Malahari

Malahari

Arohanam	S R₁ M₁ P D₁ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ D₁ P M₁ G₃ R₁ S

Malahari is a Carnatic raga. This raaga is a janya of the 15th Melakarta raga Mayamalavagowla. This raga is known to be a morning raga which brings out a sense of calmness. It is associated with the rainy season.

In classical carnatic training, it is often used as a raaga for beginners using geetha right after the swara-based exercises in Mayamalavagowla. Many of the Geethas in this raga have been composed by Purandara Dasa and Muthuswami Dikshitar.

Ascending scale with C as Shadjam (tonic note)

Structure and Lakshana

Descending scale has one extra note G3

This raga is an asymmetric scale and is classified as an audava-shadava raga (five notes in the ascending scale and six notes in the descending scale).

• ārohaṇa: S R₁ M₁ P D₁ Ṡ
• avarohaṇa: Ṡ D₁ P M₁ G₃ R₁ S

The notes in this scale are shuddha rishabha, shuddha madhyama, shuddha dhaivata in arohana and additional antara gandhara in avarohana. Since this scale does not have a nishadha, it can be derived from Gayakapriya (13th melakarta) or Vakulabharanam (14th) too, but has been traditionally associated with Mayamalavagowla (15th) as the parent.

Select compositions

Geeta's

• shri GaNanaatha in Rupaka, written by Purandara Dasa
• kunda gowra gowrivara in Rupaka, written by Purandara Dasa
• padumanaabha paramapurusha in Triputa, written by Purandara Dasa
• kereya neeranu kerege chelli in Triputa, written by Purandara Dasa

Kritis

• Panchamatanga in Rupaka composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar
• Ananta Padmanaabam in Rupaka composed by Muthiah Bhagavatar
• Kalaye Devadeva in Jhampa composed by MaharajaSwathi Thirunal
• Melukovayya in Adi composed by Shahji Maharaja

Related rāgas

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

Scale similarities

• Karnataka Shuddha Saveri is a rāga which has a symmetrical scale matching the ascending scale of Malahari (gandhara is entirely omitted). Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R1 M1 P D1 S : S D1 P M1 R1 S