want to know how ragas are classified in 72 melams
Topic started by krish (@ 219.65.108.49) on Fri Nov 29 13:12:10 .
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the scheme of 72 melam is not simple
i want to understand how it can b learnt easily
thanks for ur advices dear friends
Responses:
- From: PPN (@ n098h102.remote.mun.ca)
on: Fri Nov 29 15:36:15
Let us recall how a melam is defined using the seven notes Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, in that order, using each note exactly once. The notes Sa, and Pa are fixed and do not allow any variants. There are two variants of Madhyamam, namely, shuddha madhyamam (denoted by the mnemonic phrase "ma"), and prati madhyamam (expressed as "mi"). There are three varieties of Ri, namely shuddha Ri ("ra"), catushruti Ri ("ri"), and Shatshruti Ri ("ru"), three variants of Ga, namely, shuddha Ga ("ga"), sadharana Ga ("gi"), and antara Ga ("gu"). Similarly, the Dha has three choices, shuddha Dha ("dha"), catushruti Dha ("dhi"), and Shatshruti Dha ("dhu"). Finally the note Na also admits three variations, shuddha Ni ("na"), kaishiki Ni ("ni"), and kakali Ni ("nu"). But, only six among the nine possible combinations of Ri - Ga, and six (among the possible nine) combinations of Dha - Ni are permitted, namely, ra ga, ra gi, ra gu, ri gi, ri gu, and ru gu; dha na, dha ni, dha nu, dhi ni, dhi nu, and dhu nu) (so the combinations ri ga, ru ga, ru gi, dhi na, dhu na, and dhu ni are not permitted. Hence, two available choices of Ma, six choices of Ri-Ga combination, and six choices of Dha-Ni combination result in a total of 2 x 6 x 6 = 72 melams. These 72 melams are arranged in 12 cakrams, each consisting of six melams. In each cakram, the Ri - Ga combination is fixed, and within each cakram, the occurance of Dha- Ni is fixed for each melam 1, 2, 3 , 4 ,5, 6. The Ri- Ga combination defined for each cakram is as follows (the cakram numbers appear in parenthesis):
ra ga (1 & 7), ra gi (2 & 8), ra gu (3 & 9), ri gi (4 & 10), ri gu (5 & 11), ru gu (6 & 12).
Also, in each cakram, the Dha-Ni combinations are
1st mealm (dha na), 2nd melam (dha ni), 3rd melam (dha nu),
4th melam (dhi ni), 5th melam (dhi nu), and 6th melam (dhu nu).
Finally, the melams in the first six cakrams (melams 1 to 36) assume the note ma (shuddha madhyamam), and the melams in the remaining six cakrams (37 to 72) have the note mi (prati madhyamam). Thus, the Ri Ga Ma Dha NI combination fixes a melam uniquely. Also, each melam acquires a unique number from 1 to 72, and usage of the sanskrit "ka ta pa yadi" counting method enables us to obtain the melam number from the first two letters of its nomenclature.
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