Types of Ragas in Carnatic Music

Carnatic Music which is also called Karnataka Sangitam is one of the styles of Indian Classical Music. It is commonly associated with South India. When Carnatic Music began in South India it was actually influenced by the pan Indian Bhakti Movement.This music pays more emphasis on vocal music. The compositions that are written are sung and also played on musical instruments.

The ragas which are used in Carnatic Music are called Carnatic Ragas. There are several components in a Carnatic raga like primordial sound which means nada, tonal system which means swara, pitch which means sruthi, scale,ornaments which mean gamaka, etc.

MELAKARTA RAGA

The following are the different types of ragas in Carnatic Music. The first raga is Melakarta Raga. This raga is the parent raga. They are also referred to as Janaka ragas. From these ragas there are other ragas that can be made. Ram Amatya was the first person who spoke about Melakarta Raga in his work. He is also considered to be the father of the mela system of ragas. There are 72 Melakarta Ragas and each of these has a different scale. Thus based on this the lower Sa, the upper Sa and Pa are fixed as swaras. The Ma has two variants and then the remaining swaras Ri, Ga, Dha and Ni have three variants. All of this leads to the formation of the 72 Melakarta Ragas. Each octave has 12 semitones. When it comes to a Melakarta Raga it is necessary for the raga to have a S and P, one M, one R and also one G, one D and also one N. If one wants to find a Melakarta Raga, they can find it with the help of a mathematical process. One has to follow some basic set of rules and then accordingly they will find the corresponding raga and the scale which is associated with it. The 72 Melakarta Ragas are further divided into suddha madhyama and prati madhyama ragas. Some examples of Melakarta Ragas are Kanakangi, Vanaspati, Ganamurti,etc.

JANYA RAGA AND ITS TYPES

The Janya Ragas are derived from the Melakarta Ragas. The process of deriving the Janya Raga from the Melakarta Raga is complex. Janya means derive. They are further classified into various other types based on a variety of features.Some of the types of Janya Ragas are the Varja Raga. In this raga  one or more of the notes of the scale of the parent Melakarta raga in ascending or descending order or in both the ways fall in the category of the Varja Raga. The different notes can be omitted from the ascending arihana or even the descending arohana.

When it comes to Upanga it is derived from the parent Melakarta Raga itself. This raga does not use any note which is not found in the parent raga's scale. Some examples of Upanga Ragas are Shuddha Saveri, Mohanakalyani, etc. Bhashanga Raga has an anya swar in their arohana, avarohana or in both. Anya swar refers to an external note and it is  not found in the parent scale. Some examples of Bhashanga Ragas are  Saranga, Behag, Kapi, etc.

There are also some Janya Ragas which are only sung in one octave. In this case, Sa is not the highest note. There are certain classifications for this category. For example Nishad Antya where the highest note is Ni and Nadanamakriya which is derived from the Mayamalavagowla scale, Dhaivat Hantya where dha is the highest note and Kurinji which is derived from the Sankarabharanam scale. 

KARNATAKA RAGAS AND DESYA RAGAS

The next category of Ragas is Karnataka Ragas.  It is believed that this Raga originated in Carnatic Music itself. Some of the examples of this Raga are Lalitha, etc. The ragas that have their origin in other music and majority of them have originated from Hindustani music. Such ragas are called Desya Ragas. Some examples of this Raga are Desh, Sindhu Bhairavi, etc.

ALAPANA RAGA AND ITS PARTS

Sometimes an Alapana is also called a Raga. Alapana is actually a form of manodharma which introduces and helps to develop a raga.In Sanskrit Alapana actually means to speak, communicate, etc. This is also the first part of the Ragam Tanam Pallavi. Ragam Tanam Pallavi actually shows the ability of the Carnatic musician to understand a raga and improvise the music set to it. Alapana actually communicates the permitted notes and phrases of the raga and that sets the mood for the composition to follow.

There are three parts in an Alapana Raga. The first part is Akshipthika. This is the introductory part of the Alapana. It is this part which gives an idea of the raga in which the song will be sung. The artist first starts on a low note in the scale but then they can also start on another scale and also at any tempo.The main aim of the raga alapana is to allow the artist to express themselves creatively and also without sticking to any one particular scale in the song.

The next part after Akshipthika is Ragavardhini. This is a major part of the Alapana Raga. The artist step by step elaborates the raga and also pauses at each major note or swara. The concluding session is called the Magarini. At this stage the artist brisks passages that scale across the entire range of the raga.

KALPANASWARAM

Kalpanaswaram is basically a raga improvisation in a specific tala.  Kalpanaswaram is also referred to as  Swarakalpana. As a part of this the musician has to deliver complex improvised sequences within the Indian music solfege or towards the end of a composition. Performing swarakalpana is common for seasoned artists while reciting various other kritis. The Kalpanaswaram can start at any place in the tala but it is necessary for artists to end their improvisation at their first note of the first phrase of the composition at the place in the rhythm cycle where the note really is. In order to arrive at that note one needs to approach it from the closest note below. These kalpanaswaram improvisations increase in intensity when tala cycles are used.

Thus all these ragas and many more add more beauty to Carnatic Music.