Mararanjani (pronounced māraranjani) is a
rāga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradition, and as ...
m in
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, 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, an ...
(musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 25th ''
Melakarta
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 ''melak ...
'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Sharāvati in
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 ...
school of Carnatic music.
[''Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar Keertanaigal'' by Vidwan A Sundaram Iyer, Pub. 1989, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai][''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications][''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras]
Structure and Lakshana
It is the 1st rāgam in the 5th ''chakra Bana''. The mnemonic name is ''Bana-Pa''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ri gu ma pa dha na''.
Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see
''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
*
:
*
:
(the notes in this scale are ''chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham, shuddha nishadham'')
As it is a ''melakarta'' rāgam, by definition it is a
''sampoorna'' rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the ''shuddha madhyamam'' equivalent of ''
Kantamani
Kantamani (pronounced ) is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 61st '' Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Kuntalam in Muthuswami Dikshitar sc ...
'', which is the 61st ''melakarta''.
''Janya'' rāgams
''Mararanjani'' has a few minor ''
janya
''Janya'' is a term meaning "derive". In Carnatic (South Indian) music a ''janya raga'' is one derived from one of the 72 ''melakarta'' ragas (fundamental melodic structures). ''Janya'' ragas are classified into various types based on a varie ...
'' rāgams (derived scales) associated with it, of which ''Janasammodini'' is one of the better known rāgams. See
List of ''janya'' rāgams for all rāgams associated with this scale.
Compositions
A few compositions set to ''Mararanjani'' are:
*''Manasa srirama'' by
Thyagaraja
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 ...
*''Sharavati'' 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 ...
*''Ramapathina'' by
Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
''Mararanjani's'' notes when shifted using ''
Graha bhedam
''Graha Bhedam'' in Carnatic music is the process (or result of the process) of shifting the Tonic note (''śruti'') to another note in the rāgam and arriving at a different rāgam. Its equivalent in Hindustani classical music is called a ''mur ...
'', yields ''
Vanaspati
Vanaspati (Devanagari: ) is the Sanskrit word that now refers to the entire plant kingdom. However, according to ''Charaka Samhitā'' and '' Sushruta Samhita'' medical texts and the '' Vaisesikas'' school of philosophy, "vanaspati" is limited to p ...
'', a minor ''melakarta'' rāgam. ''Graha bhedam'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration refer ''
Graha bhedam on Vanaspati''.
Notes
References
{{Janya, state=collapsed
Melakarta ragas