Joshiankit994 at 11:51, 26 March 2026

2026-03-26T11:51:15Z

New page

{{Short description|Janya raga of Carnatic music}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox ragam
| name = Arabhi
| synonym =
| image_name =
| image_alt =
| mela =
| chakra =
| type =
| arohanam = {{svaraC|S|R2|M1|P|D2|S'}}
| avarohanam = {{svaraC|S'|N3|D2|P|M1|G3|R2|S}}
| jeeva =
| chhaya =
| nyasa =
| vishesha =
| equivalent =
| similar =
}}
{{Carnatic}}
'''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 ''[[Dheerasankarabharanam|Shankarabharanam]]'', 29th in the 72 ''Melakarta'' raga system. It is a combination of the pentatonic scale ''[[Shuddha Saveri]]'' (or ''[[Durga (raga)|Durga]]'' in [[Hindustani Music]]) and the ''[[sampurna raga]]'' scale ''Shankarabharanam''.

''Arabhi'' is a [[raga]] that dates back to 7 AD. Originally, it was called as ''pazhanthakkam'' in Ancient Tamil music{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}. A very auspicious ragam that emanates [[NavaRasa|Veera rasa]] (valour), Arabhi is one of the five ''Ghana'' ragams that shine with special brilliance when ''[[Ragam Thanam Pallavi|Thanam]]'' is played on [[Veena]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-12-17|title=#19-Arabhi – The Raga with a Pleasing and Haunting Melody|url=https://anuradhamahesh.wordpress.com/carnatic-raga-appreciation/19-arabhi-the-raga-with-a-pleasing-and-haunting-melody/|access-date=2021-08-30|website=ANURADHA MAHESH|language=en}}</ref>

== Structure and Lakshana ==
[[File:ShuddhaSaveri scale.svg|thumb|right|300px|Ascending scale with Shadjam at C]]
[[File:Shankarabharanam scale.svg|thumb|right|300px|Descending scale with Shadjam at C]]
Its {{IAST|ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa}} structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see ''[[Swara#Svaras in Carnatic music|swaras in Carnatic music]]'' for details on below notation and terms):

*[[Arohana|{{IAST|ārohaṇa}}]] : {{svaraC|S|R2|M1|P|D2|S'|foot=yes}}
*[[Avarohana|{{IAST|avarohaṇa}}]] : {{svaraC|S'|N3|D2|P|M1|G3|R2|S|foot=yes}}

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

It is a raga without much ''[[gamaka (music)|gamaka]]s'' 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|date=October 2013}}

The closest raga to this one is ''[[Devagandhari]]''. There are few aspects which make Arabhi different (though both share the same ascending and desce
# 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 ''[[gamaka (music)|gamaka]]s'' and ''vilambita kala prayogas'' (usages with elongated notes)<ref name="ragas">''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications</ref>
# ''Devagandhari'' is sung with ''deergha gandharam'' (elongated G3)<ref name="ragas" />
# ''Devagandhari'' occasionally employs N2 alongside N3, this making it Bhashanga while Arabhi solely uses N3 and is Upanga.

''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 Kriti]]s'' (five gems of compositions), ''Sadhinchanae''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.
{|class="wikitable"
! Type !! Composition !! Composer !! ''[[Tala (music)|Talam]]''
|-
| [[Geetam]] || ''Rere Sree Ramachandra'' || [[Paidala Gurumurti Sastri]] || ''Tisra Triputa''
|-
| [[Varnam]] || ''Sarasija Mukhiro'' || Pallavi Doraiswamy Iyer || ''Adi''
|-
| [[Varnam]] || ''Annamae Aravaa'' || [[Tiger Varadachariar]] || ''Adi''
|-
| [[Varnam]] || ''Amba Gauri'' || [[Gowri Rukmini Bayi]](Rukminibhai Tamburatti) || ''Tisra Triputa''
|-
| [[Varnam]] || ''Valachiyunna'' || [[Veena Kuppayyar]] || ''Khanda Ata''
|-
| Kriti || ''Adidano Ranga'' (2nd Navaratna Malike) || [[Purandara Dasa]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || Lalisidalu Magana || [[Purandara Dasa]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Dangurava Sari'' || [[Purandara Dasa]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Gubbiyalo Gubbiyalo'' || [[Vadiraja Tirtha]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Neela Lohita Damaruga'' || [[Jagannatha Dasa (Kannada poet)|Jagannatha Dasa]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Mantralayadolu Rajipa'' || Kamalesha Vittala Dasu || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Dachuko Nee Padalaku'' || [[Annamacharya]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Saadinchane O Manasa'' (3rd Pancharatnam) || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Chaala kallalaadu'' || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''O Rajeevaksha'' || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Misra Chapu''
|-
| Kriti || ''Joothamurare'' || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Rupakam''
|-
| Kriti || ''Nada sudha rasam'' || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Rupakam''
|-
| Kriti || ''O Rama O Rama'' || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Patiki Mangala'' || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Na Moralanu Vini'' || [[Thyagaraja]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti ||''Sundari Ninnu Varnimpa'' || [[Thyagaraja]] ||''Misra Chapu''
|-
| Kriti || ''Ipudaina Nannu'' || [[Thyagaraja]] ||''Misra Chapu''
|-
|Kriti
|''Pranavakaram Siddhi Vinayakam''
|[[Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi|Ootukadu Venkata Kavi]]
|Adi
|-
|Kriti
|''Sakala Loka Nayike Twam Eva Sharanam''
|[[Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi|Ootukadu Venkata Kavi]]
|Adi
|-
|Kriti
|''Idhuve Enakku Laksham Koti''
|[[Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi|Ootukadu Venkata Kavi]]
|Adi
|-
|Kriti
|''Oran Oruvan''
|[[Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi|Ootukadu Venkata Kavi]]
|Adi
|-
|Kriti
|''Maragatha Manimaya''
|[[Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi|Ootukadu Venkata Kavi]]
|Adi
|-
| Kriti ||''Ganarajena rakshitoham''||[[Muthuswamy Dikshitar]]||''Misra Chapu''
|-
| Kriti || ''Shri Saraswati namostute'' || [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]] || ''Rupakam''
|-
| Kriti || ''Shwetaranyeshwaram'' || [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Akilandeswarayai Namaste'' || [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Adipurishwaram'' || [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Marakoti Koti Lavanya'' || [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]] || ''Jhampa''
|-
| Kriti ||''Gowrishaya Namaste'' ||[[Muthuswami Dikshitar]] ||''Triputa''
|-
| Kriti || ''Palayashumam Paradevate'' || [[Syama Sastri]] || ''Triputa''
|-
| Kriti || Palimpa Ravadelara || Pallavi Seshaiyer || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Paahi Parvata Nandini (Navarathri krithi-9th day)'' || [[Swathi Thirunal]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Vande Maheshwaram'' || [[Swathi Thirunal]] || ''Misra Chapu''
|-
| Kriti || ''Narasimha Mamava'' || [[Swathi Thirunal]] || ''Khanda Chapu''
|-
| Kriti || ''Shri Ramana Vibho'' || [[Swathi Thirunal]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Padmanabha Pahi Padma Vilochana''|| [[Swathi Thirunal]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Sundara Kunchitha Pada Nilai Kandu'' || [[Muthu Thandavar]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Orukkal Shiva Chidambaram'' || [[Marimutha Pillai|Marimuthu Pillai]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Madhu Kaitabha'' || [[Muthiah Bhagavathar]] || ''Adi''
|-
|Kriti
|''Rave Puruhutikamba''
|Maddirala Venkataraya Kavi
|''Misra Chapu''
|-
| Kriti ||''Maravanu ne Ninnu''||[[G. N. Balasubramaniam]]||''Rupakam''
|-
| Kriti || ''Durga Lakshmi Saraswati'' || [[Papanasam Sivan]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti || ''Ayyappanai Panivom'' || [[Papanasam Sivan]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti
|''Nilakantha Nityananda''
| Nilakanta Sivan
| Adi
|-
| Kriti || ''Sri Sakala Ganadhipa(same tune as Sri Ramana Vibho by [[Swathi Thirunal]])'' || Dr [[M. Balamuralikrishna]] || ''Adi''
|-
| Kriti ||''Mahadeva Sutam'' ||[[M. Balamuralikrishna|Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna]] ||''Adi''
|-
|Kriti
|''Maha Balavanta Shri Hanumanta''
|[[Kalyani Varadarajan]]
|''Adi''
|}

The Popular [[Onam]] composition "Maveli Naadu Vaneedum Kaalam" is popularized, and taught in this raga.

== Film Songs ==
=== Language:[[Tamil language|Tamil]] ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Song
!Movie
!Composer
!Singer
|-
|Indru Namathullame Pongum
|[[Thanga Padhumai]]
|[[Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy]]
|[[T. M. Soundararajan]], [[Jikki]]
|-
|Brindavanamum Nandakumaranum (shades of Devagandhari with the explicit Gandharam)
|[[Missiamma]]
|[[S. Rajeswara Rao]]
|[[A. M. Rajah]], [[P. Susheela]]
|-
|Yeri Karaiyin Mele
|[[Mudhalali]]
|[[K. V. Mahadevan]]
|rowspan=2|[[T. M. Soundararajan]]
|-
|Kaviri Paayum (Pallavi, anupallavi only)
|[[Maragatham]]
|[[S. M. Subbaiah Naidu]]
|-
|Kanni Paruvam Aval
|[[Indira En Selvam]]
|[[C. N. Pandurangan]] & H.R.Padmanabha Shastri
|[[P. B. Sreenivas]], Soolamgalam Rajalakshmi
|-
|Thendralil Aadidum
|[[Madhuraiyai Meetta Sundharapandiyan]]
|rowspan=3|[[M. S. Viswanathan]]
|rowspan=2|[[K. J. Yesudas]], [[Vani Jairam]]
|-
|Meenakshi Kalyanam(Ragamalika)
|[[Meenakshi Thiruvilayadal]]
|-
|Manthaara Malare
|[[Naan Avanillai (1974 film)|Naan Avanillai]]
|[[P. Jayachandran]], [[L. R. Eswari]]
|-
|Santhakavigal
|[[Metti (film)|Metti]]
|rowspan="4"|[[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]]
|-
|Sandhanam Ennum
|Aatam Paatam Kondaatam
|[[Gangai Amaran]]
|[[Mano (singer)|Mano]], [[Deepan Chakravarthy]]
|-
|Kaalai Arumbi
|[[Kana Kandaen]]
|[[Vidyasagar (composer)|Vidyasagar]]
|[[Srinivas (singer)|Srinivas]], [[Kalyani Nair]]
|-
|Vidiya Vidiya
|[[Samudhiram]]
|[[Sabesh–Murali]]
|[[Udit Narayan]], [[Sadhana Sargam]]
|-
|Rayilin Pathayil
|[[Appavi]]
|[[Joshua Sridhar]]
|[[Hariharan (singer)|Hariharan]], [[Shreya Ghoshal]]
|}

===Title Song===
{| class="wikitable"
!Song
!Tv Serial
!Composer
!Singer
|-
|Aadugiran Kannan
|[[Adugiran Kannan]]
|[[C. Sathya]]
|[[Srinivas (singer)|Srinivas]]
|}

=== Language: [[Malayalam]] ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!style="background:#f4a860" |Song
!style="background:#c2e7ff" |Movie
!style="background:#c2e7a3" |Composer
!style="background:#00ffff" |Singers
|-
|Navakabhishekam Kazhinju
|[[Guruvayur Kesavan]]
|[[G. Devarajan]]
|[[K J Yesudas]]
|-
|Tiruvona Pularithan
|
|
|
|-
|Shreekovil Nadathurannu
|
|
|
|}

=== Language: [[Telugu Language|Telugu]] ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!style="background:#f4a860" |Song
!style="background:#c2e7ff" |Movie
!style="background:#c2e7a3" |Composer
!style="background:#00ffff" |Singers
|-
|Hey Parvathi natha<ref name=SeetharamaKalyanamFullAlbum>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1spEcCmZiE |title=Seetharama Kalyanam-Full Album:; N.T.Rama Rao:; B.SarojaDevi :;Galipenchala Narasimha Rao|author=Saregama Telugu|website=youtube(videostreaming Clip starts@4min50sec &ends after 98sec)|access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref>
|[[Sita Rama Kalyanam (1961 film)]]
|[[Gali Penchala Narasimha Rao]]
|[[Ghantasala (musician)]]
|-
|Tapamu Phalinchina Shubhavela
|[[Sri Krishnarjuna Yuddhamu]]
|[[Pendyala (composer)]]
|[[Ghantasala (musician)]]
|-
|Sri Kamini Kamitakara
|[[Panduranga Mahatyam]]
|[[T. V. Raju]]
|[[Ghantasala (musician)]]
|-
|Brindavanamadi Andaridi Govindudu Andari vadele(Confluence of Devagandhari present)<ref name=BrindaavanamadiAndaridi>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlKqow3_5rM |title=Missamma Movie Brindaavanamadi Andaridi Video Song NTR ANR SVR Savitri Jamuna|author=Shalimar Telugu Hindi Movies|website=youtube(videostreaming)|access-date=10 Feb 2014}}</ref>
|[[Missamma]]
|[[S. Rajeswara Rao]]
|[[A. M. Rajah]] & [[P. Susheela]]
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist|30em}}

==References==
{{Portal|India|Music}}
<references />

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071212195120/http://www.rit.edu/~pnveme/raga/Raga_Arabhi.html Dr. P.Venkatraman's Page - Arabhi Raga Basics]
* [http://www.carnatica.net/newsletter/arabhinewsletter.htm CAC Newsletter-Comparing Arabhi and Devagandhari]
* [http://www.karnatik.com/ragasa.shtml#Arabi Compositions at karnatik.com]

{{Melakarta ragas}}
{{Janya}}

[[Category:Janya ragas]]

Arabhi - Revision history

Joshiankit994 at 11:51, 26 March 2026