Vachaspati (pronounced Vāchaspati, meaning ''Lord of speech'') 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 64th ''

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. It is known as Bhushāvati according to 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.''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications It was borrowed into Hindustani music, like many other ragas from Carnatic rāgams.

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 4th rāgam in the 11th ''chakra Rudra''. The mnemonic name is ''Rudra-Bhu''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ri gu mi pa dhi ni''. Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms): * : * : This scales uses the notes and . It is a ''sampoorna'' rāgam - a rāgam that has all 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'' (notes). It is the equivalent of ''

Harikambhoji Harikambhoji (pronounced harikāmbhōji) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 28th ''Melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system. One of the first scales employed b ...

'', which is the 28th scale.

''Janya'' rāgams

It has many ''

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, out of which ''Bhooshavali'' and ''Saraswathi'' are popular. See List of ''janya'' rāgams for all scales associated with ''Vachaspati''.

Popular compositions

''Vachaspati'' is close to '' Kalyani'' (which is 65th ''melakarta'') and differs only in the ''nishādham''. Still, this rāgam does not have many compositions. At the same time many composers have used this rāgam for composing 1 song each. Popular compositions in this rāgam are *''Pahi Jaga janani'' 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 40 ...

*''Kantajoodumi'' 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 ...

*''Paraatparaa'' 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 ...

*''Sahasrakara mandithe'' by

Muthiah Bhagavatar Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar (15 November 1877 – 30 June 1945), commonly known as Muthiah Bhagavatar, is one of Carnatic classical music's famous twentieth-century composers. He also created about 20 '' ragas''. Early life Muthiah was bo ...

*''Ennaadu ni kripa'' by

Patnam Subramania Iyer Patnam Subramania Iyer (1845 – July 31, 1902) was a composer and singer of Carnatic music. Subramaniya Iyer followed the traditions of the great composer Tyagaraja. He has left behind almost one hundred compositions. Subramaniya Iyer was bor ...

. *''Râjarâjeswari'' - pada varnam by

Kalyani Varadarajan Kalyani Varadarajan (8 October 1923 – 28 October 2003), commonly known as Kalyani, was one of Carnatic music's famous twentieth-century composers. She created carnatic compositions in all 72 melakarta ragas, besides scores of janya ragas. Ear ...

Film Songs

Language:
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nati ...

Janya Ragam: Saraswathi

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam. ''Vachaspati'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 3 other major ''melakarta'' rāgams, namely, ''

Charukesi Charukesi (pronounced chārukēś‌i) is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 26th ''Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Tarangini in Muthuswami ...

'', ''

Gourimanohari Gourimanohari or Gaurimanohari is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 23rd ''Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. The 23rd ''melakarta'' rāgam as per Muthu ...

'' and ''

Natakapriya Natakapriya, (pronounced nāţakapriya, meaning ''the one dear to theatre'') is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 10th ''melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system. A ...

''. ''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 of Vachaspati''. Vachaspati corresponds to the Acoustic scale in Western music.

Notes

References

{{Janya, state=collapsed Melakarta ragas