Atana

Carnatic music
Tanjavur-style Tambura
Concepts
Śruti Svara Rāga Tāḷa Mēḷakarta Asaṃpūrṇa Mēḷakarta
Compositions
Gītaṃ Svarajati Varṇaṃ Kriti Kirtana Rāgaṃ Tānaṃ Pallavi Tillana
Instruments
Melody Sarasvati Vīṇa Veṇu Nādasvaraṃ Gottuvadhyam (Citra Vīṇa) Violin Percussion Mr̥daṅgaṃ Ghatam Morsing Kanjira Thavil Drone Tambura Shruti box
Composers Glossary

Atana is a raga (musical scale) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). It is a Janya raga (derived scale), whose Melakarta raga (parent, also known as janaka) is Shankarabharanam, 29th in the 72 Melakarta raga system.

It is considered to be a very catchy raga that gives a stage flavor for a musician when everything is going dull in a concert. It stimulates the audience by its qualities of Veeram (courage).^[1]

Structure and Lakshana

Parent scale Shankarabharanam with Shadjam at C

Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

• ārohaṇa : S R2 M1 P N3 S
• avarohaṇa : S N3 D2 P M1 P G3 R2 S

The swaras used are chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kakali nishadham. Atana is a bhashanga raga (kind of raga where the arohana and avarohana are not strictly followed). That is, it has two annyaswaras (alien notes; foreign swaras).^[1] They are sadharana gandharam (G2) and kaisiki nishadham (N2).^[1]

Popular Compositions

Here are some more compositions set to Atana.

References

1. 1 2 3 Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications