Comparison between the Ragas Bhupali and Shuddha Kalyana

Let’s talk about a few ragas covering  the circumference of the Kalyana Family. Like the members of a family, the ragas share the basic traits but still possess their own individualistic nature, attribute and temperament.

Raga Bhupali and Shuddha Kalyana, both belong to the Kalyana Thata or Kalyana parent raga. Both the ragas are similar in some aspects but differ in a few more characteristic features which make them unique from each other.

Similarities:

  • Raga Bhupali and Shuddha Kalyana share the same thaat.
  • The ascend or Aaroh of both the ragas are pentatonic or Audav, Ma and Ni are omitted.
  • The Vadi (Most important note) and Samvadi (Second important swara) of both are Ga and Dha.
  • The time zone of both is second zone of night.
  • The sustained or Hold note i.e., Nyasa swara in both the ragas are Gandhar (GA)
  • The common note-sturcture in both the ragas are: G P Dh P, Dh SA, Dh P, SRG, RG, G P SAA…

Difference:

Raga Bhupali Shuddha Kalyaan
Jati – Audav-audav (fully pentatonic) Audav sampoorna (Avroh has all the notes present)
‘P-G’ Pairing is present but in a normal manner without stylization ‘P-G’ goes with a meend or glide
P-R swara pair is not important. Its taken rarely P-R swara-sangati is too much and vocalized with glides and murki as in: (P) R S
Bhupali is not meend-pradhan or glide-oriented This raga is active in having meends or the glide ornamentation
Dhaivata (Dh) is used far more compared to shuddha kalyana Dhaivata is used lesser
Lower or mandra notes go like this: S d p, d S, d S R S, p d S. Lower/mandra notes go: S n d p, S, p d S…
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