Mohanam

Mohanam is a rga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an audava rga (or
owdava rga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a janya rga of Harikambojhi(28th Melakartha Raga). However there
are disputes about Mohanam being the janya of Sankharbharanam also because all the swaras present in the
Arohana and Avarohana of Mohanam satisfy both the melakartha ragas listed above.

The equivalent of Mohanam in Hindustani music is Bhoop [1] (or Bhopali[2]).

It is one of the common pentatonic scales across the world [1] and is very popular in East Asian and South-east Asian
music, including China and Japan.

Structure and Lakshana

Mohanam scale with shadjam at C

Mohanam is a symmetric rga that does not contain madhyamam or nishdham. It is a symmetric pentatonic scale
(audava-audava raga [1][2] in Carnatic music classification - audava meaning 'of 5'). Its rohaa-avarohaa structure
(ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and
terms):

rohaa : S R2 G3 P D2 S

avarohaa : S D2 P G3 R2 S

(the notes used in this scale are shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, panchamam, chathusruthi
dhaivatham)

Mohanam is considered a janya rga of Harikambhoji, the 28th Melakarta rga, though it can be derived from other
melakarta rgas, Kalyani, Sankarabharanam or Vachaspati, by dropping both madhyamam and nishdham. The
Hindustani equivalent Bhoop is associated with Kalyan thaat (equivalent of Kalyani).

[citation needed]
One of the first scales employed by the ancient Tamils was the Mullaippann (3BCE) [citation needed], a
pentatonic scale composed of the notes sa ri ga pa da equivalent to C, D, E, G and A in the western notations. These
fully harmonic scales, constitutes the raga Mohanam in the Carnatic music style.

Popular compositions

Mohanam rga lends itself for extensive elaboration and exploration and has many compositions in both classical
music and film music.
Kritis

The geetham Varavina mridupani is one of the first short songs taught to beginners in Carnatic music. Ninnukori
composed by Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar is a popular Varnam in this scale. Here are some popular kritis composed in
Mohanam.

Cheri Yasodaku Sisuvithadu by Annamacharya

Ranga Nayaka Raajeeva Lochana by Purandaradasa

Mohana rama, Nannu palimpa,Darayani, Rama ninnu nammina, Evarura ninnuvina and Bhavanutha by Thyagaraja

Narasimha Agache by Muthuswamy Dikshitar

Kapaali, karunai and Narayana divyanamam by Papanasam Sivan

Rara Rajeevalochana by Mysore Vasudevachar

En palli kondeer aiyya by Arunachala Kavi

Kshemam kuru by Narayana Teertha

Swagatham Krishna by Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi

Pari pahimam Nrihara by Swati Thirunal

Sada paalaya sarasakshi by G N Balasubramaniam

Mohanam tavavapurai by Swathi Thirunal

Ninnukkori Varnam by Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar

Telugu Film Songs

 Song Movie Author Composer Singer

Gundamma Pingali S. Rajaswara

Mounamga Manasu Padina Ghantasala
Katha Nagendrarao Rao

Malladi Mangalampalli
Palnati S. Rajaswara
Seelamu Galavari Chinavada Ramakrishna Balamuralikrishna, P.
Yudhham Rao
Sastry Susheela

Echatanunchi Veecheno Ee Appu Chesi Pingali Pendyala

Ghantasala, P. Susheela
Challanigaali Pappukudu Nagendrarao Nageswarrao

Manasu Parimalinchene Srikrishnarjuna Pingali Pendyala

Ghantasala, P. Susheela
Tanuvu Paravasinchene Yuddham Nagendrarao Nageswarrao

Mohanraga Maha Mahamantri Pingali Pendyala

Ghantasala, P. Susheela
Murthymanthamaye Timmarasu Nagendrarao Nageswarrao

Pingali S. Rajaswara
Lahirilo Lahirilo Mayabazaar Ghantasala, P. Leela
Nagendrarao Rao

S. Rajeswara
Madhilo Veenalu Mroge Atmeeyulu Dasarathi P. Susheela
Rao

Padavela Radhika S. Rajeswara

Iddaru Mitrulu SriSri Ghantasala, P. Susheela
Pranayasudha Geethika Rao

Veturi K. V.
Nemalaki Nerpian Nadakalivi Saptapadi S. Janaki
Sundarrammurthy Mahadevan

Sirivennela
Akasamlo Asala Harivillu Swarnakamalam Ilayaraja S. Janaki
Seetarammurthy

Ninu Kori Varnam Sarisari Gharshana Rajasree Ilayaraja Chitra, Vani Jayaram

Maaterani Chinnadhani O Papa Lali Rajasree Ilayaraja S. P. Balasubramanyam

Chinnadana Osi Chinnadana Premalekha Bhuvanachandra Deva Krishnaraj

Raave Naa Cheliya Jeans Siva Ganesh A R Rahman Sonu Nigam, Harini

Tamil Film Songs

 Song Movie Author Composer Singer

Ninu Kori Varnam Isaithida Agni Natchatram Ilayaraja Chitra

A. R.
Porale Ponnuthayi Karuthamma Swarnalatha
Rahman

A. R.
Pakkada Pakkade Gentleman
Rahman

Giridhara Gopala Meera M S Subbulakshmi

Vanda naal mudhal Paavamannippu T M Soundarrajan

Kanmaniye Kadhal Aarilirunthu Arubathu

Ilayaraja S. P. Balasubhramaniam, S. Janaki
Enbadhu Varai

S. P. Balasubhramaniam, S. P.
Vaan Pole Vannam Salangai Oli Ilayaraja
Sailaja

Poovil Vandu Kaadhal Oviyam Ilayaraja S. P. Balasubhramaniam

Oru Thanga Rathathil Dharma Yutham Ilayaraja Malaysia Vasudevan

Related rgas

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

Graha bhedam

Mohanam's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 4 other major pentatonic rgas, namely, Hindolam,
Shuddha Saveri, Udayaravichandrika (also known as Shuddha Dhanyasi) and Madhyamavati. Graha bhedam is the
step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rga. For
more details and illustration of this concept refer Graha bhedam on Mohanam.

Scale similarities
Mohanakalyani is a rga which has the ascending scale of Mohanam and descending scale of Kalyani. Its
rohaa-avarohaa structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M2 G3 R2 S

Bilahari is a rga which has the ascending scale of Mohanam and descending scale of Sankarabharanam. Its
rohaa-avarohaa structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S

Garudadhvani is a rga which has the ascending scale of Sankarabharanam and descending scale of Mohanam.
Its rohaa-avarohaa structure is S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S

Shivaranjani rga differs from Mohanam only by the gndhram. It uses sadharana gndhram instead of antara
gndhram and its rohaa-avarohaa structure is S R2 G2 P D2 S : S D2 P G2 R2 S

Hamsadhvani rga uses nishadam in place of dhaivatam. Its rohaa-avarohaa structure is S R2 G3 P N3 S : S

N3 P G3 R2 S

Vaasanthi rga differs from Mohanam only by the daivatham. It uses shudda daivatham instead of chatushruti
daivatham and its rohaa-avarohaa structure is S R2 G3 P D1 S : S D1 P G3 R2 S

Niroshta rga uses nishadam in place of panchamam. Its rohaa-avarohaa structure is S R2 G3 D2 N3 S : S N3

D2 G3 R2 S

References
 Indian classical music portal

a bc
1. ^ Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

2. ^ a b Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

Last edited on 8 June 2017, at 14:24

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