Melakarta 16 · Agni chakra · M1 ★ concert raga
Chakravakam
चक्रवाकम्
Chakravakam is the 16th melakarta raga. Its scale is S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2. It carries a mood of Shringara: beauty and longing; the air breathes.
Hear it from musicians
Signature phrases for Chakravakam, recorded by musicians in the community and curated by Jason Zac. Every phrase carries the artist’s name and link — add your own voice to this raga.
The scale and its Western intervals
Reading up from Sa, Chakravakam is built from a minor second, a major third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a major sixth, a minor seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2; in Hindustani sargam, S r G m P D n.
| Degree | Swara | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S | unison (1) |
| 2 | R1 | minor second (m2) |
| 3 | G3 | major third (M3) |
| 4 | M1 | perfect fourth (P4) |
| 5 | P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| 6 | D2 | major sixth (M6) |
| 7 | N2 | minor seventh (m7) |
How Chakravakam harmonizes
Stack thirds on each note of Chakravakam and these chords appear. Home is the chord on Sa; the chord on Pa is the dominant that pulls back to it.
- I C majorhome
- vii Bbm minordominant
- v° Gdim diminisheddominant
- IV F majorpredominant
- II+ Dbaug augmentedpredominant
- vi Am minorcolour
- iii° Edim diminishedcolour
Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.
Music to learn in Chakravakam
Chakravakam is met most often as a parent scale for study and improvisation. Much of its living music flows through janya ragas; a good next step is to sing its scale slowly over a tanpura and explore its phrases in the 3D sphere.
Questions about Chakravakam
What is the Chakravakam raga?
Chakravakam is melakarta number 16 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2.
What are the janya ragas of Chakravakam?
Chakravakam is heard mainly as a parent scale; much Carnatic repertoire lives in the janya ragas of other melakartas.