Gambhiranata


Gambhiranata is a rāga in Carnatic music and Yakshagana where it is called Naati. It is an audava rāgam. It is a janya rāga, as it does not have all the seven swaras. Gambhiranata is also known as Shuddha Nata.

Structure and Lakshana

Gambhiranata is a symmetric rāga that does not contain rishabham or dhaivatam. It is a pentatonic scale. Its ascending and descending scale structure is as follows:
  • [Arohana|] :
  • [Avarohana|] :
The notes used in this scale are shadjam, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam and kakali nishadam. Gambhiranata is considered a janya rāgam of Chalanata, the 36th Melakarta rāgam, though it can be derived from 8 other melakarta rāgams, by dropping both rishabham and dhaivatam.

Popular compositions

Gambhiranata rāgam lends itself for elaboration due to the pentatonic nature and symmetricity of the scale. The mallari tune played in Nadhaswaram at temple processions are set to this musical scale. Here are some compositions set to this scale.

Related rāgams

Graha bhedam

Gambhiranata's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields another pentatonic rāgam, Bhupalam. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For more details and illustration of this concept refer Graha bhedam on Gambhiranata.
  • Amritavarshini is a rāgam which has prati madhyamam in place of the shuddha madhyamam. See below table for more details.
  • Hamsadhvani is a rāgam which has chathusruthi rishabham in place of the shuddha madhyamam. See below table for more details.

RāgamŚruti
Tonic		CDEFGABC
GambhiranataCSG3M1PN3S'
AmritavarshiniCSG3M2PN3S'
HamsadhvaniCSR2G3PN3S'

Grahabedam
RāgamCDEFGABC
GambhiranataSG3M1PN3S'
BhupalamD1,SR1G2PD1
HamsanadamP,N3SR2M2P
M1,D2N2SG3M1

Scale similarities