melakarta

Melakarta is a foundational framework in Carnatic (South Indian classical) music for organizing ragas. The name combines mela, meaning scale or family, with raga, referring to a melodic mode. A melakarta raga acts as a parent scale from which many other ragas, known as janya ragas, are derived.

The melakarta system defines 72 parent scales. Each uses seven notes in ascent and descent (a heptatonic scale) with fixed Sa (Shadja) and Pa (Panchama). The remaining notes—Ri (Rishabham), Ga (Gandharam), Ma (Madhyamam), Dha (Dhaivatham), and Ni (Nishadham)—appear in one of two, or three, approved variants: Ri (R1 or R2), Ga (G1, G2, or G3), Ma (M1 or M2), Dha (D1 or D2), Ni (N1, N2, or N3). The combinations are constrained so that the resulting scales are distinct, yielding 72 possible melakarta ragas. The 72 ragas are traditionally arranged into 12 groups, or chakras, of six ragas each, a mnemonic organization that helps in navigation and naming.

Each melakarta raga has a standard, fixed structure, and many other ragas are created from it by omitting, altering, or zigzagging notes (janya ragas) or by changing the melodic emphasis and rhythm. The first melakarta is Kanakangi, often cited as the starting point of the system. In practice, the melakarta framework provides a comprehensive taxonomy for composition, pedagogy, and performance in Carnatic music.