Nathaniel School of MusicThe Melakarta Sphere

Janya raga · child of melakarta 29, Dheerasankarabharanam · vakra

Atana

अठाणा

Atana is a janya (child) raga born from Dheerasankarabharanam, the 29th melakarta. It is audava (pentatonic) in ascent, classified audava-sampurna, and known in Hindustani music as Adana (the name only; the scale is a different raga). It carries a mood of Veera: valour; sparks climb.

Atanaअठाणा

5 up · 7 downaudava-sampurnavakra turnglide

Heroic and bold; the Ga is never sung plain, always shaken up from Ri.

Keeps all seven notes of Dheerasankarabharanam; only the path differs. Hindustani cousin: Adana (the name only; the scale is a different raga).

arohana ↗avarohana ↘SR2M1PN3S'S'N3D2PM1PG3R2S
vakra: the line turns against its own direction

Arohanam and avarohanam

Atana climbs and falls along these paths:

Arohanam (up)S R2 M1 P N3 S'
Avarohanam (down)S' N3 D2 P M1 P G3 R2 S
Notes5 ascending, 7 descending (audava-sampurna)
Hindustani sargamS R G m P D N

Heroic and bold; the Ga is never sung plain, always shaken up from Ri.

The notes of Atana, as Western intervals

SwaraInterval above Sa
Sunison (1)
R2major second (M2)
G3major third (M3)
M1perfect fourth (P4)
Pperfect fifth (P5)
D2major sixth (M6)
N3major seventh (M7)

See how every swara becomes an interval in melakarta and Western music.

Songs to learn in Atana

Atana is explored most in alapana and improvisation. Sing its arohanam and avarohanam slowly over a tanpura to feel its path, and open it in the parent raga’s guide.

The parent: Dheerasankarabharanam

Atana keeps the tuning of its parent Dheerasankarabharanam but walks its own road. To see the full seven-note scale it is drawn from, its chords and its other children, read the Dheerasankarabharanam guide, or learn how janya ragas work in general.

Open Atana in the 3D sphere →

Questions about Atana

What is the Atana raga?

Atana is a janya (derived) raga of the 29th melakarta, Dheerasankarabharanam. Its arohanam is S R2 M1 P N3 S' and its avarohanam is S' N3 D2 P M1 P G3 R2 S.

What are the arohanam and avarohanam of Atana?

Arohanam (ascending): S R2 M1 P N3 S'. Avarohanam (descending): S' N3 D2 P M1 P G3 R2 S.

What is Atana in Western or Hindustani music?

Its Hindustani counterpart is Adana (the name only; the scale is a different raga).