Purvi

In the music related text this rag is referred with various names such as Purvi, Purbi, Purabi and Paurabi (Thakur [Sangianjali VI] 1962: 54). At present, rag Purvi is not heard very often on the concert platform.

Tone material: S r G m M P d N

The ascent begins with lower Ni and avoids Pa, but Pa can occur as a terminating note in ascending movements such as  N r G M P.  The descent includes the characteristic movement of Purvi- P – M G m rG -.  In this phrase the flat Re is often  (but not necessarily!) made very short and delicate as a touch before the Ga  The concluding phrase is always M G r S. Ga and Ni are important notes while Ga is also a resting note.

Some characteristic phrases:
N r G m G
G m r Gm G
r G M P – M G m rG

The phrase P M G m G occurs in rag-s Purvi, Paraj and Bihag (vide) but the intonation of this phrase is distinct in each of these rag-s.
Although Purvi, Basant (vide) and Lalita guari (vide) have the same tonal material, the treatment of both forms of Ma in these rag-s is quite different. Lalita gauri uses both forms of Ma as in rag Lalit (vide) – G m M m, M m G. Rag Puriya dhanashri (vide) shares some similarity with Purvi. However absence of natural Ma and the inclusion of a typical phrase – M G M r G in Puriya dhanashri, helps keep it distinct from Purvi.

Time: sunset (ibid)

Further listening:
Recording by Mogubai Kurdikar
Recording by Faiyaz Khan
Recording by Enayet Khan

Performance by Aslam Khan

Composition:

ये सपना मैं कैसे कहू
येरी सखी री
पी मोरे सपनेमें अाये

सूनी सेज सावरी मोरी
अौर मोहे गरवा लगाये

Oh my friend, how do I describe my dream in which I saw my beloved embracing me?

Tal: Ektal (slow tempo)

Performance:
4-15: Performance opens with phrases emphasising Ga. Note a touch of Re for Ga, which is clearly heard
18-22: Pa included in an ascending phrase as a ending note
25-27 & 56-58: P -M G m G -the characteristic phrase of this rag
72-160: First part of the composition (sthayi). Note the ornamented (murki) beginning of refrain and the accentuated beat (sam) of the 12-beat rhythmic cycle coinciding with Ga. The refrain includes the typical movement – P -M G m G –
164-302: Elaborations using words of the composition
305-359: Playing with the tempo, also using the words of the composition (layakari)
363-436: Elaborations using solfeggio (sargam)
494: Use of shake (gamak)
505: Again playing with the tempo
537-580: Fast melodic runs (tan-s). Note also the use of shake
598: Second part of the composition (antara)