Melakarta 4 · Indu chakra · M1 · vivadi
Vanaspati
वनस्पति
Vanaspati is the 4th melakarta raga. Its scale is S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N2.
Hear it from musicians
Signature phrases for Vanaspati, 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, Vanaspati is built from a minor second, a diminished third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a major sixth, a minor seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G1 M1 P D2 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 | D2 | major sixth (M6) |
| 7 | N2 | minor seventh (m7) |
How Vanaspati harmonizes
Stack thirds on each note of Vanaspati and these chords appear. Home is the chord on Sa; the chord on Pa is the dominant that pulls back to it.
- Isus2 Csus2 suspended secondhome
- vii Bbm minordominant
- v° Gdim diminisheddominant
- IV F majorpredominant
- II+ Dbaug augmentedpredominant
- III· Ebbsus4(#5) suspended sharp fivecolour
- VI· A(cluster) clustercolour
Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.
Music to learn in Vanaspati
Vanaspati 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 Vanaspati
What is the Vanaspati raga?
Vanaspati is melakarta number 4 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R1 G1 M1 P D2 N2.
What are the janya ragas of Vanaspati?
Vanaspati is heard mainly as a parent scale; much Carnatic repertoire lives in the janya ragas of other melakartas.