Graha bhedam

Definition

Practical demo

[|Example Illustration]

• C as the base for Shankarabharanam is chosen for above illustration only for convenience, as Carnatic music does not enforce strict frequency/pitch structure. The Shadjam is fixed by the artist as per the vocal range or the instrument's tonic note. All the other swarams are relative to this Shadjam, falling into a Geometric progression-like frequency pattern. This note is applicable to all tables that are illustrated further below in this page.
• The 6th Graha Bhedam of Shankarabharanam has both Madhyamams and no Panchamam and hence will not be considered a valid Melakarta. This is only a classification issue with respect to Melakarta, while this structure could be theoretically used well to create good music. Hindustani classical raga lalit has 2 Ma and no Pa, however it has different Ga and Ni than this structure
• The gaps in the above table are for the missing swara positions in these ragams, which happens to be the Sharp / Flat notes in western music.

  Melakarta Rāgams

''Shankarabharanam''

''Kanakangi''

''Mayamalavagowla''

''Ragavardhini''

''Vachaspati''

''Shanmukhapriya''

''Keeravani''

''Ratnangi''

''Ganamurti''

''Vanaspati''

''Manavati''

''Sooryakantam''

''Kokilapriya''

''Gayakapriya''

''Dharmavati''

''Hatakambari''

''Naganandini''

''Gangeyabhooshani''

''Chalanata''

''Shadvidamargini''

''Janya rāgams''

''Mohanam''

• C as the base for Mohanam is chosen for above illustration only for convenience, as Carnatic music does not enforce strict frequency/note structure. The Shadjam is fixed by the artist as per the vocal range or the instrument's tonic note. All the other swarams are relative to this Shadjam, falling into a Geometric progression-like frequency pattern. This note is applicable to all tables that are illustrated further below.
• The gaps in the above table are for the missing swara positions in these ragams, which happens to be the Sharp and Flat notes along with F and B notes, in western music.
• If a Sharp / Flat key is chosen as tonic note and ONLY the black keys are played in a piano/ organ/ keyboard/ harmonium, then these 5 are the ragams played successively. That is if you have only black keys, with tonic note from C#, it is Shuddha Saveri. From D# it is Udayaravichandrika, from F# it is Mohanam, from A-flat it is Madhyamavathi and from B-Flat it is Hindolam.
• This statement is true for simplified ragam structure only. Ragams though are more complex in that there are phrases to use and phrases to avoid, gamakas, elongation of notes, a specific mood/ bhava/ rasa to be evoked while singing/ playing, etc. These cannot be captured well in scientific notations.

  ''Shivaranjani''

• The difference between this set and Mohanam set shown above it, is that the 3rd note differs between E and D#. Hence, Shivaranjani differs from Mohanam by one note – G2 in place of G3, Revati differs from Madhyamavati by one note – R1 in place of R2, while Sunadavinodini differs from Hindolam in all notes other than S.

  ''Hamsadhwani''

''Abhogi''

''Amritavarshini''

''Gambhiranata''