Indian Raagas: The Complete Reference

Popular Hindustani Raagas

Defined by specific ascent/descent patterns, dominant notes (Vadi/Samvadi), and time of day.

Raag Yaman

Evening

"Devotional. Uses Tivra Ma."

Scale

C D E F# G A B C

Raag Bhairav

Dawn

"Majestic morning raga."

Scale

C Db E F G Ab B C

Raag Bhimpalasi

Afternoon

"Passionate and longing."

Scale

C Eb F G Bb C

Raag Bageshri

Midnight

"Deeply romantic."

Scale

C Eb F A Bb C

Raag Todi

Morning

"Regal, heavy, microtonal."

Scale

C Db Eb F# G Ab B C

Raag Bilaval

Morning

"The major scale equivalent."

Scale

C D E F G A B C

Raag Bhairavi

Anytime

"Uses all flat notes."

Scale

C Db Eb F G Ab Bb C

Raag Marwa

Sunset

"Unsettling, anxious dusk."

Scale

C Db E F# A B C

The 72 Melakarta System

The complete mathematical framework of Janaka Ragas. 1-36: Shuddha Ma (F) 37-72: Prati Ma (F#)

Melakarta Explorer

Select a Chakra (Cycle) to view its 6 variations

Root C

1. Indu (Moon)

Ma: M1 | R/G: R1+G1

Kanakangi

C Db D F G Ab A C

Ratnangi

C Db D F G Ab Bb C

Ganamurti

C Db D F G Ab B C

Vanaspati

C Db D F G A Bb C

Manavati

C Db D F G A B C

Tanarupi

C Db D F G Bb B C

Master List (1-72)

#	Raga Name	Chakra	Swara Structure	Western Notes (Root C)
1	Kanakangi	Indu (Moon)	S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N1 S	C Db D F G Ab A C
2	Ratnangi	Indu (Moon)	S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N2 S	C Db D F G Ab Bb C
3	Ganamurti	Indu (Moon)	S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N3 S	C Db D F G Ab B C
4	Vanaspati	Indu (Moon)	S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N2 S	C Db D F G A Bb C
5	Manavati	Indu (Moon)	S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N3 S	C Db D F G A B C
6	Tanarupi	Indu (Moon)	S R1 G1 M1 P D3 N3 S	C Db D F G Bb B C
7	Senavati	Netra (Eyes)	S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N1 S	C Db Eb F G Ab A C
8	Hanumatodi	Netra (Eyes)	S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S	C Db Eb F G Ab Bb C
9	Dhenuka	Netra (Eyes)	S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N3 S	C Db Eb F G Ab B C
10	Natakapriya	Netra (Eyes)	S R1 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S	C Db Eb F G A Bb C
11	Kokilapriya	Netra (Eyes)	S R1 G2 M1 P D2 N3 S	C Db Eb F G A B C
12	Rupavati	Netra (Eyes)	S R1 G2 M1 P D3 N3 S	C Db Eb F G Bb B C
13	Gayakapriya	Agni (Fire)	S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S	C Db E F G Ab A C
14	Vakulabharanam	Agni (Fire)	S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S	C Db E F G Ab Bb C
15	Mayamalavagowla	Agni (Fire)	S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S	C Db E F G Ab B C
16	Chakravakam	Agni (Fire)	S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	C Db E F G A Bb C
17	Suryakantam	Agni (Fire)	S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S	C Db E F G A B C
18	Hatakambari	Agni (Fire)	S R1 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S	C Db E F G Bb B C
19	Jhankaradhvani	Veda (Knowledge)	S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N1 S	C D Eb F G Ab A C
20	Natabhairavi	Veda (Knowledge)	S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S	C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
21	Kiravani	Veda (Knowledge)	S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N3 S	C D Eb F G Ab B C
22	Kharaharapriya	Veda (Knowledge)	S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S	C D Eb F G A Bb C
23	Gourimanohari	Veda (Knowledge)	S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N3 S	C D Eb F G A B C
24	Varunapriya	Veda (Knowledge)	S R2 G2 M1 P D3 N3 S	C D Eb F G Bb B C
25	Mararanjani	Bana (Arrow)	S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S	C D E F G Ab A C
26	Charukesi	Bana (Arrow)	S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S	C D E F G Ab Bb C
27	Sarasangi	Bana (Arrow)	S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S	C D E F G Ab B C
28	Harikambhoji	Bana (Arrow)	S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	C D E F G A Bb C
29	Dheerasankarabharanam	Bana (Arrow)	S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S	C D E F G A B C
30	Naganandini	Bana (Arrow)	S R2 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S	C D E F G Bb B C
31	Yagapriya	Ritu (Season)	S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N1 S	C Eb E F G Ab A C
32	Ragavardhini	Ritu (Season)	S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N2 S	C Eb E F G Ab Bb C
33	Gangeyabhushani	Ritu (Season)	S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S	C Eb E F G Ab B C
34	Vagadheeswari	Ritu (Season)	S R3 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	C Eb E F G A Bb C
35	Shulini	Ritu (Season)	S R3 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S	C Eb E F G A B C
36	Chalanata	Ritu (Season)	S R3 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S	C Eb E F G Bb B C
37	Salagam	Rishi (Sage)	S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N1 S	C Db D F# G Ab A C
38	Jalarnavam	Rishi (Sage)	S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N2 S	C Db D F# G Ab Bb C
39	Jhalavarali	Rishi (Sage)	S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N3 S	C Db D F# G Ab B C
40	Navaneetam	Rishi (Sage)	S R1 G1 M2 P D2 N2 S	C Db D F# G A Bb C
41	Pavani	Rishi (Sage)	S R1 G1 M2 P D2 N3 S	C Db D F# G A B C
42	Raghupriya	Rishi (Sage)	S R1 G1 M2 P D3 N3 S	C Db D F# G Bb B C
43	Gavambodhi	Vasu (Deities)	S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N1 S	C Db Eb F# G Ab A C
44	Bhavapriya	Vasu (Deities)	S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S	C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C
45	Shubhapantuvarali	Vasu (Deities)	S R1 G2 M2 P D1 N3 S	C Db Eb F# G Ab B C
46	Shadvidhamargini	Vasu (Deities)	S R1 G2 M2 P D2 N2 S	C Db Eb F# G A Bb C
47	Suvarnangi	Vasu (Deities)	S R1 G2 M2 P D2 N3 S	C Db Eb F# G A B C
48	Divyamani	Vasu (Deities)	S R1 G2 M2 P D3 N3 S	C Db Eb F# G Bb B C
49	Dhavalambari	Brahma (Creator)	S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S	C Db E F# G Ab A C
50	Namanarayani	Brahma (Creator)	S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S	C Db E F# G Ab Bb C
51	Kamavardhini	Brahma (Creator)	S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S	C Db E F# G Ab B C
52	Ramapriya	Brahma (Creator)	S R1 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S	C Db E F# G A Bb C
53	Gamanashrama	Brahma (Creator)	S R1 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S	C Db E F# G A B C
54	Vishwambari	Brahma (Creator)	S R1 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S	C Db E F# G Bb B C
55	Shyamalangi	Disi (Direction)	S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N1 S	C D Eb F# G Ab A C
56	Shanmukhapriya	Disi (Direction)	S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S	C D Eb F# G Ab Bb C
57	Simhendramadhyamam	Disi (Direction)	S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N3 S	C D Eb F# G Ab B C
58	Hemavati	Disi (Direction)	S R2 G2 M2 P D2 N2 S	C D Eb F# G A Bb C
59	Dharmavati	Disi (Direction)	S R2 G2 M2 P D2 N3 S	C D Eb F# G A B C
60	Neetimati	Disi (Direction)	S R2 G2 M2 P D3 N3 S	C D Eb F# G Bb B C
61	Kanthamani	Rudra (Destroyer)	S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S	C D E F# G Ab A C
62	Rishabhapriya	Rudra (Destroyer)	S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S	C D E F# G Ab Bb C
63	Latangi	Rudra (Destroyer)	S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S	C D E F# G Ab B C
64	Vachaspati	Rudra (Destroyer)	S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S	C D E F# G A Bb C
65	Mechakalyani	Rudra (Destroyer)	S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S	C D E F# G A B C
66	Chitrambari	Rudra (Destroyer)	S R2 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S	C D E F# G Bb B C
67	Sucharitra	Aditya (Sun)	S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N1 S	C Eb E F# G Ab A C
68	Jyotiswarupini	Aditya (Sun)	S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N2 S	C Eb E F# G Ab Bb C
69	Dhatuvardhani	Aditya (Sun)	S R3 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S	C Eb E F# G Ab B C
70	Nasikabhushani	Aditya (Sun)	S R3 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S	C Eb E F# G A Bb C
71	Kosalam	Aditya (Sun)	S R3 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S	C Eb E F# G A B C
72	Rasikapriya	Aditya (Sun)	S R3 G3 M2 P D3 N3 S	C Eb E F# G Bb B C