Gambhiranata

Gambhiranata is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music) and Yakshagana where it is called Naati. It is an audava rāgam (or owdava rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a janya rāga (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes). Gambhiranata is also known as Shuddha Nata.[1]

Gambhiranata

Arohanam	S G₃ M₁ P N₃ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ N₃ P M₁ G₃ S

Structure and Lakshana

Gambhiranata scale with shadjam at C

Gambhiranata is a symmetric rāga that does not contain rishabham or dhaivatam. It is a pentatonic scale (audava-audava ragam[1][2] in Carnatic music classification – audava meaning 'of 5'). Its ascending and descending scale structure (ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa) is as follows:

• ārohaṇa : S G₃ M₁ P N₃ Ṡ[lower-alpha 1]
• avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₃ P M₁ G₃ S[lower-alpha 2]

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam and kakali nishadam (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms). Gambhiranata is considered a janya rāgam of Chalanata, the 36th Melakarta rāgam, though it can be derived from 8 other melakarta rāgams, by dropping both rishabham and dhaivatam.

Popular Compositions

Gambhiranata rāgam lends itself for elaboration due to the pentatonic nature and symmetricity of the scale. The mallari tune played in Nadhaswaram at temple processions are set to this musical scale.[2] Here are some compositions set to this scale.

• Mudadinda Ninna kondaduvenu: ancient traditional invocation song in Yakshagana.
• Sri jalandharam composed by Jayachamaraja Wodeyar
• Jayadevaki kishora by Swati Tirunal
• Sharanambe vani by Purandaradasa
• Ini aedu kavalai by Periyasaamy Thooran
• Varnam - Amma Anandadayini by M. Balamuralikrishna
• Kalinga Narthana Thillana and Sri Vighna rajam bhaje- Othukkadu venkata kavi

Film Songs

Language: Tamil

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Ventriduven Unnai(Ragamalika opening portion only)	Agathiyar	Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan	T. M. Soundararajan, Sirkazhi Govindarajan
Mahaganapathim	Sindhu Bhairavi	Illayaraja	K.J. Yesudas
Mettioli Katrodu	Metti		Illayaraja, S. Janaki(Humming only)
Kavithai Kelungal(Ragamalika)	Punnagai Mannan		Vani Jairam
Aala Asathum	Kanni Rasi		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
Isai Paadu Nee	Isai Paadum Thendral		S. Janaki
Oh Oh Oh Kaalai Kuyilgale	Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren
Holi Holi	Raasukutti		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Innum Ennai (Gambeeranattai with Tilang)	Singaravelan
Podu Thanthanathom	Nalla Naal
Panivizhum Malar Vanam (in Chalanattai)	Ninaivellam Nithya		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Nan Deva devi	Thangakkili		Mano, Swarnalatha
Oru Pattampochi	Kadhalukku Mariyadhai		K.J. Yesudas, Sujatha
Naan Ondru Kettal	Ilayaragam		Arunmozhi, K.S. Chitra
Peigaley Nambathey	Mahanadi		Kamal Haasan, Shanmugasundari
Sandhosha Kannire	Uyire	A. R. Rahman	A. R. Rahman
Spiderman	New		Kunal Ganjawala, Sadhana Sargam
Narumugaiye Narumugaiye	Iruvar		P. Unnikrishnan, Bombay Jayashree
Vennila Vennila			Asha Bhosle
Thom Thom	Alli Thandha Vaanam	Vidyasagar	Hariharan, K.S. Chitra
Thangamagan Indru	Baashha	Deva	K.J. Yesudas, K.S. Chitra
Devi Devi	Santharpam		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Uma Ramanan
Irupathu Kodi Nilavugal	Thulladha Manamum Thullum	S. A. Rajkumar	Hariharan
Mudhalam Santhippil	Charlie Chaplin	Bharani	P. Unnikrishnan, Swarnalatha
Solaigal Ellam	Pookalai Pareekatheergal	T. Rajendar	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K.S. Chitra
Uyire Uyire	Vaanam Vasappadum	Mahesh Mahadevan	Hariharan, Ganga
Iyengaru Veetu Azhagey	Anniyan	Harris Jayaraj	Hariharan, Harini
Chennai Senthamizh (inspired from Mahaganapathim)	M. Kumaran Son of Mahalakshmi	Srikanth Deva	Harish Raghavendra
Jingunamani	Jilla	D. Imman	Ranjith, Sunidhi Chauhan
Ammukuttiye	Gemini Ganeshanum Suruli Raajanum		Pradeep Kumar

Related rāgams

Graha bhedam

Gambhiranata's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields another pentatonic rāgam, Bhupalam. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For more details and illustration of this concept refer Graha bhedam on Gambhiranata.

• Amritavarshini is a rāgam which has prati madhyamam in place of the shuddha madhyamam. See below table for more details.
• Hamsadhvani is a rāgam which has chathusruthi rishabham in place of the shuddha madhyamam. See below table for more details.

Rāgam	Śruti Tonic	C		D		E	F		G		A		B	C
Gambhiranata	C	S				G3	M1		P				N3	S'
Amritavarshini	C	S				G3		M2	P				N3	S'
Hamsadhvani	C	S		R2		G3			P				N3	S'

Grahabedam

Rāgam		C		D		E	F		G		A		B	C
Gambhiranata		S				G3	M1		P				N3	S'
Bhupalam		D1,				S	R1		G2				P	D1
Hamsanadam		P,				N3	S		R2				M2	P
		M1,				D2	N2		S				G3	M1

Scale similarities

• Nata is a rāgam which has scale of Chalanata, the 36th Melakarta rāgam, in the ascending scale, while retaining the descending scale similar to Gambhiranata. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R3 G3 M1 P D3 N3 S : S N3 P M1 G3 S

Notes

1. Alternate notations:
   • Hindustani: S G M P N Ṡ
   • Western: C E F G B C
2. Alternate notations:
   • Hindustani: Ṡ N P M G S
   • Western: C B G F E C

References

1. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
2. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications