Latangi Explained

Latangi

Latangi (pronounced latāngi) is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 63rd Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Geetapriya or Gitapriya in the Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.[1] [2]

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 3rd rāgam in the 11th chakra Rudra. The mnemonic name is Rudra-Go. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri gu mi pa dha nu. Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

(the notes used in this scale are chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham, kakali nishadham)

As it is a melakarta rāgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the prati madhyamam equivalent of Sarasangi, which is the 27th melakarta.

Janya rāgams

Latangi has a few minor janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of janya rāgams for full list of rāgams associated with Latangi.

Compositions

Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to Latangi.

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

Latangi's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 2 other melakarta rāgams, namely, Sooryakantam and Senavati. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration refer Graha bhedam on Sooryakantam.

Film Songs

SongMovieComposerSinger
Piravaa Varam TharumNandanarM. D. Parthasarathy & S. Rajeswara RaoDandapani Desikar
Gananaadhanae VarugaAvvaiyarM. D. Parthasarathy,P. S. Anandaraman & Mayavaram VenuK. B. Sundarambal
Aadadha Manamum UndoMannadhi MannanViswanathan–RamamoorthyT. M. Soundararajan, M. L. Vasanthakumari
Thogai Ilamayil(Charanam only)Payanangal MudivathillaiIlaiyaraajaS. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Chinna RaasaavaeWalter VetrivelMano, S. Janaki
Ennai ThodarendhuMaamiyar VeeduK. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Vanamellam ShenbagapooNadodi PattukkaranP. Susheela
Aadum PathamPon MegalaiSudha Ragunathan
Yengae Enathu Kavithai (Charanam Starts with Ragam Lathangi) Kandukondain KandukondainA. R. RahmanK. S. Chithra, Srinivas

Notes and References

  1. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
  2. Raganidhi by B. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras