Melakarta 42 · Rishi chakra · M2 · vivadi
Raghupriya
रघुप्रिया
Raghupriya is the 42nd melakarta raga. Its scale is S R1 G1 M2 P D3 N3.
Hear it from musicians
Signature phrases for Raghupriya, 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, Raghupriya is built from a minor second, a diminished third, a augmented fourth, a perfect fifth, a augmented sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G1 M2 P D3 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S r R M' P n N.
| Degree | Swara | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S | unison (1) |
| 2 | R1 | minor second (m2) |
| 3 | G1 | diminished third (d3) |
| 4 | M2 | augmented fourth (A4) |
| 5 | P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| 6 | D3 | augmented sixth (A6) |
| 7 | N3 | major seventh (M7) |
How Raghupriya harmonizes
Stack thirds on each note of Raghupriya 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
- VIIsus2 Bsus2 suspended seconddominant
- V♭5 G(b5) major flat fivedominant
- IV♭5 F#(b5) major flat fivepredominant
- II· Db(cluster) clusterpredominant
- III· Ebb(cluster) clustercolour
- VI· A#(cluster) clustercolour
Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.
Music to learn in Raghupriya
Raghupriya 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 Raghupriya
What is the Raghupriya raga?
Raghupriya is melakarta number 42 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R1 G1 M2 P D3 N3.
What are the janya ragas of Raghupriya?
Raghupriya is heard mainly as a parent scale; much Carnatic repertoire lives in the janya ragas of other melakartas.