Scheme of 72 Melakarta (Brief) MCQs Quiz | Class 10

Understanding the 72 Melakarta Scheme in Carnatic Music

The Melakarta scheme is a foundational concept in Carnatic music, providing a systematic framework for the classification and organization of ragas. It serves as the genetic pool from which countless other ragas are derived, making it indispensable for both theoretical understanding and practical application.

What is Melakarta?

In Carnatic music, ‘Melakarta’ refers to a system of 72 fundamental or parent scales (ragas). Each Melakarta raga is a complete scale, meaning it contains all seven musical notes (swaras) in their prescribed order, ascending and descending, without deviation. These are also known as ‘Janaka’ (parent) ragas because they generate or give birth to other ragas called ‘Janya’ (derived) ragas.

Overview of the 72 Melakarta Scheme

The 72 Melakarta scheme is an ingenious system designed to cover all possible theoretical combinations of the 12 semi-tones within an octave, while adhering to specific rules. The scheme is divided into two halves, each containing 36 Melakarta ragas, based on the type of Madhyama (fourth note) used:

• The first 36 Melakartas (from Kanakangi to Manavati) use Suddha Madhyama.
• The next 36 Melakartas (from Raga Vardhini to Rasikapriya) use Prati Madhyama.

Further, each of these halves is divided into 6 chakras (groups), with each chakra containing 6 Melakarta ragas. This results in a total of 12 chakras, each governing specific variations of the Rishabham (second note), Gandharam (third note), Dhaivatam (sixth note), and Nishadam (seventh note). The Shadjam (first note) and Panchamam (fifth note) are considered fixed notes (achala swaras) in all Melakarta ragas.

A key characteristic of Melakarta ragas is that they are sampoorna (containing all seven notes) and krama sampoorna (the notes appear in strict ascending and descending order, without any skips or zigzag patterns). They are also known for using only one form of Ri, Ga, Dha, and Ni in their scales, maintaining consistency.

The order and derivation of these ragas are often facilitated by the Katapayadi Sutra, an ancient mnemonic system that assigns numerical values to consonants in the raga names, which then correspond to the variable swaras in the scale.

Purpose of the Melakarta Scheme

The Melakarta scheme serves several crucial purposes in Carnatic music:

1. Systematic Classification: It provides a logical and exhaustive framework for classifying all potential ragas, ensuring that no theoretical combination is overlooked.
2. Generation of Janya Ragas: It acts as the parent source for thousands of Janya ragas, which are derived by altering, omitting, or reordering notes from a Melakarta scale. This allows for immense creative possibilities within a structured system.
3. Ease of Study and Composition: For students and composers, the scheme offers a clear and organized way to understand raga structure, facilitating learning, memorization, and the creation of new compositions.
4. Theoretical Foundation: It forms the bedrock of Carnatic music theory, allowing musicians to understand the relationships between different ragas and the subtle nuances of swara placement.

Quick Revision Points

• Melakarta: A system of 72 parent scales (Janaka ragas) in Carnatic music.
• Structure: 72 ragas divided into 12 chakras, each with 6 ragas.
• Madhyama Division: First 36 use Suddha Madhyama, next 36 use Prati Madhyama.
• Characteristics: Sampoorna (7 notes), krama sampoorna (sequential), uses only one variation of each variable swara (Ri, Ga, Dha, Ni).
• Katapayadi Sutra: Mnemonic system to derive swara positions from raga names.
• Purpose: Systematic classification, generation of Janya ragas, aid in learning and composition.

Practice Questions

1. What is the unique feature that defines a Melakarta raga apart from its derived (Janya) ragas?
2. Explain the role of Suddha Madhyama and Prati Madhyama in dividing the 72 Melakarta ragas into two halves.
3. How does the Katapayadi Sutra help in identifying the specific swaras of a Melakarta raga given its name?
4. Why is the systematic classification provided by the Melakarta scheme considered crucial in Carnatic music?
5. List the six variable swaras in Carnatic music that contribute to the formation of the 72 Melakarta scales.