Melakarta 66 · Rudra chakra · M2 · vivadi
Chitrambari
चित्राम्बरी
Chitrambari is the 66th melakarta raga. Its scale is S R2 G3 M2 P D3 N3.
Hear it from musicians
Signature phrases for Chitrambari, 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, Chitrambari is built from a major second, a major third, a augmented fourth, a perfect fifth, a augmented sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R2 G3 M2 P D3 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S R G M' P n N.
| Degree | Swara | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S | unison (1) |
| 2 | R2 | major second (M2) |
| 3 | G3 | major third (M3) |
| 4 | M2 | augmented fourth (A4) |
| 5 | P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| 6 | D3 | augmented sixth (A6) |
| 7 | N3 | major seventh (M7) |
How Chitrambari harmonizes
Stack thirds on each note of Chitrambari 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 Bm minordominant
- IV♭5 F#(b5) major flat fivepredominant
- II+ Daug augmentedpredominant
- iii Em minorcolour
- VI· A#(cluster) clustercolour
Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.
Janya ragas of Chitrambari
These child ragas are born from Chitrambari by dropping notes or bending the path: Amritavarshini. 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.
Amritavarshiniअमृतवर्षिणी
The rain-summoner; Dikshitar is said to have called the clouds with it.
Drops R2 and D3 from Chitrambari.
Music to learn in Chitrambari
Chitrambari 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 Chitrambari
What is the Chitrambari raga?
Chitrambari is melakarta number 66 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R2 G3 M2 P D3 N3.
What are the janya ragas of Chitrambari?
Its well-known child ragas include Amritavarshini.