Malahari
Carnatic music |
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Tanjavur-style Tambura |
Concepts |
Compositions |
Instruments |
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Malahari is a Carnatic raga. This raaga is a janya of the 15th Melakarta raga Mayamalavagowla. This raga is known to be a morning raga which brings out a sense of calmness.[1] It is associated with the rainy season.[2]
In classical carnatic training, it is often used as a raaga for beginners using Geetham right after the swara-based exercises in Mayamalavagowla. Many of the Geethams in this raga have been composed by Purandara Dasa and Muthuswami Dikshitar.
Structure and Lakshana
This ragam is an asymmetric scale and is classified as an audava-shadava ragam (five notes in the ascending scale and six notes in the descending scale).[1][2]
The notes in this scale are 'shuddha rishabham, shuddha madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatam in arohana and additional antara gandharam in avarohanam. Since this scale does not have a nishadham, it can be derived from Gayakapriya (13th melakarta) or Vakulabharanam (14th) too, but has been traditionally associated with Mayamalavagowla (15th) as the parent.
Select compositions
Geetams
- shri GaNanaatha in Rupakam, written by Purandara Dasa
- kunda gowra gowrivara in Rupakam, written by Purandara Dasa
- padumanaabha paramapurusha in Triputa, written by Purandara Dasa
- kereya neeranu kerege chelli in Triputa, written by Purandara Dasa
Kritis
- Panchamatanga in Rupakam composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar
- Ananta Padmanaabam in Rupakam composed by Muthiah Bhagavatar
- Melukovayya in Adi composed by Shahji Maharaja
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Scale similarities
- Karnataka Shuddha Saveri is a rāgam which has a symmetrical scale matching the ascending scale of Malahari (gandharam is entirely omitted). Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R1 M1 P D1 S : S D1 P M1 R1 S
References
- 1 2 Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
- 1 2 Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications