Chakravakam - 16th Melakarta rāgam

Before continue reading, be aware about Chakravakam Raga , by listening....

Chakravakam, (pronounced chakravākam, Sanskrit: चक्रवाकम्, Kannada: ಚಕ್ರವಾಕ, Telugu: చక్రవాకం, Tamil: சக்ரவாகம்) is a rāgam (musical scale), inCarnatic music (South Indian classical music). 

It is the 16th Melakarta rāgam (parent rāgam) in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. According to theMuthuswami Dikshitar school, this rāgam is called Tōyavēgavāhini.Chakravakam is close to Raga Ahir bhairav in the Hindustani music.

Chakravakam is a raga that is known to incites feelings of devotion, sympathy and compassion in the listeners.

Structure and Lakshana:

It is the 4th melakarta in the 3rd chakra Agni. The mnemonic name is Agni-Bhu. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra gu ma pa dhi ni. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇastructure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

ārohaṇa : S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
avarohaṇa : S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S

The notes in this scale are shadjam, shuddha rishabham, anthara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kaisiki nishadham.

It is a sampoorna rāgam - rāgam having all 7 swarams. It is the suddha madhyamam equivalent of Ramapriya, which is the 52nd melakarta.

Asampurna Melakarta:

Tōyavēgavāhini is the 16th Melakarta in the original list compiled by Venkatamakhin. The notes used in the scale are the same and the ascending scale and descending scale are same.

Janya rāgams:

Chakravakam has quite a few janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it, of which Bindumalini, Malayamarutam and Valaji are popular.
See List of Janya Ragas.

16 Chakravākam	S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S
Toyavegavāhini	S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S
Āhir Bhairavi	S R1 G3 M1 P N2 D2 M1 P D2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 P G3 R1 S
Bhakthapriya	S G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 R1 M1 G3 S
Bhujāngini	S R1 G3 M1 D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 M1 G3 R1 S
Bindhumālini	S G3 R1 G3 M1 P N2 S	S N2 S D2 P G3 R1 S
Chakranārāyani	S R1 M1 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 R1 S
Ghoshini	S M1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 D2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S
Guhapriya	S R1 G3 M1 P P M1 D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 G3 S R1 S
Kalāvati	S R1 M1 P D2 S	S D2 P M1 G3 R1 S
Kokilā	S R1 G3 M1 D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 M1 G3 R1 S
Malayamārutam	S R1 G3 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P G3 R1 S
Mukthāngi	S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	S D2 N2 P M1 G3 R1 S
Mukundamālini	S R1 G2 P D2 S	S D2 P G2 R1 S
Poornapanchamam	P M1 S R1 S M1 P D2	D2 P M1 G3 R1 S N2
Pravritti	S G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 G3 S
Rāgamanjari	S R1 M1 P D2 S	S N2 D2 M1 R1 S
Rasikaranjani	S R1 G3 P S	S D2 P G3 R1 S
Shree Nabhomārgini	S G3 M1 P D2 N2 S	S D2 P M1 G3 R1 S
Shyāmali	S G3 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P G3 R1 S
Subhāshini	S D2 N2 D R1 G3 M1 P	M1 G3 R1 S N2 D2 N2 S
Valaji	S G3 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P G3 S
Veenadhāri	S R1 G3 P D2 N2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S
Vegavāhini	S R1 G3 M1 D2 N2 D2 S	S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S

Related rāgams:

Chakravakam's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 2 other major melakarta rāgams, namely, Sarasangi and Dharmavati. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the Shadjam to the next note in the rāgam.

Rāgam	Mela #	C		D		E	F		G		A		B	C		D		E	F		G
Dharmavati	59	S		R2	G2			M2	P		D2		N3	S'		R2'	G2'			M2'	P'
Chakravakam	16			S	R1			G3	M1		P		D2	N2		S'
Sarasangi	27								S		R2		G3	M1		P	D1			N3	S'

Compositions:

Will come soon..