Charukesi (pronounced chārukēś‌i) is a

rāga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

Carnatic music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

(musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 26th ''

Melakarta Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales ( ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). ''Mēḷakartā'' ragas are parent ragas (hence known as ''janaka'' ragas) from which other ragas may be derived. A ''melaka ...

'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Tarangini in

Muthuswami Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar) (, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer, veena player, and a prolific composer of Indian classical music. He was the youngest member of what is re ...

school of Carnatic music. ''Charukesi'' is used in devotional music. Its mood is poignant and the raga is usually easily identified.

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 2nd rāgam in the 5th ''chakra Bana''. The mnemonic name is ''Bana-Sri''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ri gu ma pa dha ni''.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see '' swaras in Carnatic music'' for details on below notation and terms): * : * : (''chathusruthi rishabham, anthara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham, kaisiki nishadham'') It is a ''sampoorna'' rāgam - a rāgam that has all seven ''

swara Swara () or svara is an Indian classical music term that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, a note, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave, or ''saptanka''. More comprehensively ...

s'' (notes). It is the ''shuddha madhyamam'' equivalent of '' Rishabhapriya'', which is the 62nd ''melakarta''. The structure is the equivalent of an

Aeolian dominant scale The Aeolian dominant scale (Aeolian 3 scale), Mixolydian 6 scale, descending melodic major scale, or Hindu scale is the fifth mode of the ascending melodic minor scale. It is named Aeolian dominant because its sound derives from having a domina ...

, also known as the Mixolydian b-6 scale.

''Janya'' rāgams

There are only a few minor ''

janya ''Janya'' is a term meaning "derive". In Carnatic (South Indian) music a ''janya raga'' is one derived from one of the 72 '' melakarta'' ragas (fundamental melodic structures). ''Janya'' ragas are classified into various types based on a vari ...

'' rāgams (derived scales) associated with ''Charukesi''. See full list of ''janya'' rāgams associated with it.

Popular compositions

*''Adamodi Galade'' by Thyagaraja *''Karunai Varumo'' and ''Enna Thavam Seidheno'' by

Papanasam Sivan Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema a ...

*''Kripaya Palaya'', ''Jamuna Kinare'' and ''Karunanidhan'' by Maharaja Swati Tirunal *''Onde Mandalli'', ''Barayya Venkataramana'' and ''Samanyavalla Srihariya Seve'' by

Purandara Dasa Purandara Dasa (IAST: Purandara Dāsa; (1470 – 1564) was a composer, singer and a Haridasa philosopher from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a follower of Madhwacharya, Madhvacharya's Dwaitha, Dvaita philosophy. He was one of the chi ...

*''Innum En Manam(Pada

varnam Varṇam is a type of composition in the Carnatic music system that encapsulates the key features of a raga, and considered as a foundational element in the learning path. Varnams capture the essence of the ragam in terms of typical swara patt ...

)'' by

Lalgudi Jayaraman Lalgudi Gopala Iyer Jayaraman (17 September 1930 – 22 April 2013) was an Indian Carnatic violinist, vocalist and composer. He is commonly grouped with M.S. Gopalakrishnan and T.N.Krishnan as part of the violin trinity of Carnatic mu ...

*''Andarilo Ranga(

)'' by Nallan Chakravarthy Murthy *''Palayamam Parameswari'' by

*''Neere Torele'' by

Vadiraja Tirtha Sri Vadiraja Tirtha (1480 – 1600) was a Dvaita philosopher, poet, traveller and mystic. He authored many works, often critical, on Madhva theology and metaphysics. Additionally, he composed numerous poems and as the pontiff of Sodhe Mutt, r ...

*''Aayiram Aayiram'' by Ambujam Krishna *''Paradevim Upasmahe and Thunai Neeye Kumara'' by M. Balamuralikrishna *''Innum Enna Sodhanai'' by Shuddhananda Bharati *''Mayil Meedu Viraindodi'' by Calcutta Gurumoorthy *''Mayileri Oyilai'' by Arasi(Rajee Krishnan) *''Saketha Rama'' by Chowdiah *''Neethan Appa'' by Koteeswara Iyer *'' Tillana'' by

Mysore Vasudevachar Mysore Vasudevacharya (28 May 1865 – 17 May 1961) was an Indian musician and composer of Carnatic music compositions who belonged to the direct line of Thyagaraja's disciples. Vasudevachar's compositions (numbering over 200) were mostly in Telu ...

*'' Tillana'' by Maharajapuram Santhanam *'' Tillana'' by Dr. G. Baby Sreeram *'' Tillana'' by Dr. Kollam G. S. Balamurali Many compositions exist amongst modern adaptations of ''Charukesi'', especially in Indian movies, in '' film songs''. Examples are the songs ''Ammamma kelladi thozhi'' from Karuppu panam by M.S.Viswanathan ''Dhaandiya Aattam'' from the movie Kadhalar Dhinam, ''Vasanta mullai poalae'' from the movie ''Sarangadara'', ''Edho Edho Ondru'' from the movie ''Enakku Iruvathu, Unakku Padhinettu'', ''Aadal Kalaye'' from Sri Raghavendra and ''Udaya Udaya'' from another '' Udhaya''. In Hindi movies ''Ahista Ahista'' from the movie Swades, ''Teri Umeed Tera Intezar'' from the movie Deewana, ''Aye Kash Kavi Aisa Hota'' from the movie ''

Mohra ''Mohra'' () is a 1994 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film co-written, edited and directed by Rajiv Rai and produced by his father Gulshan Rai. It stars Naseeruddin Shah, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Raveena Tandon, Poonam Jhawer, Ra ...

'', are in Charukesi. Another composition in this raaga is the song ''Bombe Aatavaiyya'' from the Rajkumar starrer Kannada movie Shruthi Seridaaga. Arguably the best rendition of Charukesi in a Hindi movie is ''Baiyya Na Dharo'' sung by

Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar (; born Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. He ...

and composed by

Madan Mohan Madanamohana () is an epithet of the Hindu deity Krishna. It translates as, "he whose charm (''mohana'') bewilders even the god of love ('' madana'')". The epithet describes the powerful nature of the attraction for the deity from his devotees, e ...

from the movie Dastak. ''Charukesi'' is also popular in

Hindustani music Hindustani classical music is the Indian classical music, classical music of the Indian subcontinent's northern regions. It may also be called North Indian classical music or ''Uttar Bhartiya shastriya sangeet''. The term ''shastriya sangeet'' ...

. Bhavgeet ''He Surano Chandra Vha'' composed by Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki and ghazal ''Main Hosh Mein Tha'' performed by

Mehdi Hassan Mehdi Hassan Khan (; 18 July 1927 – 13 June 2012), known as Mehdi Hassan, was a Pakistani ghazal singer and playback singer of great renown. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential figures in the history of ghazal singing, ...

are other well known examples of Charukesi. In

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

, one of the all-time greatest songs is in Charukesi: 'Akale akale neelaakaasam' (from the movie 'Midumidukki', 1968). This was composed by Baburaj and sung by Yesudas and S. Janaki. There are claims that this raga is actually a very rare janya raga of Charukesi, Ushaabharanam (s g m d p m d n s / s n d p m g r g m r s). There are other great Charukesi compositions in Malayalam Films like Krishna Kripa Saagaram from Sargam sung by Yesudas and Chitra. Yaathrayai from Aayiram Para by Yesudas, Pooja Bimbam Mizhi from Harikrishnans by Yesudas and Chitra and Swapnam Thejichal from Rakshasa Raajavau by Yesudas to mention a few. In the 2012 release of his devotional album on Lord

Ayyappan Ayyappan, also known as Dharmasastha and Manikandan, is the Hindu deity of truth and righteousness. According to Hindu theology, he is described as the son of Shiva and Mohini (the female avatar of Vishnu), thus representing a bridge between S ...

''Sabarimalai Va Charanam Solli Va'', ace singer P. Unni Krishnan renders a song on Raga Charukesi, Uthirathil Udhithavane Sol, signifying the Lord's birth star UTHIRAM.Devotional song on Charukesi by P. Unni Krishnan
/ref> This album was composed and released by Manachanallur Giridharan, a noted music director from Tamil Nadu. In western music, charukesi like structures are encountered in

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

's famous Impromptu C Minor Allegro molto moderato and also in Russian Composer

Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov (; born Mikhail Mikhailovich Ivanov; 28 January 1935) was a Russia, Russian and Soviet Union, Soviet composer, conductor and teacher. His music ranged from the late-Romantic era into the 20th century era. ...

's 'Procession of the Sardar' from his Orchestral Suite, '' Caucasian Sketches''.

Film Songs

Language:
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

:
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

Language :
Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

Language : Telugu

Non Film Songs

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam. Charukesi's notes when shifted using ''

Graha bhedam ''Graha Bhedam'' in Carnatic music is the process (or result of the process) of shifting the Tonic (music), Tonic note (''Śruti (music), śruti'') to another note in the rāgam and arriving at a different rāgam. Its equivalent in Hindustani cl ...

'', yields 3 other major ''melakarta'' rāgams, namely, '' Vachaspati'', ''

Natakapriya Natakapriya, (pronounced nāţakapriya, meaning ''the one dear to theatre'') is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 10th ''melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system. A ...

'' and ''

Gourimanohari Gourimanohari or Gaurimanohari is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 23rd ''Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. The 23rd ''melakarta'' rāgam as per Muthus ...

''. ''Graha bhedam'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration, see '' Graha bhedam on Vachaspati''.

Notes

References

External links

Film Songs (Hindi) in Charukesi
{{Rāgas as per Performance Time Melakarta ragas