In
Indian classical music
Indian classical music is the art music, classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is generally described using terms like ''Shastriya Sangeet'' and ''Marg Sangeet''. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as ...
, Sampūrṇa rāgas (संपूर्ण,
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
for 'complete', also spelt as ''sampoorna'') have 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'' in their scale. In general, the swaras in the ''
Arohana
Arohana, Arohanam, Aroh or Aroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the ascending scale of notes in a raga.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, ''Glossary'' pages, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications The pitch increases a ...
'' and ''
Avarohana
An Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avaroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the descending scale of any raga.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, ''Glossary'' pages, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications The notes descend in pitch ...
'' strictly follow the ascending and descending scale as well. That is, they do not have ''vakra'' swara phrases (वक्र, meaning 'crooked').
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 ...
, the
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 ...
ragas are all ''sampurna'' ragas, but the converse is not true, i.e., all ''sampurna'' ragas are not ''Melakarta'' ragas. An example is
Bhairavi
Bhairavi () is a Hindu goddess, described as one of the Mahāvidyas, the ten avatars of the mother goddess. She is the consort of Bhairava ( a form of Shiva).
Etymology
The name ''Bhairavi'' means "terrifying" or "awe-inspiring". Iconogra ...
raga in Carnatic music (different from the Bhairavi of Hindustani music). Some examples of ''Melakarta'' ragas are ''
Mayamalavagowla
Mayamalavagowla (pronounced ) is a raga of Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is classified as 15th '' melakarta'' raga under Venkatamakhin's '' melakarta'' system. Originally known as ''malavagowla'', "maya" was p ...
'', ''
Todi
Todi (; ''Tuder'' in antiquity) is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) of the province of Perugia (region of Umbria) in central Italy. It is perched on a tall two-crested hill overlooking the east bank of the river Tiber, commanding distant view ...
'', ''
Sankarabharanam
Sankarabharanam may refer to:
* ''Sankarabharanam'' (1980 film), an Indian Telugu-language musical drama film
* ''Sankarabharanam'' (2015 film), an Indian Telugu-language crime comedy film
* Sankarabharanam (raga), a rāga in Carnatic music ...
'' and ''
Kharaharapriya
Kharaharapriya is a rāga in Carnatic music. It is the 22nd ''melakarta'' rāga (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāga system. It is possible that the name of the ragam was originally ''Harapriya'' but it was changed to conform to the Kat ...
''.
References
* ''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
* ''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
Hindustani music terminology
Carnatic music terminology
*
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