Karaharapriya

The raaga of Tyagaraja's 'Chakkani Raja Margamu': a majestic, expansive full-octave scale (the 22nd melakarta) rich in sweeping phrases.

majestic, dignified; both grandeur and pathos (karuna)

Karaharapriya is a sampurna (seven-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 R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S

avarohana / descending

S N2 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

How to hear it

Life notes / jeeva: R2 (ri) and P (pa) are the amsa/predominant (sonant) svaras; the raga's chaya (identity) notes are ri, ga, dha, ni.
Resting notes / nyasa: R2, G2, D2, N2 (ri, ga, dha, ni), listed together as the chaya and nyasa svaras.
Signature phrases / prayoga: NI dha PA ma GA ri; NI da pa dha ni sa ni dha PA ma GA ri (capitals = stressed/elongated). Uniquely admits prayogas ending on ni (a privilege otherwise reserved for sa and pa); compositions usually begin on sa, ri, pa or ni.
Ornament / gamaka: A sarva-svara-gamaka-varika rakti raga (most swaras carry gamaka). Characteristic ornament is the pratyahata gamaka, a descending paired oscillation ri-sa, sa-ni, ni-dha, dha-pa, pa-ma, ma-ga, ga-ri; yet the raga comes out beautifully even without much gamaka.

Hemavati (its prati-madhyamam / 58th melakarta counterpart)

The same set of notes heard with a different note as Sa (graha bhedam). These raagas share this scale-shape.

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