raagawheel

Mela 62Rudra chakraM2

Rishabhapriya

The name is the number

Rishabhapriya

Rira2shassa626 reversed62

The 'sha' here is retroflex ṣa = 6 (ṛṣabha), not śa = 5.

Every mela name encodes its own number — how the katapayadi sutra works.

SSR2R2G3G3M2M2PPD1D1N2N2SS (upper octave)

SS (upper octave)N2N2D1D1PPM2M2G3G3R2R2SS

How to know it

An open, whole-tone-tinged scale whose flattened dhaivatam gives the descent a wistful slide.

Hear it in songs

  • Ghana Naya Desika

    Koteeswara Iyer · Adi

    From Kanda Ganamutham, the Tamil 72-melakarta cycle dedicated to Muruga.

    YouTube Spotify

  • Maara Ratipriyam

    Muthuswami Dikshitar

    Composed under the asampurna mela name Ratipriya, the Dikshitar-school equivalent of Rishabhapriya — the raga mudra sits inside the opening words.

    YouTube Spotify