Latāṅgi is the 63rd mēḷakartai in the sampūrṇa mēḷa systemii. It is the third raga in the eleventh chakraiii (Rudra chakra). This rāga was known by the name Gītapriya in the asampūrṇa mēḷa systemiv. The svarasv occurring in this rāga are ṣaḍja, chatuśruti riṣabha, antara gāndhāra, prati madhyama, pañcama, śuddha dhaivata, kākali niṣādavi. Its ārōhaṇavii and avarōhaṇaviii are
S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N3 Ṡ – Ṡ N3 D1 P M2 G3 R2 S.
In Western music notation, if C is taken as the base or tonic note, then the scale is
C D E F# G G# B C – C B G# G F# E D C.
It is a mūrchanakāraka mēḷaix and gives rise to Sūryakānta from pañchama and Sēnāvati from niṣāda through the process of grahabhēda or modal shift of tonic.
It offers ample scope for improvisation. It is a rakti rāga or a rāga which pleases instantaneously. This Raga has been adopted by the Hindustani Music tradition as well.
Gāndhāra, niṣāda are rāgachāyā svarasx. Gāndhāra, pañcama and niṣāda are nyāsa svarasxi. Sa-pa, ri-pa, ga-ni are vādi-samvādi svaras (consonant notes).
It can portray rasasxii like vīra (valour), raudra (anger), karuṇā (compassion) and śṛṅgāra (romantic) very effectively.
Some of the signature phrases of this rāga are
N D P, – M D P M G R, G, – G M P D N Ṡ N D P M G R, – R G M P M G R, – M G R, S, – S Ṇ G R G R S Ṇ Ḍ, – Ḍ Ṇ R Ṇ Ḍ, P̣, – P̣ Ḍ Ṇ S R G, – G D P M G R, – G M P D, – D P M P D N, – N Ṙ Ġ, Ṙ Ṡ N – D D Ġ Ṙ Ġ, Ṙ Ṡ N D P M – P M N D, – M D P M G R, G, – G R S Ṇ Ḍ, – Ḍ Ṇ G R, S,
A few compositions in this rāga are-
Aparādhamulanniyu
Tyāgarāja
Enta nirdaya
Mysore Vāsudēvāchārya
Marivēre dikkevvaru
Paṭṇam Subrahmanya Iyer
Bibliography
Hariharan, M. and Kuppuswamy, Gowri. 2011. Comparative Music- Fundamentals of Western Music. Nagercoil: CBH Publications
Keshavamurthy, R.R. 1964. Rāgalakṣaṇa mattu Rāgakōśa. Bengaluru: Gāna Viśārada Biḍāram Kṛṣṇappa Smāraka Saṅgīta Vidyālaya
Rajarao, Mysore L. 2003. Saṅgīta Śāstra Chandrike. Bengaluru: Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy
Rao, B. Subba. 1980. Raganidhi. Madras: The Music Academy
Sambamoorthy, P. 2018 (reprint of eighth edition published in 1998). South Indian Music (Volumes 1 to 6). Chennai: The Indian Music Publishing House
Unnikrishnan deftly holds his audience with his soulful and melodious voice, embellishing the kriti with a variety of swarakalpanas in Raag Latangi.
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