Nagasvaravali
Carnatic music |
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NÄgasvarÄvaḻi, is a rÄgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an audava rÄgam (or owdava, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a janya rÄgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes).
Structure and Lakshana

NÄgasvarÄvaḻi is a symmetric rÄgam that does not contain rishabham or nishÄdam. It is a pentatonic scale (audava-audava ragam[1][2] in Carnatic music classification - audava meaning 'of 5'). Its Ärohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
- Ärohaṇa : S G3 M1 P D2 S
- avarohaṇa : S D2 P M1 G3 S
(the notes used in this musical scale are shadjam, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chathusruti dhaivatam)
NÄgasvarÄvaḻi is considered a janya rÄgam of Harikambhoji, the 28th Melakarta rÄgam, though it can be derived from other melakarta rÄgams, Chakravakam, Sooryakantam, Shankarabharanam, Vagadheeswari or Shoolini, by dropping both rishabham and nishÄdam.
Popular compositions
NÄgasvarÄvaḻi rÄgam has a few compositions in classical music.
- Sreepate neepada by Thyagaraja
- Gamganapathe sada by Jayachamaraja Wodeyar
- Sree sankara guruvaram by Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer
Related rÄgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rÄgam.
Graha bhedam
NÄgasvarÄvaḻi's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields another popular pentatonic rÄgam, Hamsadhwani. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rÄgam. For more details and illustration of this concept refer Graha bhedam on Hamsadhwani.
Scale similarities
- Mohanam is a rÄgam which has chathusruthi rishabham in place of the shuddha madhyamam. Its Ärohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
- Shuddha Saveri is a rÄgam which has chathusruthi rishabham in place of the antara gandharam. Its Ärohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P D2 S : S D2 P M1 R2 S
References
- ↑ Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
- ↑ Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
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