NAVYA C
Grandest Ragas
of Carnatic Music
Carnatic Music is widely known
for being royal, extravagant and in
short- grand in nature. The grandeur
of Carnatic music is not just in the
way a raaga (scale) is presented but
also with the way it is showcased in
a performance. Though as times
passed by, simpler ragas with
high aesthetic sense emerged , the
grand aspect of Carnatic music is
always embraced by the rasikas
and normal listeners alike. It is
one unique feature of Carnatic
music which brings it the
adoration and unique aura.
One might come to the
conclusion that a grand raaga in
Carnatic music might have all
the seven note combinations in
aarohana and avarohana but
that is the only criterion. The
striking aura of a raaga which
exudes royal fervor also
becomes an important factor.
Such raagas are actually
termed as Ghana raagas
and Saint Thyagaraja
penned pancharatna kritis
in such ragas namely
Naata, Varaali, Gowla,
Aarabhi and Sri raaga.
Interestingly, Naata,
Aarabhi and Sri
raaga are not
complete scale
ragas. Then
why did they
get the status
of grandest
ragas? The
simple
reason is
because the
emotive
feeling
which
evokes by
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rendering them. While composing,
the scope of grand raagas is
quite timeless and elegant.
Coming to the full scale grandest
raagas- the first raaga which comes in
mind is Shankarabharanam which also
has great significance in Hindustani
music as Bilaaval that and C Major
scale in Western Classical music.
However, it would be interesting to
note that the most ancient royal raaga
in Carnatic music is Kharaharapriya
which is melakartha number 22.
Perhaps that is the reason why
Saint Thyagaraja penned the al-
time brilliant kriti “Chakkani Raja
Margam” (“The Good and Royal Path”)
in this very raaga! The grand ragas are
usually used for showcasing exalted
feelings of devotion, spirituality and
magical bliss. However, bhaashanga
raagas Bhairavi and Kambhoji (which
has a deviating nishadam in the
avarohanam) are equally given the
top status in the list of Ghana ragas.
Complex compositions like the
famous Ata Taala varnam Viriboni
and Kamakshi swarajathi in Raaga
Bhairavi are like yardsticks for
assessing the talent of a Carnatic
music performer. In the same manner,
when it comes to prati madhyama
raagas, Kalyani , Shanmukhapriya and
Panthuvarali evoke deep emotional
introspection because of the mystical
note. Kalyani however is a greatest
raaga which is popularly used for grand
devotion and mesmerizing beauty.
Just like how we need to respect
our roots and the royal history from
which we are actually made of, the
grandest ragas of Carnatic music need
to be embraced and loved equally. The
unique vibe which grand ragas create
cannot be replaced by any other fusion
piece or an easy-listening raaga for sure