structural choice is what gives Malkauns its "searching" quality.
From Theory to Practice: Hearing the Meditative Mood
Knowing the notes is one thing; understanding how they are brought to life is another. Malkauns is rendered in a slow, dignified manner (vilambit laya), often dwelling in the lower octave (mandra saptak), which enhances its serious and meditative feel. The notes are connected by deep glides (meend) and oscillations (andolan), adding to its gravity.
The following video tutorial provides an excellent demonstration of these performance nuances. The instruction is in Hindi, allowing you to connect directly with the concepts.
Raag Malkauns |Tutorial | Jhaptal |Notation | Moumita Mitra
In this video, instructor Moumita Mitra demonstrates the core phrases and character of Raga Malkauns.
Watch the introduction from the beginning to 1:10. Listen carefully as she sings the basic Aaroh and Avroh. Notice how the jump from Sa to komal Ga feels very different from the scales you've heard before due to the missing Re. Next, watch the segment from 1:19 to 1:55. She explicitly states that Malkauns is a raga of a calm nature (shaant prakriti) and that a fast tempo doesn't suit it. She also demonstrates the andolan (oscillation) on the note dha. Finally, to see how this raga is used to express devotion (bhakti), skip to the section where she introduces a devotional composition (bandish) from 15:23 to 16:10. The lyrics "Deen nath dukh bhanjana" (Oh lord of the destitute, destroyer of sorrow) are set in this profound raga, demonstrating how its serious character can be channeled into a deep, pleading form of bhakti.
Conclusion
Today, we've unlocked another fundamental principle of how ragas engineer emotion. By completely removing the notes Re and Pa, Raga Malkauns creates a unique pentatonic structure that fosters a profound sense of introspection and meditative calm.
Key Takeaways:
- Pentatonic Structure: Malkauns is an Audav (five-note) raga, using only Sa, komal Ga, shuddha Ma, komal Dha, and komal Ni.
- Absence Creates Character: The omission of Re and, most importantly, the stabilizing perfect fifth Pa, is the key to its otherworldly and "searching" quality.
- Introspective Mood: This unique structure, combined with a performance style that favors slow tempos (vilambit laya) and the lower octave (mandra saptak), results in a mood of "severe tranquility" ideal for late-night contemplation and deep meditation.
- Jain Connection: The traditional association of Malkauns with the sermons of the Tirthankaras highlights its perceived capacity to facilitate profound states of understanding.
You have now analyzed three ragas employing three distinct strategies: modifying a note (Yaman's teevra Ma), flattening notes (Bhairav's komal Re/Dha), and omitting notes (Malkauns's lack of Re/Pa).
In our next lesson, we will complete our case studies by analyzing Raga Bhairavi. Known as the "queen of ragas," Bhairavi takes yet another approach by using all four possible komal swaras (re, ga, dha, ni), making it one of the most versatile and emotionally rich ragas for expressing devotion.