Kharaharapriya Scale

Kharaharapriya is a rāga in Carnatic music. It is the 22nd '' melakarta'' rāga (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāga system. It is possible that the name of the ragam was originally ''Harapriya'' but it was changed to conform to the Katapayadi formula. ''Kharaharapriya'' has a distinct melody and brings out the ''Karuna'' rasam, invoking pathos in the listeners. The ''Kafi thaat'' of Hindustani music is the equivalent of ''Kharaharapriya''.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras Its Western equivalent is the Dorian mode.

Etymology

There are many theories behind the etymology of the name ''Kharaharapriya''. One of the most popular beliefs is that the ragam was initially called Samaganam and when Ravana was trapped by Shiva, under the kailash hill trying to lift it, it is believed that, to appease the lord, Ravana sang many hymns in praise of the lord, but his heart cooled only when a hymn was sung in the ragam and hence the name ( hara) shiva and (''priya'') loved hence "Harapriya " – The one dear to Shiva, and to fit it in the Katapayadi system according to the melakarta chakra system.

The word Kharaharapriya may also mean the beloved of the killer of the Khara demon (Khara – Khara demon, Hara – Defeater/Killer, Priya – Beloved). The story of Rama killing the Khara demon is narrated in the 28th, 29th and the 30th sub-chapter of the Aranya Khanda of Ramayana. It could be speculated that this was a reason why Saint Tyagaraja revived this dying ancient raga in the 18th Century and breathed new life into it by creating many compositions in this raga.

Structure and Lakshana

It is 4th rāga in the 4th ''chakra Veda''. The mnemonic name is ''Veda-Bhu''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ri gi ma pa dhi ni''. Its ' structure is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
* :
* :

The notes are ''chatushruti rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, chatushruti dhaivatam'' and ''kaisiki Nishadam''. It is a ''sampoorna'' rāgam – scale having all 7 ''swarams''. It is the ''shuddha madhyamam'' equivalent of '' Hemavati'', which is the 58th ''melakarta'' scale. Since the swaras of ''Kharaharapriya'' are quite evenly spaced, and since several different types of '' gamakas'' are allowed, it is a very versatile, fluid and flexible rāgam that allows for elaborate melodic improvisation within its scale.

Songs sung in ''Kharaharapriya'' ragas typically have long, elaborate '' ālapanās'', which exhibit the fluidity of the rāgam. ''Kharaharapriya'' songs are usually meant to be sung slow, medium or medium-fast, in order to bring out the ''Karuna rasa'' and ''bhava'' of the song.

''Janya'' rāgams

Due to the even spacing of ''swaras'', many '' anya' rāgams (derived scales) are associated with ''Kharaharapriya''. It is one of the melakarta scales that has a large number of ''janya'' rāgams. Many of the ''janya'' rāgams are very popular on their own, lending themselves to elaboration and interpretation. Some of them are ''Abheri'', ''Abhogi'','' Andolika'', '' Bhimplaas'' (Hindustani music), '' Brindavana Saranga'', ''Kāpi'', ''Madhyamavati'', ''Mukhari'', ''Reetigowla'', '' Shree'', ''Dhanashree'', ''Udayaravichandrika'', and ''Sriranjani''.

See List of ''janya'' rāgams for full list of scales associated with ''Kharaharapriya''.

Compositions

''Kharaharapriya'' has been decorated with compositions by many composers. The ragam is most closely associated with Thyagaraja who has pioneered in composing many songs in this rāgam, that have become popular and well known. Both Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Sastri, however, have not composed kritis in 'Kharaharapriya' A few of the popular compositions are listed here.

*''Chakkani Rājamārgamu'', ''Pakkala Nilabaḍi'', ''Mitri Bhāgyame'', ''Rāmā nī samānamevaru'', ''Naḍaci Naḍaci'',''Peridi ninnu'', ''Chetulāra shrungāramu'', ''Kori sevimpa rāre'', ''Pāhi rāma rāma anuchu'', ''Vidamu sevayave'', and ''Rāma nīyada'' by saint Tyagaraja in Telugu language
*''Satatam thaavaka pada sevanam'', by Swathi Thirunal
*''Sundara Natarajam'' by Oothukadu Venkata Kavi in Sanskrit
*''Moovasai konda thirumal'' by Muthiah Bhagavatar in Tamil
*''Senthil andavan'', ''Srinivasa Tava Charanam'', ''Janaki pathe, Appan Avatharitha Kathamritham'' and ''Ganapathiye Karunanidhiye'' by Papanasam Sivan in Tamil
*''Karunajalarase rama'', by K. C. Kesava Pillai in Malayalam
* ''Bharathi deviya nene'' by Purandara Dasa in Kannada and ''Okkaparikokkapari'' and ''Nityapujalivigo'' by Annamacharya in Telugu have now been tuned in Kharaharapiya since the original tunes have been lost forever.
* Nama Rasa Manave by Kalyani Varadarajan

The basic scale of ''Kharaharapriya'' has been used in several film songs in Indian film music. Although rarely authentic, there are several film songs that are set in this scale, or scales derived from this ragam. The popular Kannada song 'Arādhisuve madanāri', from the movie Babhruvahana (1977) and sung by Dr. Rajkumar, is in typical Kharaharapriya. A popular Tamil film composer M.S.Viswanathan used this raga brilliantly in many of his songs such as "Maharajan Ullagai" from '' Karnan'', "Maadhavi Ponmayilal" in the movie Iru malargal. Ace singer P. Unnikrishnan released his 2012 album on Lord Ayyappan titled ''Shabaimalai Va Charanam Solli Va'' in which he has rendered a song in Kharaharapriya raagam set in classical melody. The song also illustrates how the Lord learnt the Kalari fight in Cheerappanchira which houses a temple called Mukkal Vattam managed by Lord's Guruvamsam even now.Song set in Kharaharapriya on Mukkal vattam Ayyappan
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Film Songs

Language:

Tamil

Janya 1:Ragam Karnaranjani

Tamil

Ascending:S R2 G2 M1 G2 P D2 S

Descending:S N2 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

The Hindi song 'Tumhen Dekhti Hoon To' from movie Tumhare Liye composed by Jaidev sung by Lata Mangeshkar was based on Ragam Karnaranjani too.

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

''Kharaharapriya's'' notes when shifted using '' Graha bhedam'', yields 5 other major ''melakarta'' rāgams, namely, '' Kalyani'', ''Hanumatodi'', '' Natabhairavi'', '' Shankarabharanam'' and '' Harikambhoji''. For further details and an illustration of ''Graha bhedam'' of this rāgam refer '' Graha bhedam on Shankarabharanam''.

Notes

References

{{Janya, state=collapsed

Melakarta ragas