Nathaniel School of MusicThe Melakarta Sphere

Melakarta 18 · Agni chakra · M1 · vivadi

Hatakambari

हाटकाम्बरी

Hatakambari is the 18th melakarta raga. Its scale is S R1 G3 M1 P D3 N3.

SrGmPnN
Hear Hatakambarichoose your Sa, then play
S1
R1m2
G3M3
M1P4
PP5
D3A6
N3M7
S'8
Open in the 3D sphere →

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Hatakambari, 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, Hatakambari is built from a minor second, a major third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a augmented sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G3 M1 P D3 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S r G m P n N.

DegreeSwaraInterval
1Sunison (1)
2R1minor second (m2)
3G3major third (M3)
4M1perfect fourth (P4)
5Pperfect fifth (P5)
6D3augmented sixth (A6)
7N3major seventh (M7)

How Hatakambari harmonizes

Stack thirds on each note of Hatakambari 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
  • V♭5 G(b5) major flat fivedominant
  • VII· B(cluster) clusterdominant
  • IVsus4 Fsus4 suspended fourthpredominant
  • II· Db(cluster) clusterpredominant
  • iii Em minorcolour
  • VI· A#(cluster) clustercolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Music to learn in Hatakambari

Hatakambari 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.

Open Hatakambari in the 3D sphere →

Questions about Hatakambari

What is the Hatakambari raga?

Hatakambari is melakarta number 18 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R1 G3 M1 P D3 N3.

What are the janya ragas of Hatakambari?

Hatakambari is heard mainly as a parent scale; much Carnatic repertoire lives in the janya ragas of other melakartas.