A raga is a concept that is associated with its Western counterpart of melodic mode. Raga has a central feature in classical Indian music and has no direct translation to concepts of mode in the classical European music tradition. Ragas have an array of melodic structures and have the ability to affect and color the emotions of the audience. Various compositions utilise the different ragas for various effects.

​

A raga consists of at least 5 musical notes, in the case of Carnatic music, amongst the notes: Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Ni. Each raga has an emotional significance and symbolic associations with season, time and mode. Each raga also possesses slight variations in the notes leading to minute differences in the compositions amongst the various ragas. The raga is used as a means to evoke certain feelings amongst the audience. Despite there being hundreds of ragas, 30 are most common.

​

The classical Indian music has ancient roots, and is primarily developed due to the reverence for arts for both spiritual and entertainment purposes in Hinduism. Raga, has been historically integral to Hinduism with some Hindus believing music itself is a spiritual pursuit and a means to moksha.

​

In Carnatic music, the principal ragas are called Melakarta which literally translates to "Lord of the Scale". They are also known as janaka ragas from which other ragas may be generated. 

​

Ragas must contain the following characteristics to be classified as Melakarta:

​

They are sampurna ragas, that is they contain all seven swaras, Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Ni

​

They are krama sampurna ragas, that is the sequence is strictly ascending and descending in the scales without any jump or zig-zag notes.

​

The upper shadjam (Sa) is included in the raga scale.

​

The 72 melakarta ragas are split into 12 groups called chakras, each containing 6 child ragas.

​

A detailed picture of the 72 ragas can be found above.