Natakapriya

Carnatic music
Tanjavur-style tambura
Concepts
Śruti Svara Rāga Tāḷa Mēḷakarta Asaṃpūrṇa Mēḷakarta
Compositions
Gītaṃ Svarajati Varṇaṃ Kr̥ti Kīrtana Rāgaṃ Tānaṃ Pallavi Tillana
Instruments
Melody Sarasvati Vīṇā Veṇu Nādasvaraṃ Goṭṭuvādyaṃ (Citra Vīṇā) Violin Percussion Mr̥daṅgaṃ Ghaṭaṃ Morsing Kanjira Thavil Drone Tambura Shruti box
Composers Glossary
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Natakapriya, (pronounced nāţakapriya, meaning the one dear to theatre) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 10th melakarta rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. According to the Muthuswami Dikshitar school, the 10th melakarta rāgam is called Naţābharanam.^[1][2]

It is a sampoorna rāgam - rāgam having all 7 swarams. It is the 4th rāgam in the 2nd chakra Netra. The mnemonic name is Netra-Bhu. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra gi ma pa dhi ni.^[1] 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 R₁ G₂ M₁ P D₂ N₂ Ṡ^[a]
• avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₂ D₂ P M₁ G₂ R₁ S^[b]

The notes used in this scale are shuddha rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kaisiki nishadham. Natakapriya is the shuddha madhyamam equivalent of Shadvidamargini, which is the 46th melakarta rāgam.

Naţābharanam is the 10th Melakarta in the original list compiled by Venkatamakhin. The notes used in the scale are the same, but the scales are vakra (zig-zag usage in phrases of the scale). It is an shadava-sampurna raga (6 notes in ascending scale, while full 7 are used in descending scale).^[3]

• ārohaṇa: S G₂ M₁ P N₂ D₂ N₂ Ṡ^[c]
• avarohaṇa: Ṡ N₂ D₂ N₂ P N₂ P M₁ G₂ G₂ R₁ R₁ S^[d]

Sindhu Bhairavi is one of the few janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of Janya rāgams for a full list of its janyas.

Here are some compositions set to this raga.

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

Natakapriya's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 3 other major melakarta rāgams, namely, Vachaspati, Charukesi and Gourimanohari. For an illustration, refer Graha bhedam on Vachaspati.