Mohanam 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 ...
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 an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is usually described as a ''
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 ...
'' rāga of Harikamboji (28th Melakartha Raga). However, alternate opinions suggest that ''
Mechakalyani
Kalyani is a melakarta raga (parent musical scale) in the Carnatic music. It was called Kalyan but is now more popularly called Yaman in Hindustani Music. Its Western equivalent is the Lydian mode.
Kalyani in Carnatic music
In South Indian w ...
'' may be a more appropriate classification based on the lakshana of the raga.
The equivalent of ''Mohanam'' in
Hindustani music
Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...
is ''
Bhoop''
[''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications] (or ''Bhopali''
[''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras]).
It is one of the most common
pentatonic scale
A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to the heptatonic scale, which has seven notes per octave (such as the major scale and minor scale).
Pentatonic scales were developed independently by many ancien ...
s across the world
and is very popular in East Asian and Southeast Asian music, including China and Japan.
Structure and Lakshana
![Mohanam scale](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Mohanam_scale.svg)
''Mohanam'' is a symmetric rāga that does not contain ''madhyamam'' and ''nishādham''. It is a symmetric pentatonic scale (''audava-audava'' raga
in Carnatic music classification - ''audava'' meaning 'of 5'). Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see
''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
*
:
*
:
(the notes used in this scale are ''shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, panchamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham'')
''Mohanam'' is usually classified as a ''janya'' rāga of ''
Harikambhoji'', the 28th ''
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 ...
'' rāga, though alternate opinions exist that prefer classifying it as a janya raga of ''
Kalyani'' based on its lakshana. The Hindustani equivalent ''Bhoop'' is associated with ''
Kalyan thaat
Kalyan () is one of the ten basic thaats of Hindustani music from the Indian subcontinent. It is also the name of a raga (more popularly known as Yaman) within this thaat.
Description
Kalyan thaat consists of an important group of evening ragas ...
'' (the equivalent of ''Kalyani'').
One of the first scales employed by the ancient Tamils was the Mullaippann (3 BCE), a pentatonic scale composed of the notes sa ri ga pa da equivalent to C, D, E, G, and A in the western notations. These fully harmonic scales, constitutes the raga Mohanam in the Carnatic music style.
Popular compositions
''Mohanam'' rāga lends itself to extensive elaboration and exploration and has many classical music and film music compositions.
Kritis
The ''
geetham
Geetam, (Sanskrit: गीतम्; gītaṃ) the simplest music form in Carnatic music, was created by Purandara Dasa in order to introduce '' talas'' with '' sāhityaṃ'' (lyrics).
Gītaṃ literally means "song" in Sanskrit.
Structure
A g ...
'' ''Varavina mridupani'' is one of the first short songs taught to beginners in Carnatic music. ''Ninnukori'' composed by
Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar
Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar (1860 - 1919), whose real name was Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar, was a singer and composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu on August 16, 1860. He studied music under Patnam Subramania Iy ...
is a popular ''
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 ...
'' in this scale. Here are some popular ''
kritis
''Kriti'' (Sanskrit: कृति, ''kṛti'') is a format of musical composition typical to Carnatic music. ''Kritis'' form the mental backbone of any typical Carnatic music concert and is the longer format of Carnatic song. "Kriti" also means C ...
'' composed in ''Mohanam''.
*''Preenayamo Vasudevam'' By
Madhwacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' (dualism) schoo ...
*''Cheri Yasodaku Sisuvithadu'', ''Podagantimayya'' by
Annamacharya
Tallapaka Annamacharya (Telugu : తాళ్ళపాక అన్నమాచార్య) ( IAST: taḷḷapāka annamācārya; 22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, was a 15th-century Hindu saint and the ea ...
*''
Madhva nama
Madhwanama is a special composition on Madhvacharya (kulaguru of madhvas) which is written by Sripadaraja.
Significance
Madhvanama tells about the three avataras of our lord Mukyaprana (vayu): Mukhyaprana, Hanuman, Bhima and Madhvacharya
Sectio ...
'' By
Sripadaraja
Sripadaraja ( sa, श्रीपादराज; ) or Sripadaraya, also known by his pontifical name Lakshminarayana Tirtha (1422 - 1480), was a Hindu Dvaita philosopher, scholar and composer and the pontiff of the Madhvacharya mutt at Mul ...
*''Kolalanooduva Chaduranyare'' 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 Vijay ...
*''Raja Beediyolaginda'', ''Narayanana Nene Manave'', ''Dashavatara Stuti'', ''Ava reethiyinda'' By
Vadiraja Tirtha
Sri Vadiraja Teertharu (1480 – 1600) was a Dvaita philosopher, poet, traveller and mystic. A polymath of his time, he authored many works, often polemical, on Madhva theology and metaphysics. Additionally, he composed numerous poems and as ...
*''Ranga Nayaka Raajeeva Lochana'', ''Mella mellane bandane'', ''Pillangoviya Cheluva'', ''Bandalu Mahalakshmi'', ''Bide Ninna Padava'', ''Vaidya Banda Nodi'', ''Yaaru Olidarenu'', ''En Savi En Savi'' 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-pro ...
*''Sundari Rangana Tandu Tora'' By
Kanaka Dasa
Kanaka Dasa (1509–1609) was a Haridasa saint and philosopher, popularly called Daasashreshta Kanakadasa (ದಾಸಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಕನಕದಾಸ). He was a renowned composer of Carnatic music, poet, reformer and musician. He is kn ...
*''Intha Prabhuva'', ''Rama Rama Emberadakshara'', ''Linga Ennantaranga'' 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 ...
*''Barayyya Ba ba'' By
Gopala Dasa
Gopala Dasa (1721–1769) was a prominent 18th-century Kannada language poet and saint belonging to the Haridasa tradition. With other contemporary Haridasas such as Vijaya Dasa and Jagannatha Dasa, Gopala Dasa propagated the Dvaita philosophy ...
*''Eddu Baruthare'' By
Jagannatha Dasa
*''Hakkiya Hegaleri'' By Prasanna Venkata Dasa
*''Mohana rama'', ''Nannu palimpa'', ''Dayarani'', ''Rama ninnu nammina'', ''Evarura ninnuvina'' and ''Bhavanutha'' 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 ...
*''Narasimha Agaccha'', ''Kadambari Priyayaih'', ''Gopika Manoharam'' by
Muthuswamy 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 ...
*''Kapaali karunai'' and ''Narayana divyanamam'' 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 ...
*''Rara Rajiva lochana'' 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 ...
*''En Palli Kondeer Aiyya'' by
Arunachala Kavi
Arunachala Kavi ( ta, அருணாசல கவி) (1711–1779) was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar a ...
*''Kshemam Kuru'' 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 ...
*''Swagatam Krishna'' by
Oottukkadu 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 ...
*''Pari pahimam Nruhara'' by
Swati Thirunal
*''Sada Palaya Sarasakshi'' by
G N Balasubramaniam
*''Mohanam Tavavapurai'' 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 ...
*''Ninnukkori Varnam'' by
Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar
*Nagalingam by Muttayya Bhagavatar
Tamil movie songs in Mohanam
Telugu Film Songs
Related rāgas
''Graha bhedam''
''Mohanam's'' notes when shifted using ''
Graha bhedam'', yields 4 other major pentatonic rāgas, namely, ''
Hindolam
Hindōḷaṃ is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the sev ...
'', ''
Shuddha Saveri
Shuddha Saveri or śuddha sāveri is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music) and Yakshagana music. It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a '' janya'' rāgam (derive ...
'', ''
Udayaravichandrika
Udayaravichandrika is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale ). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the ...
'' (also known as ''Shuddha Dhanyasi'') and ''
Madhyamavati
Madhyamavati (madhyamāvati) is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale), as it does not have all the seven musical notes (''swaras''). ...
''. ''Graha bhedam'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāga. For more details and illustration of this concept refer ''
Graha bhedam on Mohanam''.
Scale similarities
*''
Mohanakalyani
Mohanakalyani is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derived scale) from the 65th ''melakarta'' scale Mechakalyani. It is a ''janya'' scale, as it does not have all the seven ''sw ...
'' is a rāga which has the ascending scale of ''Mohanam'' and descending scale of ''Kalyani''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R2 S
*''
Bilahari
Bilahari is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derived scale) from the 29th ''melakarta'' scale ''Sankarabharanam''. It is a ''janya'' scale, as it does not have all the seven ' ...
'' is a rāga which has the ascending scale of ''Mohanam'' and descending scale of ''Sankarabharanam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
*''
Garudadhvani
Garudadhvani or Garudadhwani is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derived scale) from the 29th ''melakarta'' scale ''Dheerasankarabharanam, Shankarabharanam''. It is a ''janya' ...
'' is a rāga which has the ascending scale of ''Sankarabharanam'' and descending scale of ''Mohanam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
*''
Shivaranjani
Shivaranjani or Sivaranjani is a musical scale used in Indian classical music. There are two scales, one in Hindustani music and one in Carnatic music. The Hindustani rāga is a pentatonic scale, as is the Carnatic scale categorized as Audava ...
'' rāga differs from ''Mohanam'' only by the ''gāndhāram''. It uses ''sadharana gāndhāram'' instead of ''antara gāndhāram'' and its ' structure is S R2 G2 P D2 S : S D2 P G2 R2 S
*''
Hamsadhvani
Hamsadhvani (meaning "the cry of the swan"), is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of Carnatic tradition of Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a ''janya'' rāga of the ...
'' rāga uses ''nishadam'' in place of ''dhaivatam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P N3 S : S N3 P G3 R2 S
*''
Vaasantha'' rāga differs from ''Mohanam'' only by the ''daivatham''. It uses ''shudda Daivatham'' instead of ''Chatushruti Daivatham'' and its ' structure is S R2 G3 P D1 S : S D1 P G3 R2 S
Vasantha used Shudda Rishabham and not Shudda Daivatham
*''
Niroshta
Niroshta is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a pentatonic scale (''audava''/''owdava'' rāgam). It is a derived scale (''janya'' rāgam), as it does not have all the seven ''swaras'' (musical not ...
'' rāga uses ''nishadam'' in place of ''panchamam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 D2 N3 S : S N3 D2 G3 R2 S
Notes
References
{{Janya
Janya ragas