Raga flip-flop:
Kalyani is one of the classic raagas in the realm of carnatic music which provides greater scope for improvisation (aalapana). I feel that it’s jeeva swara lies in the trasition between G3 (andhara gaandhaaram) and M2 (prati madhyamam). Whenever I sing or listen to it, I get mesmerized greatly by the depth of the raaga. I also realized that flipping just one swara in the scale to its nearest counterpart brings out an absolutely different melakarta raaga, retaining its true flavor. Here it is:
Kalyani (Original scale):
S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S
S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R2 S
Gamanaashrama: (flip R2 -> R1)
S R1 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S
S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R1 S
Dharmavati: (flip G3 -> G2)
S R2 G2 M2 P D2 N3 S
S N3 D2 P M2 G2 R2 S
Dheera Shankarabharanam: (flip M2 -> M1)
S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S
S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
Lathangi: (flip D2 -> D1)
S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S
S N3 D1 P M2 G3 R2 S
Vachaspathi: (flip N3 -> N2)
S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N2 S
S N2 D2 P M2 G2 R2 S
When listening to “Pirava varam” in lathangi or “Bhajana seyara” in dharmavati, even though it sounds like Kalyani at the beginning of the song, it is not in reality because of the big (seemingly small) difference in the swaras. Kalyani is a very popular raaga in the arena of carnatic music concerts where it is sung as a major number.
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