Raga Theory — Carnatic Music

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The Swaras

12 pitch positions · 16 swara variants in Carnatic Music

What is a Swara?

In Carnatic music, a swara (स्वर) is a musical pitch — a distinct sound with a specific frequency relationship to the tonic. There are 12 pitch positions within an octave, but 16 named swara variants because positions 3, 4, 10, and 11 each hold two enharmonic swaras sharing the same pitch.

Sa (Ṣaḍjam) and Pa (Pañcamam) are the two achala (immovable) swaras — they are fixed and invariable in all ragas. The remaining five swaras — Ri, Ga, Ma, Dha, Ni — each have variants, giving the system its richness.

Pos.	Svara (स्वर)	Notation
1	Ṣaḍjamषड्जम् · Sa	S
2	Śuddha Ṛṣabhamशुद्ध ऋषभम्	R₁
3	Catusṛuti Ṛṣabhamचतुश्रुति ऋषभम्	R₂
3	Śuddha Gāndhāramशुद्ध गान्धारम्	G₁
4	Ṣaṭśruti Ṛṣabhamषट्श्रुति ऋषभम्	R₃
4	Sādhāraṇa Gāndhāramसाधारण गान्धारम्	G₂
5	Antara Gāndhāramअन्तर गान्धारम्	G₃
6	Śuddha Madhyamamशुद्ध मध्यमम्	M₁
7	Prati Madhyamamप्रति मध्यमम्	M₂
8	Pañcamamपञ्चमम् · Pa	P
9	Śuddha Dhaivatamशुद्ध धैवतम्	D₁
10	Catusṛuti Dhaivatamचतुश्रुति धैवतम्	D₂
10	Śuddha Niṣādamशुद्ध निषादम्	N₁
11	Ṣaṭśruti Dhaivatamषट्श्रुति धैवतम्	D₃
11	Kaiśikī Niṣādamकैशिकी निषादम्	N₂
12	Kākalī Niṣādamकाकली निषादम्	N₃

ℹ Enharmonic Equivalents

Positions 3, 4, 10, and 11 each hold two enharmonic swara variants that share the same pitch location. For example, R₂ and G₁ occupy the same pitch — context and raga determine which name applies. Sa and Pa are achala (immovable) — fixed in all ragas.

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Raga Classification

Based on swara count in Arohana & Avarohana

How Ragas Are Classified

Every Carnatic raga has two scales: the Arohana (ascending) and Avarohana (descending). The number of swaras in each determines the raga's classification. A raga with 5 notes ascending is Audava; 6 notes is Shadava; all 7 is Sampoorna. Combining the ascent and descent categories gives the raga type.

Carnatic Raga

How many swaras are present in Arohana & Avarohana?

Count of swaras in Arohana (ascent)

5 notes6 notes7 notes

Audava5 swaras

Shadava6 swaras

SampoornaAll 7

Combine with Avarohana (descent) count

All 8 Raga Type Combinations

Audava–Audava↑5 notes · ↓5 notesEg: Mohanam

Audava–Shadava↑5 notes · ↓6 notesEg: Malahari, Bauli

Audava–Sampoorna↑5 notes · ↓7 notesEg: Bilahari, Kedaragowla

Shadava–Shadava↑6 notes · ↓6 notesEg: Sriranjani, Malayamarutam

Shadava–Audava↑6 notes · ↓5 notesEg: Natakurinji, Kapinarayani

Shadava–Sampoorna↑6 notes · ↓7 notesEg: Kambhoji

Sampoorna–Shadava↑7 notes · ↓6 notesEg: Bhairavam

Sampoorna–Audava↑7 notes · ↓5 notesEg: Sarama

Swarantara — 4 swaras only

A raga with only four notes in ascent and/or descent

⚠ Stability Rule — Ma & Pa

An audava raga lacking both Madhyama (Ma) and Panchama (Pa) is unstable. At least one samvadi swara must be present. Notes omitted from a raga, if introduced, become apasvaras (wrong notes) and destroy its melodic identity.

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Melakarta Ragas

Chakras 1–3 · Ragas 1–18 · M1 series

Chakra 1

Indu

Ragas 1–6

R1, G1 · M1

Chakra 2

Netra

Ragas 7–12

R1, G2 · M1

Chakra 3

Agni

Ragas 13–18

R1, G3 · M1

#	S	R, G	M1	P	D	N	RAGA
1. INDU CHAKRA
1	S	R1, G1	M1	P	D1	N1	Kanakaangiकनकांगि
2						N2	Ratnaangiरत्नांगि
3						N3	Gaanamurthyगानमूर्ति
4					D2	N2	Vanaspathiवनस्पति
5						N3	Maanavathiमानवती
6					D3	N3	Thaanaroopiतानरूपि
2. NETRA CHAKRA
7	S	R1, G2	M1	P	D1	N1	Senaavathiसेनावति
8						N2	Hanumatodiहनुमतोडि
9						N3	Dhenukaधेनुका
10					D2	N2	Naatakapriyaनाटकप्रिया
11						N3	Kokilapriyaकोकिलप्रिया
12					D3	N3	Roopavathiरूपवती
3. AGNI CHAKRA
13	S	R1, G3	M1	P	D1	N1	Gaayakapriyaगायकप्रिया
14						N2	Vakulabharanamवकुलाभरणम्
15						N3	Mayaamaalavagowlamमायामालवगौलम्
16					D2	N2	Chakravaakamचक्रवाकम्
17						N3	Suryakaanthamसूर्यकान्तम्
18					D3	N3	Haatakaambariहाटकाम्बरि

M1 Series: All ragas in Chakras 1–6 use Śuddha Madhyamam (M₁). Within each chakra of six ragas, D and N variants cycle systematically: ragas 1–3 share D1 with N1/N2/N3; ragas 4–6 advance D to D2/D3.

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Melakarta Ragas

Chakras 4–6 · Ragas 19–36 · M1 series

Chakra 4

Veda

Ragas 19–24

R2, G2 · M1

Chakra 5

Bana

Ragas 25–30

R2, G3 · M1

Chakra 6

Rutu

Ragas 31–36

R3, G3 · M1

#	S	R, G	M1	P	D	N	RAGA
4. VEDA CHAKRA
19	S	R2, G2	M1	P	D1	N1	Jankaaradhwaniझंकाराध्वनि
20						N2	NataBhairaviनटभैरवि
21						N3	Keeravaaniकीरवाणि
22					D2	N2	Karaharapriyaखरहरप्रिया
23						N3	Gowrimanohariगौरीमनोहरि
24					D3	N3	Varunapriyaवरुणप्रिया
5. BANA CHAKRA
25	S	R2, G3	M1	P	D1	N1	Maararanjaniमारारंजनि
26						N2	Charukesiचारुकेशि
27						N3	Sarasaangiसरसांगि
28					D2	N2	Harikambodhiहरिकांभोडि
29						N3	Dheerasankarabharanamधीरशंकराभरणम्
30					D3	N3	Nagaanandiniनागानन्दिनि
6. RUTU CHAKRA
31	S	R3, G3	M1	P	D1	N1	Yaagapriyaयागप्रिया
32						N2	Raagavardhaniरागवर्धनि
33						N3	Gaangeyabhushaniगांगेयभूषणि
34					D2	N2	Vagadheeswariवागधीश्वरि
35						N3	Shooliniशूलिनि
36					D3	N3	Chalanaataचलनाट

Transition: Raga 36 (Chalanaata) completes the M1 half of the Melakarta system. Chakras 7–12 mirror this structure exactly, with M₁ replaced by M₂ (Prati Madhyamam).

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Melakarta Ragas

Chakras 7–9 · Ragas 37–54 · M2 series

Chakra 7

Rishi

Ragas 37–42

R1, G1 · M2

Chakra 8

Vasu

Ragas 43–48

R1, G2 · M2

Chakra 9

Brahma

Ragas 49–54

R1, G3 · M2

#	S	R, G	M2	P	D	N	RAGA
7. RISHI CHAKRA
37	S	R1, G1	M2	P	D1	N1	Saalagamसालगम्
38						N2	Jalaarnavamजलार्णवम्
39						N3	Jhaalavaraaliझालवराळि
40					D2	N2	Navaneethamनवनीतम्
41						N3	Paavaniपावनि
42					D3	N3	Raghupriyaरघुप्रिया
8. VASU CHAKRA
43	S	R1, G2	M2	P	D1	N1	Gavaambodiगवाम्भोडि
44						N2	Bhaavapriyaभावप्रिया
45						N3	Shubhapantuvaraaliशुभपन्तुवराळि
46					D2	N2	Shadvidamaarginiषड्विधमार्गिणि
47						N3	Suvarnaangiसुवर्णांगि
48					D3	N3	Divyamaniदिव्यमणि
9. BRAHMA CHAKRA
49	S	R1, G3	M2	P	D1	N1	Dhavalaambariधवलाम्बरि
50						N2	Naamanaarayaniनामनारायणि
51						N3	Kaamavardhiniकामवर्धिनि
52					D2	N2	Raamapriyaरामप्रिया
53						N3	Gamanaashramaगमनाश्रम
54					D3	N3	Vishwaambariविश्वाम्बरि

Note on M2 notation: In the M2 series (Chakras 7–12), the R and G column header is R, G — reflecting how the enharmonic equivalents work. For example, what is R₂ in the M1 series is written as G₁ in the M2 context.

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Melakarta Ragas

Chakras 10–12 · Ragas 55–72 · M2 series

Chakra 10

Disi

Ragas 55–60

R2, G2 · M2

Chakra 11

Rudra

Ragas 61–66

R2, G3 · M2

Chakra 12

Aditya

Ragas 67–72

R3, G3 · M2

#	S	R, G	M2	P	D	N	RAGA
10. DISI CHAKRA
55	S	R2, G2	M2	P	D1	N1	Shyamalaangiश्यामलांगि
56						N2	Shanmukhapriyaषण्मुखप्रिया
57						N3	Simhendramadhyamamसिंहेन्द्रमध्यमम्
58					D2	N2	Hemavathiहेमवती
59						N3	Dharmavathiधर्मवती
60					D3	N3	Neethimathiनीतिमति
11. RUDRA CHAKRA
61	S	R2, G3	M2	P	D1	N1	Kaanthamaniकान्तामणि
62						N2	Rishabhapriyaऋषभप्रिया
63						N3	Lathaangiलतांगि
64					D2	N2	Vaachaspathiवाचस्पति
65						N3	MechaKalyaaniमेचकल्याणि
66					D3	N3	Chitraambariचित्राम्बरि
12. ADITYA CHAKRA
67	S	R3, G3	M2	P	D1	N1	Sucharitraसुचरित्र
68						N2	Jothi Swaroopiniज्योतिस्वरूपिणि
69						N3	Dhathuvardaniधातुवर्धनि
70					D2	N2	Naasikaabhushaniनासिकाभूषणि
71						N3	Kosalamकोसलम्
72					D3	N3	Rasikapriyaरसिकप्रिया

Complete system: Raga 72 (Rasikapriya) completes the Melakarta system. All 72 ragas are Sampoorna — they contain all 7 swaras in both ascent and descent, making them the parent scales from which thousands of derived (janya) ragas are created.

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