Durga is a raga in Hindustani Classical music. It shares some features with Shuddha Saveri of Carnatic music (such as the note positions), but is significantly different from it in terms of the sancharas of the raga.
Unless mentioned otherwise, notes refer to the concept of notes in Indian classical music, called ‘swara’ in Hindustani.
Durga raga evokes the sringara rasa – romantic love.[2]
R m P D ; P D m ; m P D D m ; D m P D S' ; D D S' S' D D m; m P D ; m R, D S;
Here m is Shuddha Madhyam, M is Tivra Madhyam but this is not used in Durga at all.
Durga has the same notes as Malhar, another popular raag and one of old pedigree. The aural experience of both are significantly different. Technically, they are made apart by the use of rishabh (Re). Durga is also readily distinguished by its salient use of the phrase Sa Re Dha Sa
1) Common phrase Re Pa, distinguished by the use of Re
Both Durga and Malhar have the Re Pa pairing (sangati), however, the Re Pa cohort in Malhar involves a repetition of Re twice or thrice. More importantly the Re has a kaṇ of shuddha madhyam. (ma)
Malhar: Ma Re Re Re[ma] Pa
Durga: Ma Pa Dha Sa’ Re Dha Pa Dha Ma Re Pa.
Here, in Malhar, the transition between Re to Pa, the Re has a kaṇ of ma, and is not independently pronounced. The ma is shown stuck to Re in square brackets.
Stylistically, the duplication of ‘Re’ is also noted.
2) Different phrases
Also present in the pakad of the raag, Sa Re, Dha Sa is the quintessential phrase of Durga, which is not present in Malhar. (dha denotes dhaivat (dha) of the lower octave i.e. mandra saptak)
[5]
^Thatte, A.; Sabanīsa, M.P. (2000). Vande Mataram, Down the Memory Lane. Jayanti Samaroha Samitee Vande Mataram. p. 77. Retrieved 26 May 2021. Named after the powerful Hindu goddess, Raga Durga is pentatonic, omitting the third and the seventh degrees, while emphasising the sixth and the second.
