Abhogi
A compact five-note raga shaped by S, R2, G2, M1 and D2, with Pa and Ni omitted.
The sound
Abhogi is a compact, five-note raga. Its identity comes from the close movement through R2, G2 and M1, and from the open leap between M1 and D2 created by the absence of Pa. The same five notes appear in ascent and descent, but a convincing rendering depends on shaped phrases rather than a plain scale exercise.
Scale
| Svara sequence | |
|---|---|
| Ascent — arohana | S R2 G2 M1 D2 Ṡ |
| Descent — avarohana | Ṡ D2 M1 G2 R2 S |
Abhogi uses Sa, chatusruti rishabha, sadharana gandhara, suddha madhyama and chatusruti dhaivata. Panchama and nishada are omitted. It is commonly classified as an audava–audava janya of Melakarta 22, Kharaharapriya.
How to recognise Abhogi
- Listen for the uninterrupted descent
Ṡ D M G R S. - Notice the space between
MandD: there is noPbetween them. - The turns
G M D M GandM G R Shelp the raga settle without introducing Pa or Ni. - Do not identify the raga from the note inventory alone; intonation, gamaka and phrase shape complete the identity.
Try the shape
Begin slowly with S R G M D Ṡ — Ṡ D M G R S. Then sing G M D M G — M G R S, keeping the movement connected. If Sa is C, the approximate keyboard positions are C, D, E-flat, F and A; these keys show the skeleton, not the ornamentation of Carnatic performance.
Compositions to know
- Evvari Bodhana, a varnam by Patnam Subramania Iyer
- Sri Lakshmi Varaham
- Manasu Nilpa, by Tyagaraja