Neelambari
A gently unfolding, vakra raga of the Shankarabharanam family, known for curved motion rather than a straight seven-note run.
The sound
Neelambari unfolds through soft, curved movement. A common modern outline turns back through Pa–Dha–Pa in ascent and through Ga–Ri–Ga near the close; these bends matter more than simply counting its notes.
Scale
One widely used outline is:
| Svara sequence | |
|---|---|
| Ascent — arohana | S R2 G3 M1 P D2 P N3 Ṡ |
| Descent — avarohana | Ṡ N3 P M1 G3 R2 G3 S |
Svara key: R2 chatusruti rishabha, G3 antara gandhara, M1 suddha madhyama, D2 chatusruti dhaivata, N3 kakali nishada. Parent: commonly Melakarta 29, Shankarabharanam.
How to recognise Neelambari
- The ascending Pa–Dha–Pa turn prevents a plain Shankarabharanam climb.
- In the common descent, Dha is absent and the closing Ga–Ri–Ga curve is conspicuous.
- Ri, Ga and Ni are ornamented; a keyboard outline can show pitches but not the raga's resting motion.
Compositions to know
- Amba Nilayatakshi — Muttuswami Dikshitar
- Ennaga Manasuku Rani — Tyagaraja
- Madhava Mamava Deva — Narayana Teertha
Related: Melakarta 29 · Svara key · Raga