Carnatic Music
Carnatic Music
Carnatic Music
karṇāṭaka saṅgītam - alaṅkārāḥ
rāgam: māyā mālava gaula (melakarta 15)
svara sthānāḥ: ṣaḍjam, śuddha ṛṣabham, antara gāndhāram, śuddha madhyamam, pañcamam, śuddha dhaivatam, kākali niṣādam
ārohaṇa: sa ri1 . . ga3 ma1 . pa da1 . . ni3 sa'
avarohaṇa: sa' ni3 . . da1 pa . ma1 ga3 . . ri1 sa
caturasra jāti dhruva tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (4 kāla) + 1 dhṛtam (2 kāla) + 1 laghu (4 kāla) + 1 laghu (4 kāla) = 14 kāla
sa ri ga ma | ga ri | sa ri ga ri | sa ri ga ma ||
rigamapa|maga|rigamaga|rigamapa||
ga ma pa da | pa ma | ga ma pa ma | ga ma pa da ||
mapadani|dapa|mapadapa|mapadani||
pa da ni sa' | ni da | pa da ni da | pa da ni sa' ||
sa'nidapa|dani|sa'nidani|sa'nidapa||
ni da pa ma | pa da | ni da pa da | ni da pa ma ||
dapamaga|mapa|dapamapa|dapamaga||
pa ma ga ri | ga ma | pa ma ga ma | pa ma ga ri ||
magarisa|riga|magariga|magarisa||
caturasra jāti maṭya tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (4 kāla) + 1 dhṛtam (2 kāla) + 1 laghu (4 kāla) = 10 kāla
sa ri ga ri | sa ri | sa ri ga ma ||
rigamaga|riga|rigamapa||
ga ma pa ma | ga ma | ga ma pa da ||
mapadapa|mapa|mapadani||
pa da ni da | pa da | pa da ni sa' ||
sa'nidani|sa'ni|sa'nidapa||
ni da pa da | ni da | ni da pa ma ||
dapamapa|dapa|dapamaga||
pa ma ga ma | pa ma | pa ma ga ri ||
magariga|maga|magarisa||
caturasra jāti rūpaka tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (2 kāla) + 1 dhṛtam (4 kāla) = 6 kāla
sa ri | sa ri ga ma ||
riga|rigamapa||
ga ma | ga ma pa da ||
mapa|mapadani||
pa da | pa da ni sa' ||
sa'ni|sa'nidapa||
ni da | ni da pa ma ||
dapa|dapamaga||
pa ma | pa ma ga ri ||
maga|magarisa||
miśra jāti jhampa tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (7 kāla) + 1 anudhṛtam (1 kāla) + 1 dhṛtam (2 kāla) = 10 kāla
sa ri ga sa ri sa ri | ga | ma , ||
rigamarigariga|ma|pa,||
ga ma pa ga ma ga ma | pa | da , ||
mapadamapamapa|da|ni,||
pa da ni pa da pa da | ni | sa' , ||
sa'nidasa'nisa'ni|da|pa,||
ni da pa ni da ni da | pa | ma , ||
dapamadapadapa|ma|ga,||
pa ma ga pa ma pa ma | ga | ri , ||
magarimagamaga|ri|sa,||
tisra jāti tripuṭa tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (3 kāla) + 1 dhṛtam (2 kāla) + 1 dhṛtam (2 kāla) = 7 kāla
sa ri ga | sa ri | ga ma ||
rigama|riga|mapa||
ga ma pa | ga ma | pa da ||
mapada|mapa|dani||
pa da ni | pa da | ni sa' ||
sa'nida|sa'ni|dapa||
ni da pa | ni da | pa ma ||
dapama|dapa|maga||
pa ma ga | pa ma | ga ri ||
magari|maga|risa||
khaṇḍa jāti aṭa tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (5 kāla) + 1 laghu (5 laghu) + 1 dhṛtam (2 kāla) + 1 dhṛtam (2 kāla) = 14 kāla
sa ri , ga , | sa , ri ga , | ma , | ma , ||
riga,ma,|ri,gama,|pa,|pa,||
ga ma , pa , | ga , ma pa , | da , | da , ||
mapa,da,|ma,pada,|ni,|ni,||
pa da , ni , | pa , da ni , | sa' , | sa' , ||
sa'ni,da,|sa',nida,|pa,|pa,||
ni da , pa , | ni , da pa , | ma , | ma , ||
dapa,ma,|da,pama,|ga,|ga,||
pa ma , ga , | pa , ma ga , | ri , | ri , ||
maga,ri,|ma,gari,|sa,|sa,||
caturasra jāti eka tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (4 kāla)
sa ri ga ma ||
rigamapa||
ga ma pa da ||
mapadani||
pa da ni sa' ||
sa'nidapa||
ni da pa ma ||
dapamaga||
pa ma ga ri ||
magarisa||
sankīrṇa jāti eka tālam:
aṅgāḥ: 1 laghu (9 kāla)
sa , ri , ga , ma pa da ||
ri,ga,ma,padani||
ga , ma , pa , da ni sa' ||
sa',ni,da,pamaga||
ni , da , pa , ma ga ri ||
da,pa,ma,garisa||
vikalpaḥ
sa ri , ga ma , pa da ni ||
riga,mapa,danisa'||
sa' ni , da pa , ma ga ri ||
nida,pama,garisa||
About This Stotram
Overview
The Carnatic Music Alankarams are a set of foundational melodic exercises used in the pedagogy of Carnatic classical music, presented here in Devanagari script. Alankarams train the voice and develop familiarity with ragas (melodic frameworks) and talas (rhythmic cycles), with exercises in this collection based on the raga Mayamalavagowla and the Chaturasra Jati Dhruva Talam. They belong to the South Indian classical music tradition.
What are the benefits of chanting Carnatic Music Alankarams?
- Development of vocal clarity and control
- Familiarity with the structure of Carnatic ragas
- Improvement of rhythmic precision and tala awareness
- Foundation for advanced Carnatic music practice
When is the best time to recite this?
Alankarams are practiced during daily music study sessions. Morning and evening practice periods are traditional in Carnatic pedagogy, and consistent daily repetition is the recommended approach for developing the patterns.
What is the historical and traditional background?
Carnatic music is the classical music tradition of South India, with a history spanning several centuries. Alankarams occupy the first stage of formal instruction in the tradition, preceding geethams and more advanced forms. Mayamalavagowla, the raga used for these exercises, is consistently chosen as the first raga for beginners because it presents all seven basic swaras (notes) in a structurally clear manner. The specific compilation presented here is a pedagogical collection rather than a devotional hymn with a traceable scriptural origin.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Carnatic Music Geethams — the next stage of Carnatic music instruction, consisting of simple melodic compositions following alankarams
- Carnatic Music Svarajathis — more advanced Carnatic compositions that combine melodic passages with devotional lyrics