Janya raga · child of melakarta 29, Dheerasankarabharanam · vakra
Begada
बेगडा
Begada is a janya (child) raga born from Dheerasankarabharanam, the 29th melakarta. It is shadava (six notes) in ascent, classified shadava-sampurna. It carries a mood of Shringara: beauty and longing; the air breathes.
Begadaबेगडा
Genial and courtly; the vakra ascent is its signature.
Keeps all seven notes of Dheerasankarabharanam; only the path differs.
Arohanam and avarohanam
Begada climbs and falls along these paths:
| Arohanam (up) | S G3 R2 G3 M1 P D2 P S' |
|---|---|
| Avarohanam (down) | S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S |
| Notes | 6 ascending, 7 descending (shadava-sampurna) |
| Hindustani sargam | S R G m P D N |
Genial and courtly; the vakra ascent is its signature.
Parent and paths checked against Wikipedia (List of Janya ragas), ragasurabhi.com. Sources differ: Karnatik.com adds a N2 D2 turn to the climb, S G3 R2 G3 M1 P D2 N2 D2 P S.
The notes of Begada, as Western intervals
| Swara | Interval above Sa |
|---|---|
| S | unison (1) |
| R2 | major second (M2) |
| G3 | major third (M3) |
| M1 | perfect fourth (P4) |
| P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| D2 | major sixth (M6) |
| N3 | major seventh (M7) |
See how every swara becomes an interval in melakarta and Western music.
Songs to learn in Begada
- Bhaktuni Charitramu, Tyagaraja
- Abhimanamennadu, Patnam Subramania Iyer
The parent: Dheerasankarabharanam
Begada 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.
Questions about Begada
What is the Begada raga?
Begada is a janya (derived) raga of the 29th melakarta, Dheerasankarabharanam. Its arohanam is S G3 R2 G3 M1 P D2 P S' and its avarohanam is S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S.
What are the arohanam and avarohanam of Begada?
Arohanam (ascending): S G3 R2 G3 M1 P D2 P S'. Avarohanam (descending): S' N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S.
What are famous songs in Begada?
Well-known compositions include Bhaktuni Charitramu (Tyagaraja), Abhimanamennadu (Patnam Subramania Iyer).