Suryakantam


Suryakantam or Sooryakantam is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 17th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Chāyāvati in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 5th rāgam in the 3rd chakra Agni. The mnemonic name is Agni-Ma. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra gu ma pa dhi nu. Its ' structure is as follows :
  • [Arohana|]:
  • [Avarohana|]:
This scale uses the swaras, shuddha rishabham, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kakali nishadham. As it is a melakarta rāgam, by definition it is a ' rāgam. It is the shuddha madhyamam equivalent of Gamanashrama, which is the 53rd melakarta scale.

Asampurna Melakarta

Chāyāvati is the 17th Melakarta in the original list compiled by Venkatamakhin. The notes used in the scale are the same, but the actual ascending scale is different, where-in the panchamam is not used.
  • [Arohana|]:
  • [Avarohana|]:

    ''Janya'' rāgams

Suryakantam has many janya rāgams associated with it, of which Vasanta, Sowrashtram and Bhairavam are popular in concerts. See List of [Janya Ragas#Sooryakantam|List of janya rāgams] for those associated with Suryakantam.

Compositions

Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to Suryakantam.
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Suryakantam's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 2 melakarta rāgams, namely Senavati and Latangi. 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 further details and an illustration refer Graha bhedam on Suryakantam.