Mayamalavagowla

 ( Melakarta Ragas ) 

Mayamalavagowla (pronounced ) is a raga of Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is classified as 15th melakarta raga under Venkatamakhin's melakarta system. Originally known as malavagowla, "maya" was prefixed to it after the advent of the scheme of the 72 melas. The number 15 was assigned to it following the Katapayadi sankhya system. This is a morning raga.

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Structure and Lakshana Venkatamakhin defines its lakshana thus:

Mayamalavagowla is the 3rd raga in the 3rd chakra, Agni. Its mnemonic name is Agni-Go. Its mnemonic phrase is sa ra gu ma pa dha nu. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications Its structure is as follows, but instead of labeling the 3 Ga-s and the 3 Ni-s using {1,2,3}, some authors have used {0,1,2} instead. (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

• Arohana:
• Avarohana:

The notes in this raga are ṣaḍjam, śuddha r̥ṣabham, antara gāndhāram, śuddha madhyamam, pañcamam, śuddha dhaivatam and kākalī niṣādam. As it is a mēḷakarttā rāgam, by definition it is a sampoorna raga (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the śuddha madhyamam equivalent of Kamavardhini (also known as Pantuvarāḷi), which is the 51st in the mēḷakarttā scale.

The gamakas in the raga are unique in that conversely to the G-M relationship in Śankarābharaṇaṃ, G is sung in oscillation (M,G M,G M,G) while M is held constant. There is no bold M-P gamaka as in Śankarābharaṇaṃ as well. R and D are also usually sung in oscillation with S and P respectively, making the only constant notes S, M, and P. Of course, these rules are occasionally broken for effect (e.g., holding N flat before ascending to S).

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Nature of raga This auspicious raga evokes śānta (peace) rasa and pathos. It creates a soothing effect, suitable to sing at all times, particularly, the first prātaḥ-sandhyā-kālaṃ (dawn). It is commonly used for beginners' lessons such as Sarali or Sarala Svarās (Kannada), etc. Since it eschews vivadi swaras (relatively discordant notes), has a uniform distance between svara sthānas (relative position of notes) and has symmetry, they are easier to learn. It is an ancient rāgam.

It is a Sampurna raga. Also, it is a sarva svara gamaka vārika rakti rāga. It has a large number of janya ragas (derived scales) assigned to it. This rāgam corresponds to Bhairav in Hindustani music. It is called as a "rakti" raga because of its high melodic content.

It is also defined as a mūrcana kāraka méLa since it can be used for Graha bhedam on madhyamam and rishabham to result in Simhendramadhyamam and Rasikapriya respectively. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the Shruti (or drone) to another note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration refer Graha bhedam on Māyamālavagowla.

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Janya ragams Mayamalavagowla has quite a few janya ragams associated with it, of which Bowli, Jaganmohini, Gowla, Gowlipantu, Lalita, Nadanamakriya, Revagupti, Saveri and Malahari are quite well known. See List of janya Ragas for a full list of janyas.

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Popular compositions All the basic swara exercises ( Sarali, Jantai, Dhaattu, etc.) are set to the Mayamalavagowla raga. These are learnt by beginners in Carnatic music. It is commonly used in the basics, credited to Purandara Dasa's work in his time, when he did much work towards standardizing the teaching of Carnatic music into a fully graded system. The first mini-songs ( Geetham) that are taught after the completion of basic exercises are set to Malahari, a janya of Mayamalavagowla. Muthuswami Dikshitar's famous kritis (eight compositions with their raga names ending as gowla), on Goddess Nilothpalamba has for one of them.

A list of popular compositions in Mayamalalavagowla is as follows.

• varnam – śrī rājarājēśvari – Unknown
• Tulasī-daḻamulacē Saṃtōṣamuga – Tyagaraja in Telugu language
• Mēru-samāna-dhira – Tyagaraja in Telugu language
• Rakṣimpavē – Tyagaraja in Telugu language
• Dēvī Śrī tulasammā – Tyagaraja in Telugu language
• Vidulaku Mrokkeda – Tyagaraja in Telugu language
• Dēva Dēva Kalayāmi – Swathi Thirunal
• Kailāsa nilaya dayāsāgara - Mahesh Mahadev in Sanskrit
• Māyātīta Svarūpiṇi – Ponniah Pillai (Direct Disciple of Muthuswami Dikshitar) in Sanskrit
• Śrīnāthādi Guruguho jayati – Muthuswami Dikshitar (The very first composition of Muthuswami Dikshitar) in Sanskrit
• Śyāmalāmbikē pāhi māṃ – Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna
• Ādi Kondār – Muthu Thandavar.
• ādityaṃ dēvādi-dēvaṃ akhilāṇḍa-nāthaṃ āśrayē – Muthiah Bhagavatar
• Dina-maṇi-vaṃśa dīna-janāvana – Muthiah Bhagavatar
• Hara mṛtyuñjaya ambikā-nāyaka hari kamalāsana – Muthiah Bhagavatar
• Popular Adi tala varnam- Sarasija-nābha – Swathi Thirunal
• Avadh sukhdāyi bājē badhāyī ratan simhāsan par – Swathi Thirunal
• Sivaloka Nathanai – Gopalakrishna Bharathi
• Natanam Adinar Ayyan – Gopalakrishna Bharathi
• Ambā yuvati jaganmātē akhila-janani dayānidhē – Ashok R Madhav
• Bhaja rē mānasa vraja-bālaṃ – Swarajathi – H Yoganarasimhan
• Caraṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ ayyappā – Ganapati Sacchidananda
• Cintayāmi santataṃ – G Sampath
• Cintayehaṃ jānaki-kāntaṃ santataṃ cintitārtha – Mysore Vasudevacharya
• Daśaratha-nandana – Mysore Vasudevacharya
• Daasoham Tava Daasoham By Jagannatha Dasa
• Dēva-dēveśa – R K Suryanarayana
• Dēva-dēvōttama – Govindacharya
• Dēvi kāmākṣi para-śiva-dēhārtha – Ogirala Viraraghava Sharma
• Durgā lakṣmi sarasvati – Lalita Venkataraman
• Samayamide(Javali) – Patnam Subramania Iyer
• Kāmākṣīṃ kamalākṣīṃ – R K Padmanabha
• Jaya jagadisha hare – Jayadeva
• Krpakari shankari karunakari kapalishvari – Rukmini Ramani
• Mantra svarupam – Bangalore S Mukund
• Kshira jaladhi niketana – Pallavur Mani Iyer
• Kshira sagara shayana raksha shara nivasini – Jayachamaraja wodeyar
• Maya mohini maheshvari – Mangalam Ganapati
• Kaladevathe Saraswathi – V. Dakshinamoorthy
• varnam– guri tappaka pūjiṃcitini from Janakaraga Varna Manjari – Nallan Chakravarthy Murthy

This raga has also been very popularly used in film music. Numerous well recognized songs have been set in this raga. Ilayaraja has composed many hit songs in this raga.

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Tamil film songs

Pannedum Naalaai	Sakuntalai	1940	Papanasam Sivan	Thuraiyur Rajagopala Sarma	M. S. Subbulakshmi
Azhagaana Ponnu Naan	Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum	1956	A. Maruthakasi	Susarla Dakshinamurthi	Bhanumathi Ramakrishna
Kalellam Maanika Kalaguma	Aalayamani	1962	Kannadasan	Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy	T. M. Soundararajan
Solladi Abirami	Aathi Parasakthi	1971		K. V. Mahadevan
Anthapuratthil Oru	Dheepam	1977	Pulamaipithan	Ilaiyaraaja	T. M. Soundararajan, S. Janaki
Ullukulla Chakaravarthy	Panakkaran	1990	Ilaiyaraaja		Ilaiyaraaja
En Thaayenum Koi	Aranmanai Kili	1993	Ponnadiyaan
Manjal Nilavuku	Muthal Iravu		Kannadasan		P. Jayachandran, P. Susheela
Uyire Uyire	Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam	1988			K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Enna Senjalum	Azhagar Malai	2009			Tippu
Poongathavae	Nizhalgal	1980	Gangai Amaran		Deepan Chakravarthy, Uma Ramanan
Madhura Marikolunthu	Enga Ooru Pattukaran	1987			Mano, Chithra
Mariyamma	Karakattakkaran	1989			Malaysia Vasudevan, Chithra
Kottukali	Chinnavar	1992			S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chithra
Poove Eduthu	Amman Kovil Kizhakale	1986			P. Jayachandran, S. Janaki
Anthi Varum Neram	Mundhanai Mudichu	1983			S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Vaanam Idi Idikka	Unna Nenachen Pattu Padichen	1992	Piraisoodan
Kadhal Maharani	Kadhal Parisu	1987	Muthulingam
Sivakami Ninaipilae	Kilipetchu Ketkava	1993	Vaali
Kuyila Pudichu	Chinna Thambi	1991			S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Raama Naamam	Sri Raghavendrar	1985			K. J. Yesudas
Aaradi Chuvaru Thaan	Idhu Namma Bhoomi	1992			K. J. Yesudas, Swarnalatha
Kottaiya Vittu	Chinna Thayee	1992			Uma Ramanan, S. Janaki (Pathos), S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Masaru Ponnae Varuga	Thevar Magan	1992			Minmini, Swarnalatha
Allah Un Anaipadi	Chandralekha	1995			P. Unnikrishnan, Preethi Uttamsingh
Nandri Sollave unaku	Udan Pirappu	1993			S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Swarnalatha
Kadhal Kavithaigal	Gopura Vasalile	1991			S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chithra
Mookuthi Poo Melae	Mouna Geethangal	1981		Gangai Amaran	K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Sollayo Solaikilli	Alli Arjuna	2002	Vairamuthu	A. R. Rahman	S.P.Balasubramanyam, Swarnalatha
Kadhal Kavithai Paada	Ganam Courtar Avargale	1988		Devendran	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Vizhigalil Kodi Abinayam	Kan Simittum Neram	1988	Kalaivanan Kannadasan	V. S. Narasimhan
Ilam Thendralo	Vasantha Malargal			Deva
Manasum Manasum Kalanthathadi	Puthu vayal			Aravindh	Mano, Poornima Vijayan
Van Vanthu	Engal Thaikulame Varuga			Chandrabose	K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Super Staru	Raja Chinna Roja	1989	Vairamuthu		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja
Therkupurama Oru Vasal	Pasakanal			S. A. Rajkumar	K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra
Vanna Kaviyam	Pesuvathu Kiliya			Shankar–Ganesh	P. Jayachandran
Kadavul Vazhum	Oru Thalai Ragam	1980	T. Rajendar
Unakena Unakena	Vinnukum Mannukum	2001	P. Vijay	Sirpi	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sujatha Mohan
Azhage Un Gnabagam	Pavalakodi	2003	Palani Bharathi		O.S Arun
Manasu Rendum	Kaadhal Kondein	2003	Palani Bharathi	Yuvan Shankar Raja	Shankar Mahadevan
Puli Urumudhu	Vettaikaaran	2009	Kabilan	Vijay Antony	Ananthu, Mahesh Vinayakram
Thaai Thindra Mannae	Aayirathil Oruvan	2010	Vairamuthu	G. V. Prakash Kumar	Vijay Yesudas, Nithyasree Mahadevan, Shri Krishna

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Telugu film songs

Evaru Chesina Kharma	Keelu Gurram	1949	Tapi Dharmarao	Ghantasala	Ghantasala
E Nimushaniki Emi Jaruguno	Lava Kusa	1963	Kosaraju	Ghantasala	Ghantasala
Yamaho Nee Yama Yama	Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari	1990	Veturi	Ilaiyaraaja	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Chamaku Chamaku Cham	Kondaveeti Donga	1990	Veturi	Ilaiyaraaja	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Nandikoda Vaagullona	Geethanjali	1989	Veturi	Ilaiyaraaja	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Maa Paapaalu Tholaginchu	Shri Shirdi Saibaba Mahatyam		Acharya Aatreya	Ilaiyaraaja	K. J. Yesudas
Abba Dani Soku	Vamsanikokkadu	1996	Bhuvana Chandra	Raj–Koti	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra

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Malayalam film songs

Raajamathangi Parvathy	Bharatham	1991	Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri	Raveendran	M. Balamuralikrishna, K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra
Pavanarachezhuthunna	Vietnam Colony	1992	Bichu Thirumala	S. Balakrishnan	Minmini
Oru Chiri Kandal	Ponmudipuzhayorathu	2005	Gireesh Puthenchery	Ilaiyaraaja	Manjari
Agaathamam Aazhi Vithumbi	Jalachhayam	2010	Sidharthan Puranattukara	Unnikumar	Baburaj Puthur

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