Madhyamavati
An auspicious five-note raga of the Kharaharapriya family, centred on R2, M1 and N2 and often heard at a concert's close.
The sound
Madhyamavati is a symmetric pentatonic raga with a calm, settled profile. Ga and Dha are absent; Ri, Ma and Ni carry much of its melodic character. Its frequent use for concluding pieces is a convention of concert practice, not a rule that limits the raga.
Scale
| Svara sequence | |
|---|---|
| Ascent — arohana | S R2 M1 P N2 Ṡ |
| Descent — avarohana | Ṡ N2 P M1 R2 S |
Svara key: R2 chatusruti rishabha, M1 suddha madhyama, N2 kaisiki nishada. Parent: Melakarta 22, Kharaharapriya.
How to recognise Madhyamavati
- The clean
S R M P Nascent contains neither Ga nor Dha. - Ri, Ma and Ni receive expressive weight; the scale should not be rendered as five unshaped steps.
- Mohanam is also pentatonic, but uses G3 and D2 where Madhyamavati uses M1 and N2.
Compositions to know
- Rama Katha Sudha — Tyagaraja
- Dharma Samvardhini — Muttuswami Dikshitar
- Palincu Kamakshi — Syama Sastri
Related: Melakarta 22 · Svara key · Raga