Ragam - 72 Melakartha
Composition of Ragas - Gadabayati Project
Composition of Ragas - Gadabayati Project
A raga is a composition of notes that are pleasant to listen to.Different surakorvais create different ragas and give us pleasure.Each raga has a unique form.Acquiring Raga Jnana is not so easy.While some people get it easily, many are able to get it after many years of training.Those who acquire raga jnana acquire skill in singing ragas and playing musical instruments.They also get the power to find the differences of different ragas.
Ragas are commonly known as Janaka (Mother) Ragas and Janniya (Sei) Ragas are also divided into two categories.Janaka raga has many names like Melakartha, Melam, Kartha raga, Sampoorna raga and was given the name "Pan" in ancient Tamilisai.
For a raga to be considered a janaka (mother) raga it must have four characteristics:
1. All the seven swaras of "Sa ri ga ma Pa ta ni" should appear in Arogana and Avarogana.
2. All seven swaras should be arranged in sequence in arogana and avarogana.
3. Whatever type of Suram comes in Arogana, Surakup should also come in Avarogana.
4. Ascendant and Avaroganam should have Tarasthayi Satja.
Thus there are 72 Janaka Ragas. These are commonly called 72 Melakarthas.
72 HISTORY OF MELAKARTHAS:
Venkatamaki who lived in the 17th century in his book "Chatur Thandi Prakasikai" describes the system of 72 Melakarthas.But, he did not give the name of all Melakarthas. And many Melakarthas are found without Grama Sampurana Arogana.Some varja ragas are also mentioned as melakarthas.
Emperor Tulaja (1729 - 1735), who ruled Tanjore in the 18th century, mentions Venkatamakhi's 72 Melakartha system in his book "Sangita Saramrutham".But he also did not give the name.
In the same century, Govindacharya in his book "Sangraka Sudamani" refers to 72 Melas with Grama Sampoorna Arogana Avarogana method."Kanakangi Ratinangi" has given a list of names. We find that the names are arranged to indicate the number of each melam as per the Kadabayati scheme.
Besides this, another list of names "Kanakambari-Penadyuti" seems to have been prepared later.These names are suitable for 'Kadabayati' project But many shadava-sampurna and audava-sampurna ragas continue to be mentioned as melas.
"Kanakangi-Rathinangi" mela names were adopted by Thyagarasar and his successors.Only Muthuswamy Dikshidar has followed Kanakambari - Benathyudi mela names.The former is called Sampoorna Melabandathi and the latter is called Imperfect Melabandathi.
System
There are seven swaras in a sthayi.They have 12 svasthanas.These 12 Swasthanas expand into 16 Swasthanas as per requirement.Based on this principle, the organization of 72 Melakarthas was formed.
Sixteen Suras
Shadjam
Pure Taurus
Sadusruthi Rishabam
Satsuruti Taurus
Pure Gandhara
Ordinary Gandhara
Antara Gandharam
Pure mediocrity
Copy medium
Panchamam
Pure Buddhism
Satsruthi Taivatam
Satsuruti Taivatam
Sheer Nishad
Kaisigi Nishad
Kakali Nisadam
The only reason why the 12 srasdhanas are arranged in 16 sura types is that we get 72 melakartha ragas. Adding the 12 svasthanas with normal svarasthanas in various ways gives only 32 melakarthas.But adding four vivadi swaras (sura types) gives more than 40 melams (vivadi melams).
We have seen above that when using the sixteen suravarugas we get three types of Rishabas, three types of Gandharas, three types of Taivatams and three types of Nishads.
The 72 melakaruthas are divided into two equal parts. The 36 Melakarthas appearing in the first part are called Purvamela Karthas and the 36 Melakarthas appearing in the second part are called Uttara Melakarthas. 1-36 melakarthas are pure medial, 37-72 melakarthas also have prati madhyam Purva Melakarthas are called Pure Central Melakarthas and Uttara Melakarthas are called Prati Madhyamik Melakarthas. ( Suddha Madhyam is written with the letter 'ma' and Prati Madhyam is written with the letter 'mi' ).
The 72 Melakarthas are divided into 12 chakras (sections).Each chakra has six melakarthas.
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