Vasantha (raga)
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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Vasantha (pronounced vasantā) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a janya rāgam of Suryakantam, the 17th Melakarta rāgam.[1] According to P Subba Rao, majority opinion is that the rāgam is derived from Mayamalavagowla, the 15th Melakarta rāgam.[2]
Vasantha is suitable to be sung in evening and is considered an auspicious rāgam.[1] It has been in use for more than 1000 years.[1]
Contents
Structure and Lakshana
Vasantha is an asymmetric scale that does not contain panchamam. It is called a vakra audava-shadava rāgam,[1] in Carnatic music classification (as it has 5 notes with zig-zag notes in ascending scale and 6 notes in descending scale). Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
This scale uses the notes shadjam, shuddha rishabham, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kakali nishadam.
Popular compositions
Vasantha has ample scope for alapana. This scale has been used by many composers for compositions in classical music. Here are some popular compositions in Vasantha.
- Ninne kori, a popular varnam by Tecchur Singarachari
- Sitamma Mayamma by Tyagaraja
- Harihara putram by Muthuswami Dikshitar
- Paramapurusha Jagadeesha by Swathi Thirunal
- Malmaruga Shanmukha by Papanasam Sivan
- Natanam Adinar by Gopalakrishna Bharathi'
- Ramachandram Bhavayami by Muthuswami Dikshitar
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Scale similarities
- Lalitha is a popular rāgam that sounds very similar to Vasantha.[1][2] Lalitha uses chatusruti rishabham in ārohaṇa also,[2] while the dvisruti dhaivatam is used in it, compared to trisruti dhaivatam in Vasantha.[1]
