Arabhi

Arabhi
Arohanam	S R₂ M₁ P D₂ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ N₃ D₂ P M₁ G₃ R₂ S

Arabhi or Aarabhi (pronounced ārabhi) is a ragam (musical scale) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). It is a Janya raga (derived scale), whose Melakarta raga (parent scale, also known as janaka) is Shankarabharanam, 29th in the 72 Melakarta raga system.

Arabhi is a raga that dates back to 7 AD. Originally, it was called as pazhanthakkam in Ancient Tamil music^{[citation needed]}.

Structure and Lakshana

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 Ṡ^[a]
avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₃ D₂ P M₁ G₃ R₂ S^[b]

Arabhi raga is an Owdava-sampoorna raga meaning, 5 swaras occur in the arohana (so it is called Owdava) and in avarohana all swaras occur (so sampoorna).

It is a raga without much gamakas and frequency variations, relying instead on flat notes. The important point is the swara "ga" always comes very close to "ma" so when we sing the phrase "ma ga ri it sounds like "ma ma ri". Likewise the swara "ni" always comes very close to the swara "sa" hence when we sing the phrase "sa ni da" it sounds like "sa sa da".^{[citation needed]} ^{[check quotation syntax]} The closest raga to this one is Devagandhari. There are few aspects which make Arabhi different (though both share the same ascending and descending scale, in terms of basic notation).

In Arabhi the swara "ga" is close to "ma" but in Devagandhari it is not the same.
The swara "ri" is not fluctuated in Arabhi but it is given "asaivu" in Devagandhari
The phrase "pa ma da sa" should not be sung in Arabhi, as it is exclusive for Devagandhari
Devagandhari is sung with gamakas and vilambita kala prayogas (usages with elongated notes)^[1]
Devagandhari is sung with deergha gandharam (elongated G3)^[1]

Arabhi raga is a very energetic and it lends itself to creativity in brigas (fast-paced swara usages) more than gamakas.

Popular Compositions

The 3rd of Pancharatna Kritis (five gems of compositions), Sadhinchanae(also known as "Samayaniki Tagu Mataladene") by Saint Thyagaraja is a famous composition set in Arabhi raga. Here we can note that Thyagaraja uses phrases like "sa sa da" in the charanam although there are phrases like "sa ni da" also.

Here are some more compositions set to Arabhi.

Type	Composition	Composer	talam
Varnam	Sarasija Mukhiro	Pallavi Doraiswamy Iyer	Adi
Varnam	Annamae aravaa	Tiger Varadachariar	Adi
Varnam	Amba Gauri	Irayimman Thampi	Adi
Kriti	Lalisidalu Magana	Purandara Dasaru	Adi
Kriti	Saadinchane O Manasa (3rd Pancharatnam)	Thyagaraja	Adi
Kriti	Chaala kallalaadu	Thyagaraja	Adi
Kriti	O Rajeevaksha	Thyagaraja	Chapu
Kriti	Nada sudha rasa	Thyagaraja	Rupakam
Kriti	Patiki Mangala	Thyagaraja	Adi
Kriti	Ganarajena rakshitoham	Muthuswamy Dikshitar	Chapu
Kriti	Sri Saraswati namostute	Muthuswami Dikshitar	Rupakam
Kriti	Shwetaranyeshwaram	Muthuswami Dikshitar	Adi
Kriti	Adipuriswaram	Muthuswami Dikshitar	Adi
Kriti	Marakoti koti lavanya	Muthuswami Dikshitar	Jhampa
Kriti	Palayashumam Paradevate	Syama Sastri	Triputa
Kriti	Paahi Parvata Nandini (Navarathri krithi-9th day)	Swathi Thirunal	Adi
Kriti	Vande Maheswaram	Swathi Thirunal	Misra Chapu
Kriti	Narasimham Mamava	Swathi Thirunal	Khanda Chapu
Kriti	Sri Ramana Vibho	Swathi Thirunal	Aadi
Kriti	Madhu kaitabha	Muthiah Bhagavathar	Adi
Kriti	Durga Lakshmi Saraswati	Papanasam Sivan	Adi
Kriti	Maravanu ne ninnu	G. N. Balasubramaniam	Rupakam
Kriti	Sri Sakala Ganadhipa	Dr M. Balamuralikrishna	Adi
Kriti	Mahadeva Sutham	Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna	Adi
Kriti	Mahâ Balavantâ Sri Hanumantâ	Kalyani Varadarajan	Adi

Film Songs

Language:Tamil

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Thendralil Aadidum	Madhuraiyai Meetta Sundharapandiyan	M. S. Viswanathan	K. J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam
Yeri Karaiyin Mele	Mudhalali	K. V. Mahadevan	T. M. Soundararajan
Santhakavigal	Metti	Ilaiyaraaja	Brahmanandam
Aasai Kiliye	Thambikku Entha Ooru		Malaysia Vasudevan
Madhurai Vaazhum	Pudhupatti Ponnuthayi		Unni Menon, S. Janaki
Mannavane Mannavane	Thanthu Vitten Ennai		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Kaalai Arumbi	Kana Kandaen	Vidyasagar	Srinivas, Kalyani Nair
O Sukumari	Anniyan	Harris Jayaraj	Shankar Mahadevan, Harini

Title Song

Song	Tv Serial	Composer	Singer
Aadugiran Kannan	Adugiran Kannan	C. Sathya	Srinivas

Notes

^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: S R M P D Ṡ
- Western: C D F G A C
^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: Ṡ N D P M G R S
- Western: C B A G F E D C

References

^ ^a ^b Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

External links

[1] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: S R M P D Ṡ
Western: C D F G A C

[2] Hindustani: S R M P D Ṡ

[3] Western: C D F G A C

[2] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: Ṡ N D P M G R S
Western: C B A G F E D C

[5] Hindustani: Ṡ N D P M G R S

[6] Western: C B A G F E D C

[ragas-3] Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

[a]

[b]

[1]

v t e Janya ragas
A-B	Abheri Abhogi Ahiri Amritavarshini Amritha Kalyani Anandabhairavi Andolika Arabhi Asaveri Atana Bageshri Bahudari Bhairavi Bhimsen Bhupalam Bilahari Bowli
D-J	Darbar Darbari Kanada Devagandhari Dhanyasi Gambhiranata Garudadhvani Gaula Hamsadhvani Hamsanadam Hamsanandi Hindolam Jana Ranjani Jaunpuri
K-L	Kalavati Kalyanavasantam Kambhoji Kāpi Karnataka Shuddha Saveri Kathanakuthuhalam Kedaragaula Kedaram Khamas Lalitha Lavangi
M	Mahati Madhuvanti Madhyamavati Malahari Malayamarutam Mohanakalyani Mohanam Mukhari
N-R	Nada Kalyani Nagasvaravali Nata Nattakurinji Navarasa kannada Niroshta Pharaju Poornachandrika Punnagavarali Ranjani Reethigowla Revagupti Revati
S	Sahana Salaga Bhairavi Saramati Saveri Shivaranjani Sri Tyagaraja Shree ragam Shree ranjani Shuddha Saveri Sindhu Bhairavi Sunadavinodini Surutti
T-V	Thyagaraja Mangalam Tilang Udayaravichandrika (Shuddha Dhanyasi) Valaji Varali Vasantha Yadukulakamboji Yamunakalyani
Carnatic music Swaras Melakarta ragas Asampurna Melakarta ragas List of Janya ragas