Arabhi or Aarabhi (pronounced ārabhi) is a

ragam 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 a ...

(musical scale) 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 ...

(South Indian classical music). It is 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 ...

'' raga (derived scale), whose ''

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 ...

'' raga (parent scale, also known as ''janaka'') is '' Shankarabharanam'', 29th in the 72 ''Melakarta'' raga system. It is a combination of the pentatonic scale ''

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 ...

'' (or ''

Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around co ...

'' 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, sit ...

) and the ''

sampurna raga In Indian classical music, Sampūrṇa rāgas (संपूर्ण, Sanskrit for 'complete', also spelt as ''sampoorna'') have all seven ''swaras'' in their scale. In general, the swaras in the ''Arohana'' and ''Avarohana'' strictly follow the a ...

'' scale ''Shankarabharanam''. ''Arabhi'' is a

raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

that dates back to 7 AD. Originally, it was called as ''pazhanthakkam'' in Ancient Tamil music. A very auspicious ragam that emanates Veera rasa (valour), Arabhi is one of the five ''Ghana'' ragams that shine with special brilliance when '' Thanam'' is played on

Veena The ''veena'', also spelled ''vina'' ( sa, वीणा IAST: vīṇā), comprises various chordophone instruments from the Indian subcontinent. Ancient musical instruments evolved into many variations, such as lutes, zithers and arched harps.< ...

Structure and Lakshana

Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see '' swaras in Carnatic music'' for details on below notation and terms): * : * : ''Arabhi'' raga is an ''Owdava-sampoorna'' raga meaning, 5 ''

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'' occur in the ''

arohana Arohana, Arohanam or Aroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the ascending scale of notes in a raga.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, ''Glossary'' pages, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications The pitch increases as we ...

'' (so it is called ''Owdava'') and in ''

avarohana An Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avaroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the descending scale of any raga.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, ''Glossary'' pages, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications The notes descend in pitch ...

'' all ''swaras'' occur (so ''sampoorna''). It is a raga without much '' gamakas'' and frequency variations, relying instead on flat notes. The important point is the swara "ga" always comes very close to "ma" so when we sing the phrase "ma ga ri" it sounds like "ma ma ri". Likewise the swara "ni" always comes very close to the swara "sa" hence when we sing the phrase "sa ni da" it sounds like "sa sa da". The closest raga to this one is ''

Devagandhari Devagandhari (pronounced devagāndhāri) is a raga (musical scale) in Indian classical music. In carnatic classical music, Devagandhari is a ''janya'' raga (derived scale), whose ''melakarta'' raga (parent scale, also known as ''janaka'') is '' ...

''. There are few aspects which make Arabhi different (though both share the same ascending and desce # In ''Arabhi'' the swara "ga" is close to "ma" but in ''Devagandhari'' it is not the same. # The swara "ri" is not fluctuated in ''Arabhi'' but it is given "asaivu" in ''Devagandhari'' # The phrase "pa ma da sa" should not be sung in ''Arabhi'', as it is exclusive for ''Devagandhari'' # ''Devagandhari'' is sung with '' gamakas'' and ''vilambita kala prayogas'' (usages with elongated notes)''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications # ''Devagandhari'' is sung with ''deergha gandharam'' (elongated G3) ''Arabhi'' raga is a very energetic and it lends itself to creativity in ''brigas'' (fast-paced swara usages) more than ''gamakas''.

Popular Compositions

The 3rd of ''

Pancharatna Kriti The ''Pancharatna kritis'' (transliterated as ''Pañcaratna kṛti'') (Sanskrit: ''pancha'' "five" + ''ratna'' "gems") are a set of five ''kritis'' (songs) in Carnatic classical music, composed by the 18th-century Indian composer Tyagaraja. All ...

s'' (five gems of compositions), ''Sadhinchanae''(also known as "Samayaniki Tagu Mataladene") by Saint

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 ...

is a famous composition set in Arabhi raga. Here we can note that Thyagaraja uses phrases like "sa sa da" in the charanam although there are phrases like "sa ni da" also. Here are some more compositions set to Arabhi.

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, nativ ...

Title Song

Notes

References

External links

Dr. P.Venkatraman's Page - Arabhi Raga Basics

Compositions at karnatik.com
{{Janya Janya ragas