THE MELAKARTA FOUNDATION

OF CARNATIC MUSIC

INTRODUCTION BY

S.RAJAM

RENDERING ON THE VEENA BY

KAMALA NARASIMHAN

Carnatic Music traces it's original roots to the chants of the

Sama Veda. The Yagnavalkya Samhita (III.4.115) says that he who
knows the truth of Vina play, Srutis, Jatis and Talas, treads an
easy path to salvation. Carnatic Music, in it's present form rests
on the structure set out in the Melakarta Scheme. Formulated first
by Venkatamakhi, who is placed in the 17th. Century A.D., the Scheme
envisaged some Asampurna ragas, that is, without the full complement
of the seven svaras or notes of the octave. It was later modified by
Govindacharya to include only ragas with the full complement of
seven svaras. (Sampurna). This is what is now followed. It is, of
course, to be noted that the octave of seven notes, is basic to vitually all music
systems of the world.

This Scheme envisages the Sa and Pa as fixed svaras, with

the Ma having two variants and the remaining svaras as having
three variants each. This leads to 72 seven-note combinations
referred to as the Melakarta Ragas. The omission of one or more
notes in the Arohana or Ascending and / or Avarohana or
descending swara sequences from any Melakarta leads to a very
large number of Janya Ragas. Janya means born of, or derived from.

Thousands of compositions of different types : the Gita, the

Vara, Kirtana, Padam, Pallavi, Tillana etc, have been composed in
these Melakarta or Janya Ragas by various famous composers,
presenting an enormous range and depth in presenting the
melodic possibilities of each. And of course, without the
limitations of a composition, the Alapana provides the format
where any musician can elaborate any Raga for as long as likes,
with improvisation being limited only by his or her imagination.

A great composition in this context is a Ragamalika, embracing

all the 72 Melakarta Ragas, by the great composer, Maha Vaidyanatha
Sivan (1844-93). A beautiful rendering of this composition by
Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi is available on a Cassette from HMV
under then title "Mela Ragamalika Chakra".

All these ragas have also been illustrated by a complete set of

72 Kirtanas by another illustrious composer Kotiswara Aiyar. (1869-
1938). Anyone interested in obtaining a compilation of a full set
of these Kirtanas, with full notations, along with their vocal
rendering on a set of 10 Cassettes, can obtain them from the
contributor of this Introduction.

It is intended that this presentation should provide a basic point

of entry into the incredibly beautiful world of Carnatic music.
Each entry in the table below provides a link to a Veena
rendering of the Arohana and Avarohana with a very brief
rendering of the Raga outline to illustrate the unique melodic
shape that the notes of the Raga takes.

It is expected in due course, to have the links below extended

to take the viewer on through onward links to information and
music of the great composers and artistes who have contributed
to developing and preserving this great Indian musical tradition
over the centuries.

The Swara symbols used in the table below and the

corresponding Swara names are :

Sa : Shadjamam : this is the base note of the octave, the name Shad-ja itself
meaning "giving birth to next 6 notes".

R1 : Suddha Rishabham R2 : Chatusruti Rishabham R3 : Shatsruti

Rishabham

G1 : Suddha Gandharam G2 : Sadharana Gandharam G3 : Antara

Gandharam

M1: Suddha Madhyamam M2 : Prati Madhyamam

P : Panchamam

D1 : Suddha Daivatam D2 : Chatusruti Daivatam D3 : Shatsruti

Daivatam

N1 : Suddha Nishadam N2 : Kaisiki Nishadam N3 : Kakali

Nishadam

Note : Click on the underlined Raga name to hear the raga. You can hear the
recording only if you have Windows Media Player or Real Audio Player on
your computer.

THE MELAKARTA SCHEME

1.
Kanakangi S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N1 S
 æäæè§‡æ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
2.
Rathnangi S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N2 S
õ¨ê‡äè§‡æ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
3.
Ganamoorthi S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N3 S
æèäßõ‡ê‡ê¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
4.
Vanaspathi S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N2 S
ô䡉çê¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
5.
Manavathi S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N3 S
ëèäôê¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
6.
Danaroopi S R1 G1 M1 P D3 N3 S
êèä¥ç¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡

7.
Senavathi S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N1 S
î¡åèôê¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë1 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
8 .
Hanumathodi S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S
ÁÅëîêèï ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë1 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
9.
Dhenuka S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N3 S
îêÄæè ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë1 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
10.
Natakapriya S R1 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S
åèìæç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë1 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
11.
Kokilapriya S R1 G2 M1 P D2 N3 S
îæèæ¨ùç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë1 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
12.
Roopavathi S R1 G2 M1 P D3 N3 S
¥çôê¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë1 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡

13.
Gayakapriya S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S
æèáæç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
14.
Vakulabaranam S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S
ôÆùèçõÚëŠ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
15.
Mayamalavagowla S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S
ëèáèëèóôâæóó ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
16.
Chakravaham S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
òæ‡õôèÁëŠ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë1 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
17.
Suryakantham S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S
¡«õ‡áæèå‡êëŠ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë1 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
18.
Hatakambari S R1 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S
ÁìæèëŠçõ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë1 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡

19.
Jankaradwani S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N1 S
£§‡æèõê‡ôä¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë1 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
20.
Natabairavi S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S
å¨ìéçõô¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë1 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
21.
Keeravani S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N3 S
æ©õôèÚ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë1 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
22.
Karaharapriya S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S
æõæõç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë1 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
23.
Gowrimanohari S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N3 S
âæóõ¨ëîåèÁõ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë1 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
24.
Varunapriya S R2 G2 M1 P D3 N3 S
ôÕÚç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë1 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡
25.
Mararanjani S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S
ëõõ¢‰£ä¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
26.
Charukesi S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S
òèÕî桨 ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
27.
Sarasangi S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S
¡õ¡è§‡æ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
28.
Harikambodi S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
Áõ¨æèëŠîçèê¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë1 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
29.
Dhirasankarabaranam S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S
ê©õò§‡æõèçõÚëŠ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë1 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
30.
Naganandini S R2 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S
åèæèåå‡ê¨ä¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë1 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡
31.
Yagapriya S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S
áèæç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
32.
Ragavardini S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S
õèæôõ‡êä¨ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
33.
Kangeyabhushani S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S
æ觇îæá·ÜÚ¨ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë1 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
34.
Vagadishwari S R3 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
ôèæê©¡‰ôõ¨ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë1 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
35.
Sulini S R3 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S
Ü«ù¨ä¨ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë1 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
36.
Chalanata S R3 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S
òùåèéì ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë1 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡

37.
Salakam S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N1 S
¡èóæëŠ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
38.
Jalarnavam S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N2 S
£ùèõ‡åôëŠ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
39.
Jalavarali S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N3 S
£èùôõèó¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
40.
Navaneetham S R1 G1 M2 P D2 N2 S
åôå©êëŠ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
41.
Pavani S R1 G1 M2 P D2 N3 S
çèôä¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
42.
Ragupriya S R1 G1 M2 P D3 N3 S
õÆç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨1 æ1 ë1 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡

43.
Kavambodhi S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N1 S
æèôèëŠîçèê¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë2 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
44.
Bhavapriya S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S
çèôç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë2 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
45.
Subhapantuvarali S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N3 S
àççå‡Êôõèó¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë2 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
46.
Shadvidamargani S R1 G2 M2 P D2 N2 S
Üì‡ô¨êëõ‡æä¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë2 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
47.
Suvarnangi S R1 G2 M2 P D2 N3 S
¡¦ôõ‡Úè§‡æ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë2 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
48.
Divyamani S R1 G2 M2 P D3 N3 S
ê¨ôŠáëÚ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ2 ë2 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡
49.
Dhavalambari S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S
êôóèëŠçõ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
50.
Namanarayani S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S
åèëåèõèáÚ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
51.
Kamavardhani S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S
æèëôõ‡êä¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
52.
Ramapriya S R1 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S
õèëç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë2 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
53.
Gamanasrama S R1 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S
æëä衉õëè ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë2 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
54.
Viswambari S R1 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S
ô¨¡‰ôèëŠçõ¨ ¡ õ¨1 æ3 ë2 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡
55.
Syamalangi S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N1 S
ò‹áèëóè§‡æ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë2 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
56.
Shanmugapriya S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S
ÜÚˆËæç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë2 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
57.
Simhendramadyamam S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N3 S
¡¨ëŠîÁå‡ê‡õ¨ëê‡áëëŠ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë2 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
58.
Hemavathi S R2 G2 M2 P D2 N2 S
îÁëôê¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë2 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
59.
Dharmavathi S R2 G2 M2 P D2 N3 S
êõ‡ëôê¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë2 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
60.
Neethimathi S R2 G2 M2 P D3 N3 S
å©ê¨ëê¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ2 ë2 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡
61.
Kanthamani S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S
æèå‡êèëÚ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
62.
Rishabapriya S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S
õ¨Üçç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
63.
Lathangi S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S
ùêè§‡æ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
64.
Vachaspathi S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S
ôèò¡‰çê¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë2 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
65.
Mechakalyani S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S
îëòæùŠáèÚ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë2 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
66.
Chitrambari S R2 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S
ò¨ê‡õèëŠçõ¨ ¡ õ¨2 æ3 ë2 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡

67.
Sucharithra S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S
¡¦òõ¨ê‡õè ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨1 ¡
68.
Jyothiswaroopini S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S
î£èꨡ‰ô¥ç¨Ú¨ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨2 ¡
69.
Dhathuvardani S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S
êèÊôõ‡êä¨ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë2 ç ê1 å¨3 ¡
70.
Nasikabhushani S R3 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S
å表æè·ÜÚ¨ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë2 ç ê2 å¨2 ¡
71.
Kosalam. S R3 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S
îæè¡ùëŠ ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë2 ç ê2 å¨3 ¡
72.
Rasikapriya S R3 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S
õ¡¨æç‡õ¨áè ¡ õ¨3 æ3 ë2 ç ê3 å¨3 ¡