think loud

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Facts about India to feel proud - 11

Facts about India to feel proud - 10

Facts about India to feel proud - 9

Facts about India to feel proud - 8

Facts about India to feel proud - 7

Monday, January 11, 2010

Melakartha Raagas - Dr.M. Balamuralikrishna

Melakarta is a javascript:void(0)collection of fundamental ragas...

Melakarta is a collection of fundamental ragas (musical scales) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). Melakarta ragas are parent ragas (hence known as janaka ragas) from which other ragas may be generated.
In Hindustani music the thaat is equivalent of Melakarta. There are 10 thaats in Hindustani music, though the commonly accepted melakarta scheme has 72 ragas.
A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampoorna as well.

Rules for Melakarta

Ragas must contain the following characteristics to be considered Melakarta.

They are sampurna ragas - they contain all seven swaras (notes) of the octave in both ascending and descending scale
They are krama sampurna ragas - that is the sequence is strictly ascending and descending in the scales, without any jumps or zig-zag notes
The upper shadjam is included in the raga scale (ragas like Punnagavarali and Chenchurutti are not melakarta as they end with nishadham)
The ascending and descending scales must have the same notes
History
The mela system of ragas was first propounded by Raamamaatya in his work Svaramelakalanidhi c. 1550. He is considered the father of mela system of ragas. Later Venkatamakhin expounded in the 17th century in his work Caturdandi Prakaasikaa a new mela system known today as melakarta. He had made some bold and controversial claims and defined somewhat arbitrarily 6 swaras from the known 12 semitones, at that time, to arrive at 72 melakarta ragas. The controversial parts relate to double counting of R2 (and similar swaras) and his exclusive selection of madyamas for which there is no specific reasoning. However, today the 72 melakarta ragas have gained significant following, though to this day this system is being criticized. Venkatamakhin was known to be extremely critical of Raamamaatya.

Determining the Melakarta

Main article: Katapayadi sankhya
A hundred years after Venkatamakhin's time the Katapayadi sankhya rule came to be applied to the nomenclature of the melakarta ragas. The sankhya associates Sanskrit consonants with digits. The digits corresponding to the first two syllables of the name of a raga, when reversed, give the index of the raga. Thus the scale of a melakarta raga can be easily derived from its name.
For example, Harikambhoji raga starts with syllables Ha and ri, which have numbers 8 and 2 associated with them. Reversing them we get 28. Hence Harikambhoji is the 28^th Melakarta raga. See Katapayadi sankhya for more details and examples.

Melakarta scale
Each melakarta raga has a different scale. This scheme envisages the lower Sa (Keezh Shadjamam), upper Sa (Mael Shadjamam) and Pa (Panchamam) as fixed swaras, with the Ma (Madhyamam) having two variants and the remaining swaras Ri (Rishabam), Ga (Gandhaaram), Dha (Dhaivatham) and Ni (Nishaadham) as having three variants each. This leads to 72 seven-note combinations (scales) referred to as the Melakarta ragas as follows.
There are twelve semitones of the octave S, R1, R2=G1, R3=G2, G3, M1, M2, P, D1, D2=N1, D3=N2, N3 (see swaras in Carnatic music for explanation of these notations). A melakarta raga must necessarily have S and P, one of the M's, one each of the R's and G's, and one each of the D's and N's. Also, R must necessarily precede G and D must precede N (krama sampoorna raga). This gives 2 × 6 × 6 = 72 ragas. Finding melakarta ragas is a mathematical process. By following a simple set of rules we can find the corresponding raga and the scale associated with it.
A raga which has a subset of swaras from a Melakarta raga is said to be a janya (means born or derived from) of that Melakarta raga. Every raga is the janya of a melakarta raga. Janya ragas whose notes are found in more than one melakarta raga are assigned (or associated) parent Melakarta based on subjective notions of similarity. This is obvious for ragas that have less than seven notes. For such ragas it can be associated with a Melakarta which has any of the different swaras in that position. For example, Hindolam has Rishabam and Panchamam missing. Hence, it could be considered a janya of Todi (also known as Hanumatodi) which has shuddha rishabam or with Natabhairavi which has a chathusruthi rishabam. It is popularly associated with Natabhairavi.

Chakras
The 72 melakarta ragas are split into 12 groups called chakras, each containing 6 ragas. The ragas within the chakra differ only in the dhaivatham and nishadham notes (D and N), as illustrated below. The name of each of the 12 chakras suggest their ordinal number as well.^[1]^[3]
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.
Vasu stands for the eight vasus of Hinduism.
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.

Table of Melakarta ragas

The 72 melakarta ragas can be divided into two parts. viz.,. suddha Madhyamam and prati Madhyamam ragas. When a given suddha madhyamam raga's M1 is replaced by M2, we get the corresponding prati madhyamam raga. See Katapayadi sankhya for more information on how to derive the various swaras of a raga from its melakarta number.
See swaras in Carnatic music for explanation of the notations like R1, G2, N2, etc.

'Mēḷakartā Rāgas'
'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	Hanumatodi	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 all the 72 Melakartha songs rendered by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna go to the another separate posting under label Melakartha raagaas


Manika Umaskanth said...: Dear Sir I don't just like your posts. I love them ! You are a very kind man. Thank You and may God bless you. M.Umaskanth

January 12, 2010 12:39 AM
Anonymous said...: sir...could you also pls post the name of the singer for each song?

January 12, 2010 1:45 AM
hvaidya said...: Dear Mr/Ms. Anonymous, All these songs are rendered by Dr. M.Balamuralikrishna. Please see the title of this posting.

January 12, 2010 6:15 AM
hvaidya said...: Dear Manika Umaskanth, Thank you for your kind words.

January 12, 2010 6:15 AM
Radha said...: Dear hvaidya, I do appreciate for the wonderful and selfless service of giving and providing concerts. I would be highly obliged if you could give on which taalam it is rendered by him.

January 16, 2010 1:03 PM
Venkat said...: Thank you very much.

February 20, 2010 7:53 AM
Sriram said...: Sir, Thanks for such wonderful contests. I am not able to download the following songs: 46 and 63 http://www.mediafire.com/?wnmzyjdwu2m Hymavathim - Shadvidhamargini http://www.mediafire.com/?hdu2vumnouh Thaamaralochani - Lathaangi Can you Please look into this. Wish you a happy new year. Thanks S.Sriram

January 3, 2011 2:49 AM

hvaidya said...
Dear Mr. Sriram,

Thanks for pointing out the errors. I have uploaded them afresh. You can now download them.

January 4, 2011 11:00 PM

Anonymous said...: Can you please check the Mayamalavagowla link - it is not working for me. Thanks.

January 21, 2011 2:14 AM

hvaidya said...
I have posted Mayamalavagowlai afresh. Please let me know whether you are able to download successfully.

January 21, 2011 7:13 PM

Anonymous said...: Thank you ... I am listening to the Mayamalavagowla now; it is divine!

February 10, 2011 2:24 AM

Jai said...: Sir, I chanced upon your blog via google, while searching for carnatic renditions of the 'Desh' raagam. When I see the treasure trove of carnatic music that you have amassed on your blog, I feel like 'Kasim' from the Ali Baba & 40 theieves story. I'm honestly surprised at my own confusion on deciding which one to read first and which do I get to later! After a lot of deliberation I have decided to go slow and take one post at a time. Starting with this post. :) My sincere respects to your efforts. I would like to be able to contribute in anyway possible to keep this invaluable effort going, so others, like me, find this treasure and enrich their lives with it. Do let me know if such an opportunity arises. Regards, Jai Ganesh

March 15, 2011 12:38 AM
hvaidya said...: Thank you Mr Jai Ganesh for your nice words. Your offer is appreciated. Please keep in touch and post your suggestions

March 15, 2011 9:31 AM

Anonymous said...: this is an information i have been seeking. thanks, but i need to know something: a melakarta raga which have seven notes in their scales can be sung all time ? or they have an especific hour and season. I would like to know the correct time to these 72 melakarta ragas, please help me

June 10, 2011 9:16 AM
hvaidya said...: I have not come across any where about the specific timing to sing Melakartha raagaas. I will be happy if some one from our readers can enlighten us. I will also be on the look out for the information.

June 11, 2011 6:23 PM

Ram said...

Dear Sir:

Awesome page. Thank you for maintaining it. The following links are missing:

29 Dheera sankarabaranam

34 Vaagadheeswari

48 Dhivyamani

64 Vaachaspathi

Best regards,

January 4, 2012 10:04 AM

Anonymous said...

Namaskar Sir,

Please check into the links of Melakartas 60 & 61 in addition to the missing links identified by Mr. Ram (29, 34, 48, & 64). All these 6 tracks have problems with loading/playing.

Regards,
hvaidyadas

April 8, 2012 2:43 PM

hvaidya said...

I have uploaded these songs afresh

April 9, 2012 11:49 PM

Anonymous said...

Namaskaram Sir,

I am delighted by your diligence and prompt response to our request. However sir, the problem with Melakarta 34 (Pranamaamyaham/Vaagadheeswari) still persists. May be it is a problem with my system. Can other users please check this link and revert...The rest of them are working fine.

Best Regards,
hvaidyadas

April 10, 2012 2:45 PM

hvaidya said...

I am sorry for the omission. Item No 34 is also now posted. Please let me know if there is any problem

April 10, 2012 7:59 PM

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Always take the life like this

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

To this Arthur Ashe replied: The world over -- 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakh learn to play tennis, 5 lakh learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?". And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"

Happiness keeps u Sweet, Trials keep u Strong, Sorrow keeps u Human, Failure Keeps u Humble , Success keeps u Glowing, But only God Keeps u Going...

received from Bhaskaran Shivaraman

Thamizh

This was contributed by Mr. Bhaskaran Shivaraman

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Facts about India to feel proud - 6

Chakravakam

Chakravakam, (pronounced chakravākam, Sanskrit: चक्रवाकम्, Telugu: చక్రవాకం, Tamil: சக்ரவாகம்) is a rāgam (musical scale), in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). It is the 16^th Melakarta rāgam (parent rāgam) in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. According to the Muthuswami Dikshitar school, this rāgam is called Tōyavēgavāhini.Chakravakam is close to Raga Ahir bhairav in the Hindustani music.
Chakravakam is a raga that is known to incites feelings of devotion, sympathy and compassion in the listeners.

Structure and Lakshana

Chakravakam scale with Shadjam at C

It is the 4^th melakarta in the 3^rd chakra Agni. The mnemonic name is Agni-Bhu. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra gu ma pa dhi ni. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

ārohaṇa : S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
avarohaṇa : S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S

The notes in this scale are shadjam, shuddha rishabham, anthara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kaisiki nishadham.
It is a sampoorna rāgam - rāgam having all 7 swarams. It is the suddha madhyamam equivalent of Ramapriya, which is the 52^nd melakarta.

Janya rāgams

Chakravakam has quite a few janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it, of which Bindumalini, Malayamarutam and Valaji are popular.
See List of Janya Ragas for a full list of its janyas.

Popular Compositions

Gajānanayutham is a popular composition in Chakravakam, by the maestro Muthuswami Dikshitar, which is sung in a brisk tempo, unlike other compositions. Etula Brotuvo teliya and Sugunamule by Thyagaraja, Kānakkankoti vendum by Koteeswara Iyer are also sung in concerts.
There are a number of popular compositions in Ahir bhairav (Hindustani raga similar to Chakravakam), one of the most well known ones being Pibare Rāmarasam in Sanskrit, by Sadasiva Brahmendra.
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Chakravakam's notes when shifted using Graha bedham, yields 2 other major melakarta rāgams, namely, Sarasangi and Dharmavati. Graha bedham is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the Shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For an illustration refer Graha bedham on Dharmavati.

http://www.mediafire.com/?rmy0iimkgjl Aakati velala - P. Unnikrishnan
http://www.mediafire.com/?tmcrytmmfjn Arivudaiyaar - K.J. Yesudoss
http://www.mediafire.com/?ijvmim2imju Dhakshinaamurthiye - K. J. Yesudoss
http://www.mediafire.com/?2mizz2l2juj Easane - D.K. Pattammaal
http://www.mediafire.com/?c2uk1z0nlf46t6v Easane - Sikkil Gurucharan
http://www.mediafire.com/?knegakwkwyj Easane - Sowmya
http://www.mediafire.com/?mljwz2ymazy Ethula bro - John. B. Higgins
http://www.mediafire.com/?uznwmmmkzmd Ethula bro - T.K Rangachari
http://www.mediafire.com/?oood2qzz40m Ethula bro - T.N. Seshagopalan
http://www.mediafire.com/?ytckmfituxm Gajananaayudham - Sikkil Gurucharan
http://www.mediafire.com/?3ezgodiyril Gajananaayudham - Kundrakudi Balamuralikrishna
http://www.mediafire.com/?xfmdzorxrfd Guruvaayurappa - Sankaran Namboodhri
http://www.mediafire.com/?jmthzmymjfj Kaalaa Unnai - Sowmya
http://www.mediafire.com/?iuzzzd2dzjz Kaanamal irundhal - Nithyashree
http://www.mediafire.com/?ty21owmmiun Perinbam - Ranjani & Gayathri
http://www.mediafire.com/?jilm5n2iwan Pibare raamarasam - Hyderbad
Broshttp://www.mediafire.com/?utyjzomwmgi Seer valar - P. Unnikrishnan
http://www.mediafire.com/?yjzwymiwmgj Sendhamizh thaayai - M.M. Dhanadapani Desikar
http://www.mediafire.com/?mnn4nzdxey2 Sugunamule - P. Unnikrishnan
http://www.mediafire.com/?1nzb2mnzz5d Sugunamule - Sankaran Namboodhri
http://www.mediafire.com/?0jkz2yuyqjz Tirupathi - Nithyashree
http://www.mediafire.com/?nn2ttkyfxyk Thirupathi - Nithyashree
http://www.mediafire.com/?gdyjymtw32z Urugaadhaa - Madurai
Somuhttp://www.mediafire.com/?2uzznyzhnxw Vigna vinaayakam - K. J Yesudoss

Sriram said...: Dear Sir, Really good collection of songs that you have got. Sl No 5 http://www.mediafire.com/?wm01zm1mjtw Easane - Sikkil - This link is not working. Can you Please look into this?
January 16, 2011 5:36 AM

hvaidya said...
I have uploaded the same afresh

January 16, 2011 11:52 AM

mohan said...: Dear Sir, Your service to the world of music is commendable. Sir, i am unable to download melakarta raga No.50,62,64 & 70. Kindly rectify the problem. Once again my Namaskarams for organising this wonderful website. Rama Mohan
February 21, 2011 10:05 PM

hvaidya said...
Dear Mr. Mohan,

All the files mentioned by you are opening. Please try again. If the problem persists please let me know.
Wishing you all the best.

February 23, 2011 9:35 PM