Manavati (pronounced mānavati, meaning the bride) 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 ...
m in
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 5th ''
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. 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, the 5th ''melakarta'' is Manōranjani.
[''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications][''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras]
Structure and Lakshana
It is the 5th rāgam in the 1st ''chakra Indu''. The mnemonic name is ''Indu-Ma''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ra ga ma pa dhi nu''.
Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see
''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
*
:
*
:
(this scale uses the notes ''shuddha rishabham, shuddha gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham, kakali nishadham'')
As it is a ''melakarta'' rāgam, by definition it is a
''sampoorna'' rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the ''shuddha madhyamam'' equivalent of ''
Pāvani'', which is the 41st ''melakarta''.
Asampurna Melakarta
Manōranjani is the 5th ''Melakarta'' in the original list compiled by
Venkatamakhin
Venkatamakhin (; ) or Venkatamakhi, was an Indian poet, musician, and musicologist of Carnatic music. He is renowned for his ''Chaturdandiprakashika'' in which he explicates the Melakarta (asampurna scheme), melakarta system of classifying rag ...
. The notes used in the scale are the same, but the ascending scale is different. It is a ''shadava-sampurna'' raga (6 notes in ascending scale, while full 7 are used in descending scale).
[Shree Muthuswami Dikshitar Keerthanaigal, by A Sundaram Iyer, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai]
*
:
*
:
''Janya'' rāgams
''Manavati'' has 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 it. See
List of ''janya'' rāgams for full list of rāgams associated with this scale.
Compositions
Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to ''Manavati''.
*''Evarito ne delpudu'' by
Thyagaraja
Sadguru Tyagaraja Swami ( Telugu: సద్గురు త్యాగరాజ స్వామి; 4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Tyagayya, and in full as Kakarla Tyagabrahmam ( Telugu: కాకర్ల త్యాగబ ...
*''Nijabhaktim'' by
Koteeswara Iyer
Koteeswara Iyer (1869 - 1938), was a pioneer composer of Indian classical music Carnatic music. He was a grandson of Kavi Kunjara Bharati(1810–1896) attributing to a strong lineage of accomplished musicians. He was born in Nandhanur to Nagarat ...
*''Sri Hanumantam'' by
Balamuralikrishna
Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna (né Muralikrishna; 6 July 1930 – 22 November 2016) was an Indian Carnatic vocalist, musician, multi-instrumentalist, playback singer, composer, and character actor. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sang ...
Couple of compositions are in ''Manōranjani'' raga.
* ''Atu karadani'' set to ''Adi
tala'' composed by
Thyagaraja
Sadguru Tyagaraja Swami ( Telugu: సద్గురు త్యాగరాజ స్వామి; 4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Tyagayya, and in full as Kakarla Tyagabrahmam ( Telugu: కాకర్ల త్యాగబ ...
* ''Balambika'' set to ''Matya tala'' composed by
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 ...
* ''Bhaja Bhaja Manasa'' set to ''Adi tala'' composed by Sri PB Shrirangachari
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
''Manavati'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 ''
Kantamani
Kantamani (pronounced ) is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 61st ''Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Kuntalam in Muthuswami Dikshitar scho ...
'' rāgam. ''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 refer ''
Graha bhedam on Manavati''.
Notes
References
{{Janya, state=collapsed
Melakarta ragas