Kambhoji or Kambodhi is a popular Raga in Carnatic Music. It is classified as a derived raga from 28th

Melakartha Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales (ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). ''Mēḷakartā'' ragas are parent ragas (hence known as ''janaka'' ragas) from which other ragas may be generated. A ''melaka ...

, Harikambhoji.

Scale

The scale of Kambhoji is Ascending: S R2 G3 M1 P D2 S Descending: S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S (N3 P D2 S) Usage of "n3" in phrase "npds" makes Kambhoji a bhashanga raga (a raga that includes notes other than what is in the parent raga).

Medieval era

There are numerous references to

Raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

or Ragini called Kambhoji in ancient Indian musical traditions. Narada's ''Sangita Makaranda'' (7th to 8th century AD) broadly classifies Ragas into eight subsets and includes three raginis in each subset. In this scheme of classification, Narada accepts raga Kambhoji as a mode of ''Shri raga'', the first subset of his scheme of classification. Ramaditya, the author of ''Swara-Mela Kalanidhi'' (1550 AD) has accepted 20 ''melas'' and has accommodated 64 ''Jana-ragas'' among the ''melas''. In this scheme of classification, the twentieth mela is Kambhoji under which come the Jana-ragas like Kambhoji. ''Ragamala'' of Pundrikavitthala classifies ragas into six divisions with each group having several raginis and ragas imagined to be their spouses and sons. Thus the ragini Kambhoji is assumed to be one among the several spouses of raga ''Nat-Narayana''. ''Chatravarishach.chhat-Raga Nirupanam'' authored by Narada (1525-50 AD) lists ten main ragas and accepts the Kambhoji as the spouse of seventh raga called ''Raga Nata-Narayana''. '' Chaturdandi Prakashika'' authored by

Venkatamakhin Venkatamakhin (; ) or Venkatamakhi, was an Indian poet, musician, and musicologist of Carnatic music. He is renowned for his '' Chaturdandiprakashika'' in which he explicates the melakarta system of classifying ragas. Venkatamakhin composed ...

(also known as Venkateshwara Dikshit, ~1660 AD) assumes 19 melas and lists the Kambhoji, Kedaragaula and Narayanagaula as the Janya ragas under mela Kambhoji. The ''Anupa-Sangit-Ratanakar'' by Sangit Acharya Bhava-Bhata lists 20 ragas as being fundamental ragas. The third raga of his scheme, called Kedar Raga, includes more than a dozen of raginis----the seventh being the well known Kambhoji. Raja Tulaji, the ruler of Tanjore (1763-87 AD) has written a well known book on musicology known as ''Sangit-Saramritoddhar''. Raja Tulaji assumes 21 Janakmelas and includes Kambhoji and Yadukul-Kambhoji as the ''Jana ragas'' under the eighth ''Janaka-mela'' of his scheme of classification.

Matanga’s ancient reference to raga Kambhoji

Most of the references above are comparatively recent but this should not be taken to mean that raga Kambhoji is also of recent origin. Reference to this raga as Thakkesi is in the ancient Tamil epic Cilappatikaram which is referred by the Sanskrit name kamboji. ''Brihaddesi'' authored by Sangit Acharya Matanga Muni (500-700 AD) is the most important work between ''Natyashastra'' (2nd century BC) and ''Sangita Makarand'' (7th to 8th century AD). Sage Matanga probably hailed from south India. This Brihaddesi work is dated between 5th and 7th century AD but unfortunately it is incomplete. Portions of it appear to have lost down the road. Matanga's Brihaddeshi is the first major and available text to describe the Ragas as we understand them today. Sangit Acharya Matanga informs us that "a classical melody (Raga) can not be composed of four notes or less. But the melodies used by the

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

s such as the Sabara,

Pulinda Pulinda (Sanskrit: ) was an ancient tribe of south-central South Asia whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The Pulindas were a non- Indo-Aryan tribe. Location During the later Vedic period, the Pulindas were living to the south-east ...

, Kamboja,

Vanga The family Vangidae (from ''vanga'', Malagasy for the hook-billed vanga, ''Vanga curvirostris'') comprises a group of often shrike-like medium-sized birds distributed from Asia to Africa, including the vangas of Madagascar to which the family ...

Kirata The Kirāta ( sa, किरात) is a generic term in Sanskrit literature for people who had territory in the mountains, particularly in the Himalayas and Northeast India and who are believed to have been Sino-Tibetan in origin. The meaning o ...

, Vahlika,

Andhra Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

, Dravida and the ''Vanachra'' (forest dwelling) clans or

s are an exception which contain four svaras or notes".A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF RAGA-RASA RELATIONSHIP, p 18, Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, online article - sanjannagar.org.

Classification according to gender

Sangita Makaranda also classifies the ragas according to their gender i.e. Male Ragas, Female Ragas (i.e., Raginis) and Neuter Ragas. According to Narada, the Male Ragas depict emotions of Raudra (anger), Veera (heroic) and Bhayanaka (fearful); the Female Ragas represent sentiments of Shringara (romantic and erotic), Hasya (humorous) and Karuna (sorrow); while the Neuter Ragas represent emotions of Vibhatsa (disgustful), Adbhuta (amazement) and Shanta (peaceful). Each raga is principally dominated by one of these nine rasas or sentiments, although the performer can also bring out other emotions in a less prominent way. The more closely the notes of a raga conform to the expression of one single idea or emotion, the more overwhelming the effect of the raga. Since the Raga Kambhoji has been classified as Female Raga (i.e., Ragini), this Raga is particularly suitable in conveying the sentiments of Shringara (romantic and erotic), Hasya (humorous) and Karuna (pathos).

Popular compositions

There are many compositions set to Kambhoji rāgam, and it is one of the primary ragas in Carnatic music. A few of these compositions are: (not an exhaustive list below) *''Krishnamurthy kanna munde'' (8th Navaratna Malike), ''Kandu Kandu Nee Enna'' by

Purandaradasa Purandara Dasa (IAST: Purandara dāsa) ( 1470 – 1565) was a Haridasa philosopher and a follower of Madhwacharya 's Dwaitha philosophy -saint from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a composer, singer and one of the chief founding-prop ...

*''Kailasavasa Gaurisha'' By

Vijaya Dasa Vijaya Dasa ( kn, ವಿಜಯದಾಸ) (c. 1682– c. 1755) was a prominent saint from the Haridasa tradition of Karnataka, India in the 18th century, and a scholar of the Dvaita philosophical tradition. Along with contemporary haridasa saint ...

*''Dasarendare Purandaradasarayya'' By

Vyasatirtha Vyāsatīrtha (. 1460 – 1539), also called ''Vyasaraja'' or ''Chandrikacharya'', was a Hindu philosopher, scholar, polemicist, commentator and poet belonging to the Madhwacharya's Dvaita order of Vedanta. As the patron saint of the Vija ...

*''Emayya rama'' by Bhadrachala Ramadasu * ''Govinda Ghataya, Vedadri Sikhara, Sripatimiha'' by

Narayana Teertha Sri Narayana Teertha (c. 1650 – 1745 CE) was a great saint, devotee of Lord Sri Krishna, the supreme lord, and sang many songs on him. Brief lifesketch Sri Narayana Teertha was born in South India in the region covered by the present-day Andhra ...

* ''Lambodaram Avalambe, Mari mari vacchuna, Trivikramam Aham, Akhilanda Koti (

Varnam Varṇam is a type of composition in the Carnatic music system consisting of short metric pieces which encapsulate the main features (patterns of notes) of a ''raga''. Varnams capture the ''raga bhavam'', ''ranjaka prayogas'' ''visesha sancha ...

)'' by

Mysore Vasudevachar Mysore Vasudevacharya (28 May 1865 – 17 May 1961) was an Indian musician and composer of Carnatic music compositions who belonged to the direct line of Thyagaraja's disciples. Vasudevachar's compositions (numbering over 200) were mostly in Telu ...

* ''Kuzhaloodhi manamellam, Mithiladhipa, Aakka poruttavarkku, Vāngum enakku,'' by

Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi Oothukkaadu Venkata Kavi (-1765) or Oottukkaadu Venkata Subbaiar was one of the pioneering composers in Indian classical Carnatic music. He lived in South India in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu. Also known by the name Oothukkaadu Venkatas ...

*''Devi Ni Padasarasamule by''

Shyama Sastri Shyama Shastri (; 26 April 1762 – 1827) or Syama Sastri was a musician and composer of Carnatic music. He was the oldest among the Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. Early life and career Sh ...

*''O Rangashayi'', ''Maa Janaki, Elara Sri Krishna,'' ''Evari Mata, Kailsanathena, Mahita Pravrddha, Sri Raghuvara, Marimari Ninne, Margamu Telupave'' by

Tyagaraja Thyagaraja (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ) (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his ...

* ''Kamalambikayai (4th Avarana), Sri Subrahmanyaya Namaste'', ''Marakatavallim, Gopala Krishnaaya, Sri Valmika Lingam, Kashi Vishveshvara, Samba Sadashivaaya'' by

Muthuswami Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar)(, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer and veena player, and a legendary composer of Indian classical music, who is considered one of the musical ...

* ''Sarasijanabha (

), Sarasa Mridupada (

), Charupankaja, Inta Modiyaalara, Karanam Vina, Rasavilasa lolo, Namasudhamayi, Poorna Chandranana, Saradindu sama mukhanakum, Manasi Karuna, Padasanati Munijana, Panchabanan tannudaya (

Padam Padam may refer to: *'' Padam... Padam...'', a song by Édith Piaf * Padam, Ladakh, India * Padam people, of India * Padam (musical composition), in Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of ...

), Innu Mama Bhagyataru (

, see

Mohiniyattam Mohiniyattam, ( ml, മോഹിനിയാട്ടം), is an Indian classical dance form that developed and remained popular in the state of Kerala. Kathakali is another classical dance form of Kerala. Mohiniyattam dance gets its name fr ...

)'' by

Swathi Thirunal ( ml, സ്വാതി തിരുനാള്‍ രാമവർമ്മ) (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He is also considered as a brilliant music composer and is credited with over 4 ...

* ''Koniyadina Napai'' by

Veena Kuppayyar Veena Kuppayyar (1798–1860) was an exponent of Veena and a composer of Carnatic music. He was a student of the famous composer Tyagaraja. Kuppayar composed his songs in Telugu language and has left behind a number of popular '' kritis''. Earl ...

* ''Ratna Kanchuka Dharini, Shivam Harim'' by Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar * ''Kaana kan kodi, Kadhirkama Kandan'' by

Papanasam Sivan Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema ...

* ''Thiruvadi Charanam'' by

Gopalakrishna Bharati Gopalakrishna Bharathi ( ta, கோபாலகிருஷ்ண பாரதி) (1810–1896) was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He composed the K''athakalakshepam'' ( ta, கதாகாலக்ஷேபம் ) Nandanar Chari ...

* ''En Kula Deivame'' by

Ambujam Krishna Ambujam Krishna (1917 - 1989) was a composer of Carnatic Kritis. She has composed more than 600 kritis in various Carnatic ragas. Personal life Ambujam Krishna is the daughter of K. V. Ranga Iyengar, an advocate of Madurai. She had her music ...

* ''Natamadi Tirinda'' by Papavinasha Mudaliyar * Padari Varugudhu (

) by Subbarama Iyer * ''Emi Mayamu'' (

Javali Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...

) by

Pattabhiramayya Pattabhiramayya was a nineteenth-century composer of Carnatic music. He composed in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages. He was born in the village of Tiruppanandal near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, India. He composed many songs in the style of ''ja ...

* ''Pankajakshi'' (

) by

Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer Vaidyanatha Sivan (1844 - 1893) ( ta, மஹா வைத்யநாத சிவன்) was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music. He was a great exponent of extemporaneous singing. He also composed a ''ragamalika'' (garland of ragas - a s ...

* ''Kamalakshi'' (

) by Kunnakudi Krishnaiyer * ''Taruni Ninnu'' (

) by Fiddle Ponnuswami Tamil Film song "Aadiya Paadhangal Ambalathil" song from the movie

Oorukku Uzhaippavan ''Oorukku Uzhaippavan'' () is a 1976 Indian Tamil-language film written and directed by M. Krishnan Nair, starring M. G. Ramachandran, Vanisri and Venniradai Nirmala. It is a remake of the 1970 Kannada film '' Baalu Belagithu''. The film was ...

composed by M. S. Viswanathan is set in Kambhoji Ragam.

References

External links

*''Majestic Kambhoji''

*''Khambaj Raga''

*''Commentary on Sri Subrahmanyaya Namaste''

*''CAC Newsletter Notes on Yadukulakambhoji by Dr. V V Srivatsa''

*''An Introduction To Indian Classical Music - Ancient History''