Classification of Raga

Ragas are ckassufied into Janaka ragas and Janya ragas. This is a highly scientific system of classification and is based on the genus-specie system. The terms janaka raga, melakarta raga, mela raga, karta raga, sampurna raga, parent raga, fundamental raga, root raga and primary raga are all synonymous and mean the samething. Likewise janya ragas are known by other names as derivative ragas and secondary ragas. Janaka ragas possess the full compliment of the sapta swaras in both the arohana and avarohana and the notes ascend and descend in a regular order. In addition, the swaras are of the same kind in both the arohana and avarohana. These are the three characteristic features of janaka ragas. There are 72 such janaka ragas arranged in a definite, serial order.

A janya raga is a raga, which is said to be born or derived from a melakarta raga. Every janya raga has its parent scale or hanaka raga. A janya raga takes the same swaras as the swaras taken by its parent raga. The mention of the name (of serial number) of the janaka raga therefore gives the clue to the swaras taken by the janya raga. Thus when it is said that Mayamalavagaula is the janaka raga of Malahari, it means that the swaras taken by Malahari raga are the same as the swaras take by Mayamalavagaula. Occasionally janya ragas take one or two foreign notes (notes foreign to their parent ragas) for the sake of enriching their beauty.

Given the swaras taken by some prominent melakarta ragas together with their serial numbers: