Melakarta 2 · Indu chakra · M1 · vivadi
Ratnangi
रत्नाङ्गी
Ratnangi is the 2nd melakarta raga. Its scale is S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N2.
Hear it from musicians
Signature phrases for Ratnangi, 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, Ratnangi is built from a minor second, a diminished third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a minor sixth, a minor seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N2; in Hindustani sargam, S r R m P d n.
| Degree | Swara | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S | unison (1) |
| 2 | R1 | minor second (m2) |
| 3 | G1 | diminished third (d3) |
| 4 | M1 | perfect fourth (P4) |
| 5 | P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| 6 | D1 | minor sixth (m6) |
| 7 | N2 | minor seventh (m7) |
How Ratnangi harmonizes
Stack thirds on each note of Ratnangi and these chords appear. Home is the chord on Sa; the chord on Pa is the dominant that pulls back to it.
- Isus2 Gsus2 suspended secondhome
- vii Fm minordominant
- v° Ddim diminisheddominant
- II Ab majorpredominant
- iv Cm minorpredominant
- III· Dm/A minor, second inversioncolour
- VI♭5 Eb(b5) major flat fivecolour
Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.
Janya ragas of Ratnangi
These child ragas are born from Ratnangi by dropping notes or bending the path: Revati. Each card shows the three things that make a janya itself: how many notes it keeps, which way its road runs (any vakra turn is ringed in red), and how it glides between swaras. See how janya ragas work.
Revatiरेवती
Five bare notes in a rare corner of the 72; tradition hears karuna, pathos, in it.
Drops G1 and D1 from Ratnangi. Hindustani cousin: Bairagi.
Music to learn in Ratnangi
Ratnangi 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.
Notated to play along
Each opens in Stage mode on a real staff, with the sung syllables under the notes. Loop it, change Sa, and play or sing along.
- Ratnangya Dharmasamvardhanya · Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer · Adi tala
Questions about Ratnangi
What is the Ratnangi raga?
Ratnangi is melakarta number 2 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N2.
What are the janya ragas of Ratnangi?
Its well-known child ragas include Revati.