Kedaragaula

Kedaragaula or Kedaragowla (pronounced kēdāragaula) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a janya rāgam (derived scale) from the 28^th melakarta scale Harikambhoji, and is sometimes spelled as Kedaragowla. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes) in the ascending scale. It is a combination of the pentatonic scale Madhyamavati and the sampurna raga scale Harikambhoji.^[1] It is a morning rāgam.^[1][2]

Structure and Lakshana

Ascending scale with shadjam at C, which is same as Madhyamavati scale

Descending scale with shadjam at C, which is same as Harikambhoji scale

Kedaragaula is an asymmetric rāgam that does not contain gandharam and dhaivatam in the ascending scale. It is an audava-sampurna rāgam (or owdava rāgam, meaning pentatonic ascending scale).^[1][2] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows:

• ārohaṇa : S R2 M1 P N2 S
• avarohaṇa : S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam and kaisiki nishadham in ascending scale, with sadharana dhaivatam and antara gandharam included in descending scale. For the details of the notations and terms, see swaras in Carnatic music.

Popular compositions

There are many compositions set to Kedaragaula rāgam. Here are some popular kritis composed in this ragam.

• Tulasi Bilva,O Jagannatha, Karunajaladhi and Venuganaloluni composed by Tyagaraja
• Neelakantam and Nilotpalambikayai by Muthuswami Dikshitar
• Saragunapalimpa by Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

Scale similarities

• Madhyamavati has a symmetric pentatonic scale, with the notes same as the ascending scale of Kedaragaula. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P N2 S : S N2 P M1 R2 S
• Yadhukula kambhoji is a rāgam which has the sadharana dhaivatam in ascending scale in place of the kaisiki nishadham. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P D2 S : S N2 D2 N2 P M1 G3 R2 S

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras