Raga

is a prominent and highly expressive raga in Carnatic music, known for its intense and meditative mood. It belongs to the 51st Melakarta raga in the Carnatic system. Key lakshanas (characteristics) of Pantuvarali:

Arohana (Ascending scale): Sa Ri1 Ga3 Ma2 Pa Dha1 Ni3 Sa
Avarohana (Descending scale): Sa Ni3 Dha1 Pa Ma2 Ga3 Ri1 Sa
Swara Variants: - Ri1: Sudda Rishabham (minor second) - Ga3: Antara Gandharam (major third) - Ma2: Prati Madhyamam (augmented fourth) - Dha1: Sudda Dhaivatam (minor sixth) - Ni3: Kakali Nishadam (major seventh)
Mood: Pantuvarali evokes feelings of devotion, pathos, and seriousness.
Usage: Often used in compositions expressing deep emotions, prayers, and meditative themes.
This raga is favored for its ability to convey both gravity and beauty in compositions and improvisations.

In Carnatic music, ragas are often classified based on their adherence to the parent melakarta scale. The term Bhashanga refers to a special category of janya ragas (derived ragas) that use one or more anya swaras (foreign notes), which do not belong to their parent melakarta scale.

Unlike upanga ragas, which strictly use notes only from their parent scale, Bhashanga ragas introduce external notes to enrich the melodic expression and emotional impact. These foreign notes give the raga a unique identity and allow for more nuanced improvisations.

Examples:

• Bhairavi: One of the most popular bhashanga ragas, Bhairavi uses the kaishiki nishada (N2) which is not part of its parent melakarta scale (Natabhairavi). This adds a soulful and devotional flavor to compositions in this raga.
• Kambhoji: This raga uses foreign notes such as chatusruti dhaivata (D2) and kaishiki nishada (N2) along with the notes from its parent scale Harikamboji. These anya swaras contribute to the grandeur and classical depth of Kambhoji.

Significance:
Bhashanga ragas provide performers with greater scope for expression, allowing incorporation of subtle ornamentations and phrases that evoke different moods and rasas. They are extensively used in classical compositions and improvisations.