Revati (raga)

For other terms or people, see Revati (disambiguation).

Revati is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an audava rāgam (or owdava rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a janya rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes).

In Hindustani music a raga that closely resembles Revati is Bairagi Bhairav.^[1] It is said to evoke Karuṇa rasa (pathos).^[1] This scale has also been used in chanting Vedas.

Structure and Lakshana

Revati is a symmetric rāgam that does not contain gāndhāram or dhaivatam. It is a pentatonic scale (audava-audava ragam^[1][2] in Carnatic music classification – audava meaning 'of 5'). Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

• ārohaṇa : S R₁ M₁ P N₂ Ṡ^[a]
• avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₂ P M₁ R₁ S^[b]

(notes used in this scale are shuddha rishabham, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, kaisiki nishadham)

Revati is considered a janya rāgam of Ratnangi, the 2nd Melakarta rāgam, though it can be derived from other melakarta rāgams, Vanaspati, Hanumatodi, Natakapriya, Vakulabharanam or Chakravakam, by dropping both gāndhāram and dhaivatam.

Popular compositions

Revati rāgam lends itself for elaboration and exploration and has many compositions. Here are some popular kritis composed in Revati.

• Mohana Vamshi by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna
• Jagannatha anatharakshaka by Subba Rao
• Nanati Baduku by Annamacharya
• Dhavalagangeya Gangadhara By Vadiraja Tirtha
• Parvati Bhagavathi By Ganakalabhushana R. K. Padmanabha
• Rogaharane Krupasagara, Siri Ramana, Venkatesha Stavaraja By Jagannatha Dasa
• Mahadeva Shiva Shambho by Thanjavur Sankara Iyer
• Bho Shambho by Swami Dayananda Saraswati
• Navaratna Bhushanalankrte by Kollegal R Subramanian
• Vâni Vēna Pâni by Kalyani Varadarajan
• Janani Janai by Cuddalore Subramaiam
• Mayiladum Mayilaiyin by GN Rajagopal
• Petra Thai by Ramalinga Vallalar
• Tillana by Lalgudi Jayaraman

Film Songs

Language:Tamil

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Illam Sangeetham Athil	Avan Aval Adhu	M. S. Viswanathan	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
Mandhira Punnagai	Manal Kayiru		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, B. S. Sasireka
Viral Meetaal	Pennai Solli Kutramillai		P. Susheela
Maragatha Megam	Meegathukum Thaagam undu		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
Ninaithaal Unaithan	Unnidathil Naan (1986)	Thayanban	K.J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam
Anandha Thagam	Vaa Indha Pakkam	Shyam	Deepan Chakravarthy, S. Janaki
Kanavu Ondru	Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu	Illayaraja	S. Janaki
Sangeetha Jathimullai	Kaadhal Oviyam		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Durga Durga	Priyanka		K. S. Chithra
Kaattu Vazhi Thunbam Illa	Thandavakone		Illayaraja
Adadaa Aghangaara Arakka Kaigalil	Pithamagan		K.J. Yesudas
Ennai Peththavalae	Melmaruvathur Arpudhangal	K. V. Mahadevan
Kannurangu Ponmayile	Idhu Namma Aalu	K. Bhagyaraj
Enakkum Unakkum Inimel Enna Kurai	Puthiya Sangamam	Ramakrishna Raja	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam,S. Janaki
Bhuvaneswari Arul	Thaye Neeye Thunai	Raveendran	K.J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra
Vizhigal Meydaiyam Imaigal	Kilinjalgal	Vijaya T. Rajendar	Kalyan, S. Janaki
Thodhuvala Elai	Thaai Manasu	Deva	Mano, S. Janaki
Chandiranum Sooriyanum	Watchman Vadivel		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Ennai Thottu Vittu	Poomaname Vaa	Sirpy
Chinna Chinna Pavada	Shenbaga Thottam		Mano, K. S. Chithra
Kaakha Kaakha	Naan Avanillai	Vijay Antony	Vijay Antony, Charulatha Mani, Megha, Vinaya, Maya
Dhavam Ondru	ABCD	D. Imman	Nithyasree Mahadevan, Balram
Oh Nenje Nenje	Yamuna	Elakkiyan	Haricharan

Tamil Devotional Songs

Song	Album	Composer	Singer
Guru Bhagavane Saranam	Sri Guru Bhagavan	Veeramani Kannan	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

In Japanese/Western music Revati corresponds to Insen scale

Graha bhedam

Revati's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 2 other pentatonic rāgams, namely, Shivaranjani and Sunadavinodini. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. See Graha bhedam on Shivaranjani for more details and an illustration.

Scale similarities

• Madhyamāvati is a rāgam which has the chathusruthi rishabham in place of the shuddha rishabham. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P N2 S : S N2 P M1 R2 S

Notes

1. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: S Ṟ M P Ṉ Ṡ
   • Western: C D♭ F G B♭ C
2. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P M Ṟ S
   • Western: C B♭ G F D♭ C