Shadava Carnatic raaga

Gauḷa

The raaga of Dikshitar's 'Sri Maha Ganapati Ravatu Mam': an angular, auspicious Ghana raga invoking Ganesha at a concert's opening.

auspicious, majestic, devotional

Gauḷa is a shadava (six-note) raaga in the Carnatic tradition.

in the raaga jeeva (life note) nyasa (resting note)

or tap any lit note to hear it

arohana / ascending

S R1 M1 P N3 S

avarohana / descending

S N3 P M1 R1 G3 M1 R1 S (ragasurabhi variant 'S N3 P M1 G3 M1 R1 G3 M1 R1 S')

How to hear it

Life notes / jeeva: R1 (ekasruti / gaula rishabha) is the key life-note carrying the raga's grave bhava, assisted by S (shadja) and N3 (kakali nishada).
Resting notes / nyasa: R1, and the region around M P N to which the raga always returns.
Signature phrases / prayoga: The RGMR vakra twist on the descent is the highlight phrase of Gaula and is cited in the sloka for the raga in the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini. Also: straight P M R S; P M G M R, extendable to P M G M R G M R; glissandos across N P M R; the M P N passage has a grandeur rivaling Nata.
Ornament / gamaka: A ghana raga that can be sung both plain and with considerable gamaka; janta gamakas on the swaras of Gaula are given full rein. The ekasruti rishabha (R1) is its distinctive characteristic sruti.

◐ Draft: the reference facts on this page are compiled from public sources and are pending review by a musician. Corrections welcome via GitHub.