| Arohanam | S R₁ G₁ M₂ P D₂ N₂ Ṡ |
|---|---|
| Avarohanam | Ṡ N₂ D₂ P M₂ G₁ R₁ S |
| Carnatic music |
|---|
 Tanjavur-style tambura |
| Concepts |
| Compositions |
| Instruments |
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Navaneetam (pronounced navanītam, meaningthe eternal new one) is arāgam inCarnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 40thMelakarta rāgam (parent scale) in the 72melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is calledNabhōmaṇi inMuthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.[1][2][3]Navaneetham is a Sanskrit word meaning fresh butter. 'Nava' meaning fresh (new) and 'neetham' meaning butter.
It is the 4th rāgam in the 7thchakra Rishi. The mnemonic name isRishi-Bhu. The mnemonic phrase issa ra ga mi pa dhi ni.[2] Itsārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (seeswaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
(this scale uses the notesshuddha rishabham, shuddha gandharam, prati madhyamam, chatushruti dhaivatam, kaisiki nishadam)
As it is amelakarta rāgam, by definition it is asampūrṇa rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is theprati madhyamam equivalent ofVanaspati, which is the 4thmelakarta rāgam.
Navanītam does not yet have ajanya rāgam (derived scale) associated with it. SeeList ofjanya rāgams for full list ofjanya scales.
A few compositions set toNavaneetam scale are:
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Navaneetam's notes when shifted usingGraha bhedam, yields no othermelakarta rāgam, like all 6 rāgams in theRishi chakra (Salagam,Jalarnavam,Jhalavarali,Pavani andRaghupriya being the other 5). Only these rāgams have a gap of 3 notes anywhere in their scale, between G1 to M2. Such a gap does not occur in any othermelakarta by definition.Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting theshadjam to the next note in the rāgam.
