Kalyani (rāga)

Kalyani is a melakarta rāga in the Carnatic music of South India, and is also an important raga in Hindustani (North Indian) music.

Kalyani in Carnatic music

In South Indian weddings this is a very prominently played rāga. The word "kalyani" means "she who causes auspicious things".

It is the 65^th melakarta rāga under the Katapayadi sankhya. It is also called Mechakalyani. The notes for "Kalyani" are S R₂ G₃ M₂ P D₂ N₃.

Specifics on this raga

Kalyani is slightly difficult to elaborate on in "raaga alapna" due to its similarity with Sankarabharanam with the only difference of the Madyamam (Ma). One should not remain too long on panchamam (pa) or alternate between shadyam and panchamam too frequently. Also, one must stress the characteristic madhyama very frequently or risk confusion with other raagas. Rishabham and Daivatam are also very key to this raagam and also aren't stressed very much in Sankarabharanam. Kalyani is a very beautiful raaga, and is prominently known among the public.

tructure and Lakshana

It is the 5^th ragam in the 11^th chakra "Rudra". The mnemonic name is "Rudra-Ma". The mnemonic phrase is "sa ri gu mi pa dhi nu".

Its IAST|ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is as follows (see "swaras in Carnatic music" for details on below notation and terms):
*S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S
*S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R2 S(Chathusruthi Rishabam, Anthara Gandharam, Prati Madhyamam, Chathusruthi Dhaivatham, Kakali Nishatham)

It is a Sampoorna raga in Carnatic music, that is to say, has all the seven notes:Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni

Popular compositions

Pretty much every composer has composed many songs in Kalyani. It is one of the most popular ragams for elaboration and exploration, along with "Sankarabharanam", "Todi" and "Kharaharapriya" (see next section for further information on relationships between these).

Here is a short list of well known compositions in Kalyani.

*"Vanajakshi", an Ata tala varnam composed by "Pallavi Gopala Iyer".
*"Nithi chaala sukhama", "Ethavunnara", "Sundari ni divya", "Amma ravamma" and "Vasudevanyani" by Thyagaraja
*"Kamalambam bajare" and "Bhajare rechita" by Muthuswami Dikshitar
*"Himadri suthe pahimam" by Syama Sastri
*"Unnai allal" by Ambujam Krishna
*"Sadanandame" by Koteeswara Iyer

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of Kalyani.

Kalyani's notes when shifted using Graha bedham, yields 5 other major Melakarta rāgams, namely, "Hanumatodi", "Sankarabharanam", "Natabhairavi", "Kharaharapriya" and "Harikambhoji". For further details and an illustration of Graha bedham of this rāgam refer Related rāgams section in Sankarabharanam page.

Kalyan in the hindustani music

Kalyan is the Indian (Sanskrit) name, and its Persian name is Yaman. It is also known as Yemen, Iman, Yamun and Kaliān. He gives his name to the Kalyan-thaat.

Aroha & Avaroha

Arohana S R G M⁺ P D N S'

Avarohana S' N D P M⁺ G R S

Vadi and Samavadi

Vadi is Ga, Samvadi Ni.

Pakad or Chalan

Kalyan has no specific phrases or particular features, many musicians avoid Sa and Pa in ascend or treat them very weakly. You often hear N⁰ R G M⁺ D N S' in ascent and S' N G M⁺ G R S in descend [Kaufmann(1968)] ). Sa is avoided in beginning the ascend such as N⁰ R G M⁺ P D N S'

Organization and relationships

There is some discussion whether Yaman and Kalyan really just are differnet names for the same raga, or that these are actually 2 ragas. Joep Bor says "Kalyan (today usually referred to als Yaman)" [Bor 1997] . Kaufmann [Kaufmann 1968] says that Yaman and Kalyan are just different names, but insists that rāga Yaman-kalyan is different as there natural Ma is occasionally inserted between two Ga, like Ga Ma Fa Re Sa, while in all other instances tivra Ma (Ma⁺ is used (as in Kalyan). S. Bagchee [Bagchee 1998] agrees with Kaufmann. Bor : If natural Ma is occasionally added in a concluding figure leading to Sa, the raga is known as Yaman-Kalyan [Bor 1997]
Kalyan is mixed with several ragas:
* Shuddha Kalyan
* Puriya Kalyan
* Yamani Bilawal

Thaat: Kalyan is type raga of kalyan thaat.

Behavior

Yaman is regarded one of the grandest and most fundamental rāgas in Hindustani music. It is one of the first rāga taught to students.

Samay (Time)

Kalyan should be performed during the first quarter of the night.

easonality

Rasa

Kalyan is described by Meshakarna(1570) as " lord in white garments and pearl necklace on a splendid lion-throne, onder a royal umbrella, fanned with whisk, chewing betel" [Bor 1997] A song text is: Hey friend, without my lover I don't find peace At any moment of the day; Since my lover went away I spend my nights counting the starts [Bor 1997]

Historical Information

Yaman is not an ancient rāga. It is first mentioned in the literature in the late 16^th century, by which time it was very popular: The Sahasras contains 45 druphad song-texts for Kalyan and five for Iman-Kalyan. According to Ventakamakhin(1620), Kalyan was a favourite melody to the Arabs, and Pundarika included Yaman among his 'Persian' Ragas [Bor 1997] .

Origins

Important recordings

* in khayal style: Rashid Khan Raga Yaman bandish in vilambit ektal (India Archive Music IAM CD 1003
* Ravi Shankar in matta tal: "The Genius of Pandit Ravi Shankar", Oriental Records Inc, New York AAMS CD108
* Imrat Khan "Nordindische Ragas, Live"
* Zia Mohiuddin Dagar on Nimbus Records, LS5871 / NI7047/8

Film songs

* "Chhupa lo yun dil mein" in "Mamta" (1966)
* "Zindagi bhar na bhulegi barsāt ki rāt" in "Barsāt ki Rāt" (1960)
* "Jab dip jale ānā" in "Chitchor" (1976) Music by Javindra Jain.( [http://www.raaga.com/channels/hindi/movie/H000194.html to hear it] )
* Ānsu bhari te jīvan kī rahen" in "Parvarish" (1977) Music director Dattaram

External links

Examples Kalyan:
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxGYsF_Bvig Chandan Sa Badan]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt-Ts7BF77M Alāp by Budhaditya Mukherjee Kolkata, India, 6th January 2006]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O_YAiouu9Y Drut Gat by Budhaditya Mukherjee Kolkata, India, 6th January 2006]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahIJWvR7gIg Riyaz of Prashant Uday Manohar on violin]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWDFEfNgCgg song "Bhuli Hui Yaadein" on Saaj]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoeViqMyw4k Abhik Mukherjee, sitar, Raag Yaman, drut] Yaman-Kalyan:
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwLtD8XAihQ Arnab Chakrabarty (sarod)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a24p1kBjrZ0 Yaman-Kalyan by Bhimsen Joshi]

References

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