Venkat Ayalur
Karnatic Musician & Teacher
Karnatic Music – a Quick Intro (2)
ON MARCH 1, 2021FEBRUARY 5, 2023 / BY VENKAT
AYALUR / IN MUSICAL MUSINGS
In this post, I’ll talk about a number of related topics, a follow up
on Intro (1).
Melakartha System
As explained earlier, the classification of the foundational ragas
(melakarthas) is based on the 72-melakartha system propounded
by Govindacharya. This was a modified fom of the 72 mekartha
system proposed by Venkatamakhi.
The melakarthas are divided into 12 ‘chakras’ (चक्र), 6 each for
suddha madhyama (m1) ragas and prathi madhyama (m2) ragas.
The table shows the chart of melakarthas as per the prevalent 72-
melakartha system of classification.
Sri Thyagaraja used the sampoorna mela paddhati of melas.
However, Mudduswamy Deekshitar used “asampurna mela
paddhati” in his compositions. For example, the names of ragas
which he usually mentioned as a part of the lyrics in his
compositions use the older system of classification.
Both systems were in vogue during the time of the trinity of
karnatic music; however, only the sampoorna mela system is used
today for all pratical purposes. In the sampoorna melakartha
system, the janaka ragas (foundational ragas) have all seven notes
and no note is omitted. Hence they are called ‘sampoorna’
(complete). The 72 melakarthas are grouped into 12 “chakras”
each consisting of 6 ragas, as given here.
Katapayadi Sankhya
Katapayadi system is a way of using nmemonics of letters to
denote numbers for easier remembrance. The melakartha
paddhati uses this feature so that the number of the mela can be
found out from the first two letters of the name of the raga.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
ka kha ga gha nga ca cha ja jha nya
क ख ग घ ङ च छ ज झ ञ
ṭa ṭha ḍa ḍha ṇa ta tha da dha na
ट ठ ड ढ ण त थ द ध न
pa pha ba bha ma
प फ ब भ म
ya ra la va śha sha sa ha
य र ल व श ष स ह
Using the above, the following are examples of its usage.
‘dheerasankarabharanam’ – first two letters are ‘dha’ and ‘ra”, ie.,
9 and 2. We swap the numbers and we get 29.
Dheerasankarabharanam is melakartha number 29.
‘hanumathodi’ – first two letters are ‘ha’ and ‘na’ ie., 8 and 0. We
swap the digits, and we get 08. Hanumatdoi has a melakartha
number of 8.
‘mechakalyani’ – first two letters are ‘ma’ and ‘cha’, ie, 5 and 6. The
mela number is 65.
‘maayamaalavagowla’ – the first two letters are ‘ma’ and ‘ya’ – 5
and 1 (melakartha is 15).
Concept of Graha, Nyasa, Jiva, Amsa and Raga (ग्रह, न्यास, जीव,
अंश, रागछाया) Swaras
Graha swaram is the starting note of a swara phrase, and the same
note is repeated often. Jiva swaram is the ‘soul’ of a raga, which
stand out in the scale of a raga and are highlighted often while
singing. Jiva swaras bring out the individuality of a raga. Nyasa
swaras are the swaras that are used to end a phrase of notes. Amsa
swaras are the notes on which a pause can be made during the
rendering of raga phrases. Amsa swara thus plays the role of a Jiva
swara as well as a nyasa swara. Raga Chaya swaras are the ones
which exhibit the key attributes of the raga. Durbala swaras are
the ones present in a raga, but are not highlighted much during
the rendering. Examples of each are:
G and N are Jeeva swaras of Hamsadwani. All the swaras can
be classified as amsa or nyasa swaras.
G an N of Arabi are durbala swaras. P is amsa swara and R, M
and D are nyasa/jeeva/raga chaya swaras.
All swaras of the raga ‘sankarabharana’ can be cosidered as
jeeva swaras, as each one plays an important role in the shape
of the raga. G and P are amsa swaras. M, P and N are nyasa
swaras.
In raga ‘kambhoji’, G, M, P, D are nyasa swaras. D should not be
used as an amsa swara (ie, elongated inside a swara pattern).
M, D and N (both N2 and N3) are jeeva swaras.
Concept of Vadi, Anuvadi, Samvadi & Vivadi (वादि, आनुवादि, संवादि,
विवादि) Notes
Swaras are also categorised based on the relationship between
two swaras. Vadi is the main or strong note of a raga, which can
be used as an amsa or a jeeva swara. This will vary from raga to
raga. “S” is a vadi swara for all ragas, though.
A note in a raga is ‘Samvadi’ if its relationship with Vadi swara is
that of ‘consonance’, ie, produces a pleasing effect when these two
notes are sung together. The inteval between the two notes causes
the pleasing effect. S-M and S-P are examples. Other examples: R2-
P, R2-D2, etc.
Vivadi swaras are the ones which produce a dissonace when sung
together with Vadi swaras. The interval between the notes cause
this dissonant effect, called ‘vivadi dosha’. Examples : R1-G1,R3-G3,
D3-N3. The melakartha ragas that have such a sequence of notes
are called vivadi melas. Kanakangi, Ratnangi, Jhalavarali and
Natta are examples of vivadi melas. 40 out of 72 melakarthas are
classified as vivadi melas. (All melakarthas with notes R1-G1, R3-
G3, D1-N1 and D3-N3. Which are: all ragas in Chakras 1, 6, 7, 12
and first and last raga of rest of the Chakras ).
Anuvadi swaras are neither consonant nor dissonant. When
sounded together, these two notes are neither jarring nor very
pleasing. Eg: R2-G3, M1-P, D1-S, etc.
Ragas and their Classification
Ragas can be classified in different ways, based of a chosen
criteria. A raga should contain at least 4 notes, as per traditional
system. Based on the number of notes in its arohana and
avarohana (scales), ragas can be classifed as svarantara (4 notes),
audava(5 notes), shadava (6 notes) and sampurna (7 notes).
Examples:
Mohanam (s r g p d S – S d p g r s) is an audava-audava raga (ie, it
has 5 notes in its arohana and avarohana). The higher “S” is not
counted as it is a repeation of the “s” in the higher octave.
Navarasa Kannada (sgmpS – Sndmgrs) is a svarntara-shadava
raga.
Another way to categorise is to look at the scale of the raga in a
different light. If the scale has a zig-zag pattern (ie not sequential
notes), then it is called a ‘vakra raga’. Eg: sgrgmpdpS – Sndpmgrs is
Begada, a vakra-sampoorna raga.
Since all janya ragas are derived from a parent raga (janaka ragas)
which is a melakartha, sometimes we also look at ragas based on
the parent-child relationship. If the janya raga uses notes only
from the parent scale (melakartha), then it is called a upanga
(उपाङ् ग) raga. If it uses notes not found in the parent raga, then it is
called a bhashanga (भाषाङ् ग) raga.
Examples: Kambhoni is a bhasanga shadava-sampurna raga
(derived from 28th melakartha “harikambhoji”).
Raga Lakshanas of some Popular Ragas
You may refer to some of the theory books for the same. I will be
posting more on this topic in coming days….
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