Raaga Primer: Melakartha Raaga Paddhathi – The Chakras

Classical Corner | September 14, 2010 by | 2 Comments

tanpuraAjay Parasuraman

The previous post explained the various sub-categories possible for the Ragas in the Hindustani system. You won’t be surprised to find out that there are similar classifications in Carnatic, will you?
Apart from the much broader divisioning of the ragas into Melakarthas and Janya ragas, that is.

There are 72 Melekartha ragas (previously mentioned), each of which fall into one of the 12 ‘Chakras’. Thus, there are 72 / 12, or 6, ragas in each Chakra. Just like in the katapayadi sankhya where Vedic mathematics was used, here too, one can find a similar convention adopted to give names to these 12 Chakras.

  • Indu stands for the moon, of which we have only one – hence it is the first chakra.
  • Netra means eyes, of which we have two – hence it is the second.
  • Agni is the third chakra as it denotes the three divyagnis (fire, lightning and Sun).
  • Veda denoting four Vedas is the name of the fourth chakra.
  • Bana comes fifth as it stands for the five banas of Manmatha.
  • Rutu is the sixth chakra standing for the 6 seasons of Hindu calendar.
  • Rishi, meaning sage, is the seventh chakra representing the seven sages.
  • Brahma comes next of which there are 9.
  • The 10 directions, including akash (sky) and patal (nether region), is represented by the tenth chakra, Disi.
  • Eleventh chakra is Rudra of which there are eleven.
  • Twelfth comes Aditya of which there are twelve.

Thus, the name of each of the 12 chakras suggest their ordinal number as well. How beautiful is our culture, no? 🙂

The 72 melakarta ragas can be divided into two parts. viz.,. suddha Madhyama and prati Madhyama ragas. When a given suddha madhyama raga’s M1 is replaced by M2, we get the corresponding prati madhyama raga.

Melakartha Ragas
‘Suddha Madhyamam’ ‘Prati Madhyamam’
No. Raga Scale No. Raga Scale
1.Indu Chakra 7. Rishi Chakra
1 Kanakangi S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N1 S’ 37 Salagam S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N1 S’
2 Ratnangi S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N2 S’ 38 Jalarnavam S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N2 S’
3 Ganamurti S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N3 S’ 39 Jhalavarali S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N3 S’
4 Vanaspati S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N2 S’ 40 Navaneetam S R1 G1 M2 P D2 N2 S’
5 Manavati S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N3 S’ 41 Pavani S R1 G1 M2 P D2 N3 S’
6 Tanarupi S R1 G1 M1 P D3 N3 S’ 42 Raghupriya S R1 G1 M2 P D3 N3 S’
2. Netra Chakra 8. Vasu Chakra
7 Senavati S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N1 S’ 43 Gavambhodi S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N1 S’
8 Hanumartodi S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S’ 44 Bhavapriya S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S’
9 Dhenuka S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N3 S’ 45 Shubhapantuvarali S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N3 S’
10 Natakapriya S R1 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S’ 46 Shadvidamargini S R1 G2 M2 P D2 N2 S’
11 Kokilapriya S R1 G2 M1 P D2 N3 S’ 47 Suvarnangi S R1 G2 M2 P D2 N3 S’
12 Rupavati S R1 G2 M1 P D3 N3 S’ 48 Divyamani S R1 G2 M2 P D3 N3 S’
3. Agni Chakra 9. Brahma Chakra
13 Gayakapriya S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S’ 49 Dhavalambari S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S’
14 Vakulabharanam S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S’ 50 Namanarayani S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S’
15 Mayamalavagowla S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S’ 51 Kamavardani S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S’
16 Chakravakam S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S’ 52 Ramapriya S R1 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S’
17 Suryakantam S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S’ 53 Gamanashrama S R1 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S’
18 Hatakambari S R1 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S’ 54 Vishwambari S R1 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S’
4. Veda Chakra 10. Disi Chakra
19 Jhankaradhwani S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N1 S’ 55 Shamalangi S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N1 S’
20 Natabhairavi S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S’ 56 Shanmukhapriya S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S’
21 Keeravani S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N3 S’ 57 Simhendramadhyamam S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N3 S’
22 Kharaharapriya S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S’ 58 Hemavati S R2 G2 M2 P D2 N2 S’
23 Gourimanohari S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N3 S’ 59 Dharmavati S R2 G2 M2 P D2 N3 S’
24 Varunapriya S R2 G2 M1 P D3 N3 S’ 60 Neetimati S R2 G2 M2 P D3 N3 S’
5. Bana Chakra 11. Rudra Chakra
25 Mararanjani S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S’ 61 Kantamani S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S’
26 Charukesi S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S’ 62 Rishabhapriya S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S’
27 Sarasangi S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S’ 63 Latangi S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S’
28 Harikambhoji S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S’ 64 Vachaspati S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S’
29 Dheerasankarabharanam S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S’ 65 Mechakalyani S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S’
30 Naganandini S R2 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S’ 66 Chitrambari S R2 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S’
6. Rutu Chakra 12. Aditya Chakra
31 Yagapriya S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S’ 67 Sucharitra S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S’
32 Ragavardhini S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S’ 68 Jyoti swarupini S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S’
33 Gangeyabhushani S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S’ 69 Dhatuvardani S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S’
34 Vagadheeswari S R3 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S’ 70 Nasikabhushani S R3 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S’
35 Shulini S R3 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S’ 71 Kosalam S R3 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S’
36 Chalanata S R3 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S’ 72 Rasikapriya S R3 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S’

For those who want to play each of these aforementioned ragas on a piano, check here.
That sort of concludes the classification of the various Raagas in both Hindustani and Carnatic Music, unless I have missed out some point(s). Until next time, keep singing (and reading this segment, of-course)!

Enjoy these wonderful renditions for now..

Prakash says:
September 14, 2010 at 9:55 pm

Great post! 🙂

Nanamar says:
September 14, 2010 at 5:18 am

As usual…. well written. Keep it going 🙂