Raagmala › Maalkons family › Gauri Raagini
Gauri Raagini
consort of Maalkons
From the treatises
Entering the garden, the modest woman playfully gathers flowers, for the coming of her lord Maalkons.
tr. A. K. Coomaraswamy, Catalogue of the Indian Collections in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston — Part V: Rajput Painting (1926) · Public domain
18:30Raag Gaur MalhaarKhayal · 2002Sarah Zaman
19:05Raag Gaur MalharKhayal · 2008Beena Raza
26:32Raag Gaur MalhaarKhayal · 2007Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan
13:20Raag Gaur MalhaarKhayal · 2008Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan
8:38Raag Gaur MalhaarKhayal · 2021Niaz Khan
27:56Raag Megh Malhaar 1998Khayal · 1998Pandit Milind Chittal▶ plays here in the mini-player · subscribe for the full library
About Raag Gaur Malhaar
Raag Gaur Malhaar is a Raag of profound significance and ancient heritage, known to have existed long before the more famous Mian Ki Malhaar. This Raag skillfully merges the essence of Raag Gaur with the classical framework of Raag (Shuddha) Malhaar, enhanced by specific phrases from Raag Bilhawal. The result is a Raag that is both rich and evocative, echoing the mood of the monsoon season through its deeply resonant melodies.
Regarded as one of the oldest forms of Raag Malhaar, Raag Gaur Malhaar not only predates the popular Mian Ki Malhaar but also carries elements of the now obscure Raag Gaur. This Raag is traditionally linked with the rains and is steeped in myths believed to possess the mystical power to bring about rainfall. According to a well-known legend, Emperor Akbar once requested his court musician, Mian Tansen, to perform Raag Deepak, a Raag said to generate intense heat and light.
As Tansen sang, the lamps around him ignited, and the heat became so unbearable that it threatened his life. Desperate, Tansen sought the aid of two sisters, Tana and Riri, who agreed to sing Raag Malhaar. As their voices filled the air with the Raag’s notes, rain began to fall, cooling Tansen and saving him from certain death.
The Maalkons family
