72 MELAKARTA SCHEME

1.Twelve notes:Shadja – sa (achala swara)

Rishabha – Ri –Sudha rishabha – r1, Chursruti rishabha –r2

Gandhara – Ga – Sadharana gandhara – g2, Antara gandhara-g3

Madhyama – Ma – Sudha Madhyama – m1, prati madhyama – m2

Panchama – Pa (achala swara)

Dhaivatha – Dha – Sudha dhaivatha –d1,Chatusruti dhaivatha – d2

Nishada –Ni – Kaishiki nishada – n2, Kakali nishada – n3

R,g,m,d,n take two varieties each

Sa – r1-r2-g2-g3-m1-m2-p-d1-d2-n2-n3 also notated as sa-ra-ri-gi-gu-ma-mi-pa-dha-dhi-ni-nu

In the above g1 and n1 are not found but g3 and n3 are found.

The r2 goes upto the position of g2 and becomes r3

The d2 goes upto the position of n2 and becomes d3

Similarly g2 comes down to the pitch ofr2 and becomes g1

Similarly n2 comes down to the position of d2 and becomes n1

In the above process twelve swaras becomes sixteen swaras.

Each swaras r,g,d,n getting a third status although there is really no change in pitches of the twelve
swaras

They are Shatsruti rishabha – r3 – ru Sudha gandhara – g1 –ga

Shatsruti dhaivatha – d3-dhu Sudha nishada – n1 – na

These four newly introduced swaras are called ‘Vivadi Swaras’

Shadja – sa

Sudha Rishaba –r1 – ra

Chatusruti rishaba – r2 –ri (This becomes g1)

Shatsrtui rishaba – r3 – ru

Sudha gandhara – g1 –ga

Sadharana gandhara –g2 –gi (This becomes r3)

Antara gandhara –g3 – gu

Sudha madhyama – m1 – ma

Prati madhyama – m2 – mi

Sudha dhaivatha – d1 – dha

Chatusruti dhaivatha – d2 – dhi (This becomes n1)

Shatsruti dhaivatha – d3 – dhu

Sudha nishada – n1 – na

Kaishiki nishada – n2 – ni (This becomes d3)

Kakali nishada – n3 – nu

These sixteen swaras give rise to the 72 melakarta ragas.

They are divided into two halves - Sudha madyama ragas and other Prati madhyama ragas

72 melas are grouped under twelve chakras.

Each chakra has within it six mela ragas

Chakras – I – VI Melas 1-36 all sudha madhyama ragas- Purva group

Chakras – VII – XII Melas 37-72 all prati madhyama ragas – Uttara group

Every pruva mela has its corresponding uttara group

Ma is the bisecting line in the melakarta scheme

THE 12 CHAKRAS

Purvanga melas – Sudha madhyama ragas 1-36

Indu -1-6 I – Means moon – only one

Netra -7-12 II –Means eye – only two

Agni – 13-18 III –Means three sacrificial fires

Veda -19-24 IV – Means four vedas

Bana – 25-30 V – Means bow having five flowers pancha bana

Rutu -31-36 VI – Means six seasons

Uttaranga meals – Prati madhyama ragas – 37-72

Rishi -37-42 VII – Means sapta rishis seven

Vasu – 43-48 VIII –Stands for eight – ashta vasus

Brahma -49-54 IX – stands for nine bharmas

Dishi -55-60 X – stands for ten directions

Rudra – 61 -66 XI – stands for eleven ekadasa

Aditya -67-72 XII – stands for concept of dvadasa adityas

The names of the chakras are based on ‘Bhuta Sankhya” where the names are suggestive of their
serial numbers