Mohanam Scale

Mohanam is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is usually described as a '' janya'' rāga of Harikamboji (28th Melakartha Raga). However, alternate opinions suggest that '' Mechakalyani'' may be a more appropriate classification based on the lakshana of the raga.

The equivalent of ''Mohanam'' in Hindustani music is '' Bhoop''''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications (or ''Bhopali''''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras).

It is one of the most common pentatonic scales across the world and is very popular in East Asian and Southeast Asian music, including China and Japan.

Structure and Lakshana

''Mohanam'' is a symmetric rāga that does not contain ''madhyamam'' and ''nishādham''. It is a symmetric pentatonic scale (''audava-audava'' raga in Carnatic music classification - ''audava'' meaning 'of 5'). Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

* :
* :
(the notes used in this scale are ''shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, panchamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham'')

''Mohanam'' is usually classified as a ''janya'' rāga of ''Harikambhoji'', the 28th ''Melakarta'' rāga, though alternate opinions exist that prefer classifying it as a janya raga of ''Kalyani'' based on its lakshana. The Hindustani equivalent ''Bhoop'' is associated with '' Kalyan thaat'' (the equivalent of ''Kalyani'').

One of the first scales employed by the ancient Tamils was the Mullaippann (3 BCE), a pentatonic scale composed of the notes sa ri ga pa da equivalent to C, D, E, G, and A in the western notations. These fully harmonic scales, constitutes the raga Mohanam in the Carnatic music style.

Popular compositions

''Mohanam'' rāga lends itself to extensive elaboration and exploration and has many classical music and film music compositions.

Kritis

The '' geetham'' ''Varavina mridupani'' is one of the first short songs taught to beginners in Carnatic music. ''Ninnukori'' composed by Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar is a popular '' Varnam'' in this scale. Here are some popular '' kritis'' composed in ''Mohanam''.
*''Preenayamo Vasudevam'' By Madhwacharya
*''Cheri Yasodaku Sisuvithadu'', ''Podagantimayya'' by Annamacharya
*'' Madhva nama'' By Sripadaraja
*''Kolalanooduva Chaduranyare'' By Vyasatirtha
*''Raja Beediyolaginda'', ''Narayanana Nene Manave'', ''Dashavatara Stuti'', ''Ava reethiyinda'' By Vadiraja Tirtha
*''Ranga Nayaka Raajeeva Lochana'', ''Mella mellane bandane'', ''Pillangoviya Cheluva'', ''Bandalu Mahalakshmi'', ''Bide Ninna Padava'', ''Vaidya Banda Nodi'', ''Yaaru Olidarenu'', ''En Savi En Savi'' by Purandaradasa
*''Sundari Rangana Tandu Tora'' By Kanaka Dasa
*''Intha Prabhuva'', ''Rama Rama Emberadakshara'', ''Linga Ennantaranga'' By Vijaya Dasa
*''Barayyya Ba ba'' By Gopala Dasa
*''Eddu Baruthare'' By Jagannatha Dasa
*''Hakkiya Hegaleri'' By Prasanna Venkata Dasa
*''Mohana rama'', ''Nannu palimpa'', ''Dayarani'', ''Rama ninnu nammina'', ''Evarura ninnuvina'' and ''Bhavanutha'' by Thyagaraja
*''Narasimha Agaccha'', ''Kadambari Priyayaih'', ''Gopika Manoharam'' by Muthuswamy Dikshitar
*''Kapaali karunai'' and ''Narayana divyanamam'' by Papanasam Sivan
*''Rara Rajiva lochana'' by Mysore Vasudevachar
*''En Palli Kondeer Aiyya'' by Arunachala Kavi
*''Kshemam Kuru'' by Narayana Teertha
*''Swagatam Krishna'' by Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi
*''Pari pahimam Nruhara'' by Swati Thirunal
*''Sada Palaya Sarasakshi'' by G N Balasubramaniam
*''Mohanam Tavavapurai'' by Swathi Thirunal
*''Ninnukkori Varnam'' by Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar
*Nagalingam by Muttayya Bhagavatar

Tamil movie songs in Mohanam

Telugu Film Songs

Related rāgas

''Graha bhedam''

''Mohanam's'' notes when shifted using ''Graha bhedam'', yields 4 other major pentatonic rāgas, namely, '' Hindolam'', '' Shuddha Saveri'', '' Udayaravichandrika'' (also known as ''Shuddha Dhanyasi'') and '' Madhyamavati''. ''Graha bhedam'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāga. For more details and illustration of this concept refer '' Graha bhedam on Mohanam''.

Scale similarities

*'' Mohanakalyani'' is a rāga which has the ascending scale of ''Mohanam'' and descending scale of ''Kalyani''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R2 S
*'' Bilahari'' is a rāga which has the ascending scale of ''Mohanam'' and descending scale of ''Sankarabharanam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
*''Garudadhvani'' is a rāga which has the ascending scale of ''Sankarabharanam'' and descending scale of ''Mohanam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
*'' Shivaranjani'' rāga differs from ''Mohanam'' only by the ''gāndhāram''. It uses ''sadharana gāndhāram'' instead of ''antara gāndhāram'' and its ' structure is S R2 G2 P D2 S : S D2 P G2 R2 S
*'' Hamsadhvani'' rāga uses ''nishadam'' in place of ''dhaivatam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P N3 S : S N3 P G3 R2 S
*'' Vaasantha'' rāga differs from ''Mohanam'' only by the ''daivatham''. It uses ''shudda Daivatham'' instead of ''Chatushruti Daivatham'' and its ' structure is S R2 G3 P D1 S : S D1 P G3 R2 S
Vasantha used Shudda Rishabham and not Shudda Daivatham
*'' Niroshta'' rāga uses ''nishadam'' in place of ''panchamam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 D2 N3 S : S N3 D2 G3 R2 S

Notes

References

{{Janya

Janya ragas