RAGAS

Carnatic Music classifies Ragas into two different categories. Based on that there are two kind of Ragas

Melakarta Ragas

MelaJanya Ragas

There are different types of swara sthayis or note pitches that leads to the total number of melakartha ragas. These different variations of swaras leads to more than one combination of musical scale. The different variations in swaras is mentioned below. Using this it is possible to mathematically ascertain the total number of melakartha ragas.

Sa (Shadja) - only one.

Ri (Rishabha) - Shuddha, Chathushruthi and Shatshruti Rishabha in increasing order of pitch.

Ga (Gandhara) - Shuddha, Sadharana, Antara Gandhara in increasing order of pitch.

Ma (Madhyama) - Shuddha, Prathi Madhyama in increasing order of pitch.

Pa(Panchama)- only one.

Dha (Daivata) -Shuddha, Chatushruti, Shatshruti Daivata in increasing order of pitch.

Ni (Nishada)- Shuddha, Kaishiki, Kakali Nishadham in increasing order of pitch.

However, there are only some combinations that are allowed as for instance Shatshruthi Ri can combine with Antara Gandhara and Chathushruti Rishabha can combine with Sadharana and Antara Gandhara only. Likewise the same principle holds good for Da and Ni. If we label these swaras as Sa, Ra, Ri, Ru, Ga, Gi, Gu, Ma, Mi, Pa, Dha, Dhi, Dhu, Na, Ni, Nu.

The total combinations are:

a) 1 Sa X 1 Ra X 3(Ga, Gi, Gu) Ga + 1 Sa X Ru X 2 Ga (Gu, Gi) + 1 Sa X Ri X Gu = 6.

b) Ma, Mi =2

c) 1 Pa X Dha X 3 Ni (Na, Ni, Nu)+ 1 Pa X Dhu X 2 Ni (Nu, Ni)+ 1 Pa X Dhi X Ni =6

Multiplying these 3 combinations we get 72.

The 72 melakartha ragas are arranged in a cycle called katapayadi sutra which is named so because by the index of the raga we can get the name of the raga and the exact swara combination. The first 36 melakartha ragas have suddha madhyama whereas, the next 36 ragas have prathi madhyama.

The 72 combinations of melakartha ragas gives rise to a huge variety of musical flavours. Any sampurna raga is present in this 72 melakartha cycle. From these 72 melakartha ragas, there are more than a thousand janya ragas that contain more beautiful musical notations. While getting to know the details of a raga, it is important to know which sampurna raga the janya raga is derived from in order to know the swara types.

JANYA RAAGAS

Any raagas derived from a melakarta raaga is a mela janya raaga. Unlike a melakarta raaga, there is no conditions or restrictions on it. So, technically, there are millions of possibilities for janya raagas. Even you can create a janya raaga on your own. If it sounds good and it has good aesthetics, then it could become famous and carnatic and film music composers might use it to compose songs. It is almost correct to tell that there are infinite janya raagas.