Kedaram

The scales of raga Kedaram are as follows :

Aarohanam (Ascending) :  S M1 G3 M1 P N3 S’
Avarohanam (Descending) : S’ N3 P M1 G3 R2 S

Aarohanam

Avarahonam

It is a Janya raga, derived from Dheera Shankarabharanam which is 29th on the Melakarta Scale (see below).

‘A regal raga that is auspicious, commanding and exuding veera (heroic) rasa, is Kedaram’ says Charulata Mani in an article on the subject. This mood enhancing and uplifting raga is suitable for singing in the mornings. It is not very common to hear long elaborations of this raga. The best known kritis are Ananda Natana Prakasham by Muthuswami Diskhithar, Rama Nipai by Tyagaraja and Samayamide and the first part of the Varnam Valachi Vachi by Patnam Subramanya Iyer. The song ‘Sundari Neeyum’ in the film Michael Madana Kamaraj is also a lovely example of this raga.

Tamil speakers may enjoy this episode of Charulata Mani’s Isai Payanam program :

Note : The 12 notes in the octave are named as below. Please note that C is used as Sa for the sake of simplicity as the scale is relative in Carnatic Music. Also note that the scales paint only a superficial picture of the raga as the gamakas(ornamentations) and prayogas (signature phrases) are a very important part of a raga.