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Arabhi or Aarabhi (pronounced ārabhi) is a ragam (musical scale) in
Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see '' swaras in Carnatic music'' for details on below notation and terms):
* :
* :
''Arabhi'' raga is an ''Owdava-sampoorna'' raga meaning, 5 '' swaras'' occur in the '' arohana'' (so it is called ''Owdava'') and in '' avarohana'' all ''swaras'' occur (so ''sampoorna'').
It is a raga without much '' gamakas'' and frequency variations, relying instead on flat notes. The important point is the swara "ga" always comes very close to "ma" so when we sing the phrase "ma ga ri" it sounds like "ma ma ri". Likewise the swara "ni" always comes very close to the swara "sa" hence when we sing the phrase "sa ni da" it sounds like "sa sa da".
The closest raga to this one is '' Devagandhari''. There are few aspects which make Arabhi different (though both share the same ascending and desce
# In ''Arabhi'' the swara "ga" is close to "ma" but in ''Devagandhari'' it is not the same.
# The swara "ri" is not fluctuated in ''Arabhi'' but it is given "asaivu" in ''Devagandhari''
# The phrase "pa ma da sa" should not be sung in ''Arabhi'', as it is exclusive for ''Devagandhari''
# ''Devagandhari'' is sung with '' gamakas'' and ''vilambita kala prayogas'' (usages with elongated notes)''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
# ''Devagandhari'' is sung with ''deergha gandharam'' (elongated G3)
''Arabhi'' raga is a very energetic and it lends itself to creativity in ''brigas'' (fast-paced swara usages) more than ''gamakas''.
Dr. P.Venkatraman's Page - Arabhi Raga Basics
Compositions at karnatik.com
{{Janya Janya ragas
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is o ...
(South Indian classical music). It is a '' Janya'' raga (derived scale), whose '' Melakarta'' raga (parent scale, also known as ''janaka'') is '' Shankarabharanam'', 29th in the 72 ''Melakarta'' raga system. It is a combination of the pentatonic scale '' Shuddha Saveri'' (or '' Durga'' in Hindustani Music
Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, si ...
) and the '' sampurna raga'' scale ''Shankarabharanam''.
''Arabhi'' is a raga that dates back to 7 AD. Originally, it was called as ''pazhanthakkam'' in Ancient Tamil music. A very auspicious ragam that emanates Veera rasa (valour), Arabhi is one of the five ''Ghana'' ragams that shine with special brilliance when '' Thanam'' is played on Veena.
Structure and Lakshana
Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see '' swaras in Carnatic music'' for details on below notation and terms):
* :
* :
''Arabhi'' raga is an ''Owdava-sampoorna'' raga meaning, 5 '' swaras'' occur in the '' arohana'' (so it is called ''Owdava'') and in '' avarohana'' all ''swaras'' occur (so ''sampoorna'').
It is a raga without much '' gamakas'' and frequency variations, relying instead on flat notes. The important point is the swara "ga" always comes very close to "ma" so when we sing the phrase "ma ga ri" it sounds like "ma ma ri". Likewise the swara "ni" always comes very close to the swara "sa" hence when we sing the phrase "sa ni da" it sounds like "sa sa da".
The closest raga to this one is '' Devagandhari''. There are few aspects which make Arabhi different (though both share the same ascending and desce
# In ''Arabhi'' the swara "ga" is close to "ma" but in ''Devagandhari'' it is not the same.
# The swara "ri" is not fluctuated in ''Arabhi'' but it is given "asaivu" in ''Devagandhari''
# The phrase "pa ma da sa" should not be sung in ''Arabhi'', as it is exclusive for ''Devagandhari''
# ''Devagandhari'' is sung with '' gamakas'' and ''vilambita kala prayogas'' (usages with elongated notes)''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
# ''Devagandhari'' is sung with ''deergha gandharam'' (elongated G3)
''Arabhi'' raga is a very energetic and it lends itself to creativity in ''brigas'' (fast-paced swara usages) more than ''gamakas''.
Popular Compositions
The 3rd of '' Pancharatna Kritis'' (five gems of compositions), ''Sadhinchanae''(also known as "Samayaniki Tagu Mataladene") by Saint Thyagaraja is a famous composition set in Arabhi raga. Here we can note that Thyagaraja uses phrases like "sa sa da" in the charanam although there are phrases like "sa ni da" also. Here are some more compositions set to Arabhi.Film Songs
Language: Tamil
Title Song
Notes
References
External links
Dr. P.Venkatraman's Page - Arabhi Raga Basics
Compositions at karnatik.com
{{Janya Janya ragas