Melakarta Raga

The term Melakarta Raga (or simply Melakarta) is fundamental to the classification system of Carnatic (South Indian classical) music.

Melakarta literally means "lord of the scale" and essentially refers to a parent or fundamental scale from which other raagas (called Janya ragas) are derived.

While ragas in Hindustani music are divided into thaats, ragas in Carnatic music are divided into melakartas.

The system of 72 Melakarta Ragas provide a definitive and exhaustive framework for every possible seven-note, strictly ordered scale in Carnatic music.

The Asampurna Melakarta system was originally proposed in the 17th century by Venkatamakhin in his Chaturdanda Prakasikha. The naming of the original system followed Katapayadi system of numerical notation. 

Later, Govindacharya came up with a more mathematical and regular system of 72 ragas, which is currently considered fundamental ragas (musical scales) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). These melakarta ragas were sampurna ragas.

Here is a simple breakdown:

What is a Melakarta Raga?

The Parent Scale: A Melakarta Raga is a complete, foundational musical scale that contains all seven notes of the octave in both the ascending (Aarohanam) and descending (Avarohanam) scales.

The Seven Notes: These seven notes (Sapta Swaras) are Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni (the equivalent of Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti).

Strict Rule of Order: A Melakarta Raga must follow two very strict rules:

  • All Seven Notes Must Be Present: It must contain all seven swaras.
  • Strict Ascending/Descending Order: The notes must always be in a perfectly strict ascending and descending order (e.g., Sa–Ri–Ga–Ma–Pa–Da–Ni and Ni–Da–Pa–Ma–Ga–Ri–Sa).

The Melakarta System (The 72 Scales)

The beauty of the system lies in its mathematical completeness:

Because there are different variations (or shrutis) of the notes Ri, Ga, Ma, Da, and Ni, there are exactly 72 possible permutations (combinations) of these seven notes that satisfy the rules.

Therefore, there are 72 Melakarta Ragas in total, and every single raga in Carnatic music is derived from one of these 72 parent scales.

The notes Sa (the tonic) and Pa (the fifth) have only one form (or pitch) across all 72 scales, so they don't contribute to the permutations.

The 72 Melakarta Ragas are often divided into 12 groups of 6 ragas each, called Chakras.

Here are the names of all 72 Melakarta Ragas, listed sequentially by their corresponding Chakra:

Chakra I: Indu (Moon) 

  1. Kanakangi

  2. Ratnangi

  3. Ganamūrti

  4. Vanaspati

  5. Mānavati

  6. Tānūrupi

Chakra II: Nētra (Eyes) 

  1. Senāvati

  2. Hanumatōdi

  3. Dhenuka

  4. Nātakapriya

  5. Kōkila priya

  6. Rūpāvati

Chakra III: Agni (Fire) 

  1. Gāyakapriya

  2. Vakulābharanam

  3. Māyāmālavagaula

  4. Cakravākam

  5. Sūrakāntam

  6. Hatakāmbari

Chakra IV: Vēda (Vedas) 

  1. Jhankāradhvani

  2. Natabhairavi

  3. Kīravāni

  4. Kharaharapriya

  5. Gaurīmanōhari

  6. Varunapriya

Chakra V: Bāna (Arrow) 

  1. Māranjani

  2. Tarangini

  3. Nāsikābhūshani

  4. Harikāmbhōji

  5. Dhīrashankarābharanam

  6. Nāganandini

Chakra VI: Rutu (Seasons) 

  1. Yāgapriya

  2. Rāgavardhani

  3. Gangēyabhūshani

  4. Vāgadhīshwari

  5. Shūlini

  6. Chalanāta

Chakra VII: Rishi (Sages) 

  1. Sāmalāngi

  2. Jalārnavam

  3. Jhālavarāli

  4. Navanītam

  5. Pāvanī

  6. Raghupriya

Chakra VIII: Vasu (Vasus) 

  1. Gavāmbōdi

  2. Bhavapriya

  3. Shubhāpantuvarāli

  4. Shadvidhamārginī

  5. Suvarnāngi

  6. Divyamani

Chakra IX: Brahma (Creator) 

  1. Dharmāvati

  2. Nītambini

  3. Kāmaravardhani (or Pantuvarāli)

  4. Rāmapriya

  5. Gamanashrama

  6. Vishvambhari

Chakra X: Dishī (Directions) 

  1. Shyāmalāngi

  2. Shanmukhapriya

  3. Simhēndramadhyamam

  4. Hēmāvati

  5. Dharmaprakāshini

  6. Nītimati

Chakra XI: Rudra (Shiva) 

  1. Kāntāmani

  2. Rishabhapriya

  3. Latāngi

  4. Vāchaspati

  5. Mēchakalyāni

  6. Chitrambari

Chakra XII: Āditya (Sun) 

  1. Sucharitra

  2. Jyotiswarūpini

  3. Dhātuvardhani

  4. Nāgamōhini

  5. Kōsalam

  6. Rasikapriya

In summary: A Melakarta Raga is one of the 72 fundamental, mathematically complete scales that forms the basis of the entire Carnatic music system.