Niroshta

Niroshta
Arohanam	S R₂ G₃ D₂ N₃ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ N₃ D₂ G₃ R₂ S

Niroshta is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a pentatonic scale (audava/owdava rāgam). It is a derived scale (janya rāgam), as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes).

Niroshta literally means without the lips.^[1] If the lips do not meet / touch, then the notes Ma and Pa cannot be uttered.^[1] This scale does not use either note and hence the name. It is a very pleasing rāgam.^[1]

Structure and Lakshana[]

Niroshta scale with shadjam at C

Niroshta is a symmetric pentatonic scale (audava-audava ragam^[1]^[2] in Carnatic music classification – audava meaning 'of 5') that does not contain madhyamam and panchamam. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

ārohaṇa : S R₂ G₃ D₂ N₃ Ṡ^[a]
avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₃ D₂ G₃ R₂ S^[b]

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kakali nishadham. Niroshta is considered a janya rāgam of Shankarabharanam,^[1]^[2] the 29th Melakarta rāgam, though it can be derived from Kalyani by dropping both madhyamam and panchamam. Shankarabharanam is the Major scale of Western music.

Popular compositions[]

Muthiah Bhagavatar is credited with creating this scale. His melodious composition Raja Raja Radhite set to Rupaka tala (3/4 beat) also does not use the syllables Ma and Pa. Madurai T. N. Seshagopalan, a disciple of Ramanathapuram C. S. Sankarasivam, who in turn is a disciple of Muthiah Bhagavatar has composed a thillana in Niroshta "tanana dhirana" in Adi Tala. Tanjavur. S. Kalyanaraman has composed a varnam "Kanin Maniye" in this raga. Other compositions include giri-putrika gaura-varni by Bangalore S Mukund in rupaka talam, jayati jayati jayashankara by Ashok R Madhav in rupaka tala.

Related rāgams[]

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

Scale similarities[]

Mohanam is a rāgam which has the panchamam in place of the nishadham. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
Hamsadhvani is a r��gam which has the panchamam in place of the dhaivatam. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G3 P N3 S : S N3 P G3 R2 S

Notes[]

^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: S R G D N Ṡ
- Western: C D E A B C
^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: Ṡ N D G R S
- Western: C B A E D C

References[]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
^ ^a ^b Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

[3] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: S R G D N Ṡ
Western: C D E A B C

[2] Hindustani: S R G D N Ṡ

[3] Western: C D E A B C

[4] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: Ṡ N D G R S
Western: C B A E D C

[5] Hindustani: Ṡ N D G R S

[6] Western: C B A E D C

[raganidhi-1] Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

[ragas-2] Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

[1]

[2]

[a]

[b]

v t Janya ragas
A-B	Abheri Abhogi Ahiri Amritavarshini Anandabhairavi Andolika Arabhi Asaveri Atana Bageshri Bahudari Bhairavi Bhupalam Bilahari Bowli
D-J	Darbar Darbari Kanada Devagandhari Dhanyasi Gambhiranata Garudadhvani Gaula Hamsadhvani Hamsanadam Hamsanandi Hindolam Jana Ranjani Jaunpuri
K-L	Kalavati Kalyanavasantam Kambhoji Kāpi Karnataka Shuddha Saveri Kathanakuthuhalam Kedaragaula Kedaram Khamas Lalitha Lavangi
M	Madhuvanti Madhyamavati Malahari Malayamarutam Mohanakalyani Mohanam Mukhari
N-R	Nagasvaravali Nata Nattakurinji Navarasa kannada Niroshta Patmanjiri Pharaju Poornachandrika Punnagavarali Ranjani Reethigowla Revagupti Revati
S	Sahana Salaga Bhairavi Saramati Saveri Shivaranjani Shree ragam Shree ranjani Shuddha Saveri Sindhu Bhairavi Sunadavinodini
T-V	Tilang Udayaravichandrika (Shuddha Dhanyasi) Valaji Varali Vasantha Yadukulakamboji Yamunakalyani
Carnatic music Swaras Melakarta ragas Asampurna Melakarta ragas List of Janya ragas