Nathaniel School of MusicThe Melakarta Sphere

Melakarta 30 · Bana chakra · M1 · vivadi

Naganandini

नागनन्दिनी

Naganandini is the 30th melakarta raga. Its scale is S R2 G3 M1 P D3 N3.

SRGmPnN
Hear Naganandinichoose your Sa, then play
S1
R2M2
G3M3
M1P4
PP5
D3A6
N3M7
S'8
Open in the 3D sphere →

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Naganandini, 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, Naganandini is built from a major second, a major third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a augmented sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R2 G3 M1 P D3 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S R G m P n N.

DegreeSwaraInterval
1Sunison (1)
2R2major second (M2)
3G3major third (M3)
4M1perfect fourth (P4)
5Pperfect fifth (P5)
6D3augmented sixth (A6)
7N3major seventh (M7)

How Naganandini harmonizes

Stack thirds on each note of Naganandini 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 G majordominant
  • vii° Bdim diminisheddominant
  • IVsus4 Fsus4 suspended fourthpredominant
  • ii♯5 Dm(#5) minor sharp fivepredominant
  • iii Em minorcolour
  • VI· A#(cluster) clustercolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Music to learn in Naganandini

Naganandini 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 Naganandini in the 3D sphere →

Questions about Naganandini

What is the Naganandini raga?

Naganandini is melakarta number 30 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R2 G3 M1 P D3 N3.

What are the janya ragas of Naganandini?

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