Kambhoji

Kāmbhōji is a bhāṣāṅga janya1 of the 28th mēḷakarta2 Harikāmbhōji. It is a ṣāḍava-vakra sampūrṇa3 rāga. The svaras4 occurring in this rāga in ascent are ṣaḍja, chatuśruti riṣabha, antara gāndhāra, śuddha madhyama, pañchama, chatuśruti dhaivata. Kaiśiki niṣāda occurs in descent5. Kākali niṣāda, which is an additional note that is not present in its parent rāga Harikāmbhōji, is seen in the phrase S N3 P D2 S. Its ārōhaṇa6 and avarōhaṇa7 are

In terms of Western notes, if C is taken as the base, then the scale is

Kāmbhōji is a rāga which has existed since olden times. It finds mention in treatises as far back in history as 7th century CE. It is equivalent to the paṇṇ8 Ṭakkesi. Kāmbhōji does not have an exact equivalent in Hindustani music, but its parent rāga Harikāmbhōji finds an equivalent in the Khamāj thāṭ. It is a tristhāyi rāga, that is, it can be sung in all three octaves. It can be sung at all times. It is a rakti rāga or a rāga which pleases instantaneously. It is a major rāga that offers ample scope for improvisation. There are a number of compositions covering almost all varieties of compositional forms. Madhyama, dhaivata, niṣāda are rāgachāyā svaras9. Gāndhāra, madhyama, pañcama and dhaivata are nyāsa svaras10. Sa-ma, sa-pa, ri-da, ri-pa, ga-da are vādi-samvādi svaras (consonant notes). It can portray rasas11 like vīra (valour) and śṛṅgāra (romantic) very effectively.

Some of the signature phrases of this rāga are

A few compositions in this rāga are-

Footnotes

1 A derived rāga which has other notes in addition to the notes of its own parent rāga.

2 Parent rāga

3 Ṣāḍava- A scale with 6 notes- Hexatonic. Vakra-Sampūrṇa- A scale that has all 7 notes, but not in their usual

order. The phrase S Ṇ3 P̣ Ḍ2 S at the end of the descent makes the scale vakra. Ṣāḍava-vakra sampurna is a scale

with 6 notes in ascent and 7 notes not in the usual order in descent.

4 Notes

5 There are 16 varieties of svaras in Carnatic music. They are

6 Scale in ascent

7 Scale in descent

8 System of rāga classification in ancient Tamizh music.

9 Notes which most effectively bring out the mood of the rāga