Gamakam 1

“if sung without the gamakas, the subtlety of movements absent, the aesthetics of the raga do not come out. When sung with the gamakas — there is no doubt that it is Mayamalayagaula”

“What Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini has said is that many ragas may have similar svaras/musical phrases and it is their gamaka which is the distinguishing factor. For instance, Kedaragaula and Suruti, same svaras ma pa ni sa but associated movement differs in each of these ragas"

Example:gamakas for Raga Mayamalavagaula svaras

  • during the ascent, the rishabha Ri, when sung with gamaka is adding the note Sa, so the melody is actually sa-ri even if what is being said is ri
  • during descent, the dhaivata Dha is sung as sa dha pa
  • next tempo, 4 subunits — ri (srsr), ga (rmgm), dha (pdpd) and these multiple svaras are joined with a modulation to result in the gamaka
  • final level , doubling the temp to 8 subunits— ri(srs, srsr); flawless timing is needed to execute the gamakas

In a_ song, gamakas are added when singing that go beyond the plain notation and gamakas are added to match the meaning of the lyrics” [7]

Ragas with similar notes as Mayamalavagaula but with different gamakas that establish their unique identity - Raga Saveri - Raga Lalitha

A raga in the same chakra as Mayamalagaula (same svaras for S R G M)

Raga Chakravaham , _since it has the higher plain Dha and small Ni these impacts how Ri and Ga are sung; Ga is plain in raga Chakravaham while it is sung with gamaka in Mayamalagaula

Sumithra says that “Gamakas help in the mixing of different speeds; each gamaka has a kalapramanam and when sung in the right speed, helps shape the tempo of the raga;

Dhasavidha(10) Gamakas - Aarohanam : singing the swaras in the akara brigas according to the aarohna krama of the raga. - Avarohanam : singing the swaras in the akara brigas according to the avarohana krama of the raga. - Dalu : Starting from the base Shadja and basing on the raga bhava jumping to the higher notes. e.g., sm, sp, sr - Spuritham : Repeating the same swara wice. While doing so, the second time the swara is said with force. e.g., sasariri - Kampitham : Oscillating the same swara without mixing with its preceding or succeeding note. - Aahatham : Singing the swaras in the aarohana krama, giving the stress on alternate swaras. - Prathyahatham : Singing the swaras in the avarohana krama while stressing the alternate swaras. - Thripuchcham : The swara above will join the two swaras below in the same sruthi. e.g., risasa - gariri - Aandholam : Generally associated with combination of swaras which produce swinging movement. It involves jumping in a swinging manner. e.g., Sarisapapa Sarisamama Sarisagaga - Murchchana : For delineating the character of a raga the arohana, avarohana are successively delineated in a regular ascent from a swara through seven notes and a descent back to the starting note. e.g., Sarigamapadani Rigamapadanisa Nidapamagarisa

The 15 gamakas according to the other school of thought : Thripam, Spuritham, Kampitham, Leenam, Aandholitham, Vali, Thribinnam, Kurulam, Aahatham, Ullaasitham, Plavitham, Hoompitham, Mudhritham, Naamitham, Misritham.

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In the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini, Subbarama Dikshithar elaborates the gamakas based on how it should be played on the veena.

  • jaaru (glide)
  • kampitam (shake)
  • nokku (press or push)
  • sphuritam (emphasize the second occurrence of same note)
  • vali (curved oscillation) kurula
  • odukkal (“pulling an upper note in a lower fret”)
  • orikai (twirl) ahata
  • ravai “(hear the higher note touch first itself, then comes to original note)”
  • kandippu (“t is silent in the word often, here the notation in raga mohanam is G P R S, the missing note is G in the notation but is present in the sound”)

Gamakas in indian music

References - Role of Gamaka in Carnatic Music — Lecdem by Sumithra Vasudev - Music Research Library — Raga Lakshana Sangraha Translations by Hema Ramanathan - Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini — English Translation - Music Research Library — Facets of Notation in South Indian Music, by Sharada Gopalam - Intonation analysis of rāgas in Carnatic music by Gopala Krishna Koduria, Vignesh Ishwar, Joan Serràc, Xavier Serraa, Hema Murthy - Shanmukha Journal 1981 — APPLICATION OF SRUTIS TO RAGAS by S Ramanathan - Gamakas Demonstration by V V Subramaniam

Dr.ram elaborates the gamakas in midi based on piano