Devagandhari

Devagandhari
(pronounced devagāndhāri)
is a raga (musical scale) in
Indian classical music. In
the carnatic classical
music , Devagandhari is a
janya raga (derived scale),
whose melakarta raga
(parent scale, also known
as janaka ) is
Shankarabharanam , 29th in
the 72 Melakarta raga
system.
It is also there in the Sikh
tradition of northern India
and is part of the Guru
Granth Sahib.
In Carnatic music
Structure and Lakshana
Ascending scale with
Shadjam at C
Descending scale with
Shadjam at C
Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa
structure (ascending and
descending scale) is as
follows (see swaras in
Carnatic music for details
on below notation and
terms):
ārohaṇa : S R2 M1 P D2
S
avarohaṇa : S N3 D2
(N2, D2) P M1 G3 R2 S
Devagandhari ragam is an
owdava-vakra-sampurna
raga meaning, in arohana 5
swaras come (so it is called
owdava ) and in avarohana
all swaras come (so
sampurna ), and there is a
"zigzag" pattern of notes
(so vakra ). The notes used
in this ragam are shadjam,
chatushruti rishabham,
antara gandharam,
shuddha madhyamam,
panchamam, chatushruti
dhaivatam and kakili
nishadam. This ragam
sometimes includes the
kaishika nishadam ( anya
swara – a note external to
the scale, making this a
bhashanga ragam).
The closest raga to this one
is Arabhi. Some of the
things that makes Arabhi
different (though both
share the same ascending
and descending scale, in
terms of basic notation)
are:
Devagandhari is sung
with gamakas and vilambita
kala prayogas (usages with
elongated notes) [1]
Devagandhari is sung
with deergha gandharam
(elongated G3) [1]
Devagandhari is a
bhashanga raga, and
certain prayogas use the
kaishika nishadam: S N3 D
N2 , , D P