Niroshta 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 a pentatonic scale (''audava''/''owdava'' rāgam). It is a derived scale (''

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 ...

'' rāgam), as it does not have all the seven ''

swara Svara or swara (Devanagari: स्वर, generally pronounced as ''swar'') is a Sanskrit word that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave or '' ...

s'' (musical notes). ''Niroshta'' literally means without the lips.''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras If the lips do not meet / touch, then the notes ''Ma'' and ''Pa'' cannot be uttered. This scale does not use either note and hence the name. It is a very pleasing rāgam.

Structure and Lakshana

''Niroshta'' is a symmetric pentatonic scale (''audava-audava'' ragam''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications in Carnatic music classification – ''audava'' meaning 'of 5') that does not contain ''madhyamam'' and ''panchamam''. 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, chathusruthi dhaivatham'' and ''kakali nishadham''. ''Niroshta'' is considered a ''janya'' rāgam of Shankarabharanam, the 29th ''

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, though it can be derived from Kalyani by dropping both ''madhyamam'' and ''panchamam''. Shankarabharanam is the

Major scale The major scale (or Ionian mode) is one of the most commonly used musical scales, especially in Western music. It is one of the diatonic scales. Like many musical scales, it is made up of seven notes: the eighth duplicates the first at double i ...

of Western music.

Popular compositions

Muthiah Bhagavatar is credited with creating this scale, due to the fact that the King of Mysore had a bee sting in his lip and could not sing the Panchama and Madhyama notes, since the notes touch the lip while pronouncing it. His melodious composition ''Raja Raja Radhite'' set to Rupaka tala (3/4 beat) also does not use the syllables ''Ma'' and ''Pa''. Madurai T. N. Seshagopalan, a disciple of Ramanathapuram C. S. Sankarasivam, who in turn is a disciple of Muthiah Bhagavatar has composed a

thillana A Tillana or thillana is a rhythmic piece in Carnatic music that is generally performed at the end of a concert and widely used in classical indian dance performances. It was popularised by Dr. M Balamuralikrishna and some other musicians A Til ...

in Niroshta "tanana dhirana" in Adi Tala. Tanjavur. S. Kalyanaraman has composed a varnam "Kanin Maniye" in this raga. Other compositions include giri-putrika gaura-varni by Bangalore S Mukund in rupaka talam, jayati jayati jayashankara by Ashok R Madhav in rupaka tala.

Related rāgams

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

Scale similarities

*''

Mohanam Mohanam is a rāga in Carnatic music (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'' rāga of Harikamboji (28th Melakartha Raga) ...

'' is a rāgam which has the ''panchamam'' in place of the ''nishadham''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S D2 P G3 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 ...

'' is a rāgam which has the ''panchamam'' in place of the ''dhaivatam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G3 P N3 S : S N3 P G3 R2 S

Notes

References

{{Janya Janya ragas