A challenge to enjoy on a daily basis (30 min.):
Select a popular melakarta raga to get into the “flow” >>
(e.g. the 65th Mecakalyani) before exploring others (01 to 72)
in 36 daily sessions, over and over again – Happy Flowing!
Spread out over a longer period of time, start your practice sessions with a mela having prati ma for the ascending svara pattern (arohana), e.g. 37 or 72.
Then sing its corresponding mela containing suddha ma for the descending svara pattern (avarohana), e.g. 01 or 36.
For the above examples, “mela pair” practice means combining 29 & 65, 01 & 37 and 36 & 72 respectively.
Please note: the corresponding numbers within each pair always differ by 36.
What change does the substitution of “prati” for “suddha” ma effect?
“Even as a drop of butter-milk converts the entire milk in a vessel into curd, the substitution of prati madhyama in the place of suddha madhyama in the uttara melas [“upper” series 37-72] does effect such a radical change and gives rise to an entirely new set of mela ragas.” – Prof. George S. Paul quoting from Venkatamakhi’s 17th treatise Chaturdandi Prakasika (Preface to Ragadhana, 1993 ed.)
To verify Venkatamakhi’s claim, listen attentively to renditions of two ragas figuring prominently in the repertoire of most Carnatic singers: Sankarabharanam and Kalyani (derived from melas 29 and 65 respectively), beautifully sung by Uma Ramasubramaniam (like many others on Raga Surabhi, highly recommendable for all learners and lovers of Carnatic music).
To practice all the possible (36) “mela pairs”, check the (free) mela pocket guide >>
Practice tips
Select a matching pair of melakarta ragas per day from the print-friendly chart. For offline use, fold a printout along the green and dotted lines to fit your purse. Create your own schedule by picking any day in the calendar.
To cover all the 72 melakarta ragas on passing the 30th or 31st day of a given month (or the 28th in February), proceed in the reverse order: starting from 72 & 36 as first pair (instead of 01 & 37), followed by 71 & 35 as second pair (instead of 02 & 38), 70 & 34 etc.
Audio | Sruti selection for different vocal ranges and ragas
Audio credit: eSWAR (Chennai): FS-3C Sruthi petti + Tanjore Tambura
A free flowing exercise: swinging with “prati ma” and “suddha ma”
Once familiar with the Venkatamakhi’s truly path breaking idea, you may enjoy starting each daily exploration of yet another melakarta pair with the exercise seen below. Please note the change indicated by ma: in the present “mela pair” exercise, the position of ma alternates between prati ma (raised fourth) in the ascending series (arohana) and suddha ma (lower or “natural” fourth) for the descending svara pattern (avarohana).
Variation with kārvai (kaarvai) extensions
Note: kārvai (kaarvai) as part of a note or drum beat creates a versatile, rhythmic pause >>
Learn more about melakarta & janya ragas >>