Rupavati (pronounced rūpavati, meaning ''the beautiful one'') 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 12th ''

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 (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is one of the few rāgams given the same name by the

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

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 6th rāgam in the 2nd ''chakra Netra''. The mnemonic name is ''Netra-Sha''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ra gi ma pa dhu nu''.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications 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 ''shuddha rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shatsruthi dhaivatham'' and ''kakali nishadham''. As it is a ''melakarta'' rāgam, by definition it is a ''sampurna'' rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the ''shuddha madhyamam'' equivalent of ''

Divyamani Divyamani (pronounced ,''Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar Keertanaigal'' by Vidwan A Sundaram Iyer, Pub. 1989, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai meaning ''the divine gem'') is a rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is ...

'', which is the 48th ''melakarta'' scale.

Asampurna Melakarta

Rupavati is also the original name given to the 12th ''Melakarta'' in the list compiled 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 ge ...

. The notes used in the scale are the same, but the scales are ''svarantara-shadava'' raga (4 notes in ascending scale and 6 are used in descending scale). * : * :

''Janya'' rāgams

''Rupavati'' 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. See List of ''janya'' rāgams for full list of rāgams associated with ''Rupavati'' scale.

Compositions

Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to ''Rupavati''. *''Ne more bettina'' 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 ...

*''Sri Krishna bhajare'' by

*''Paalayamaam Sree Parvatha Nandini'' by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna

Related rāgams

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

'', does not yield any ''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.

Notes

References

{{Janya, state=collapsed Melakarta ragas