The Music of Hindostan c9.s2.10

c9.s2.10

whereby each tetrachord is filled by two semitones and a ‘residue’. This is identical in form with the ancient Greek chromatic. Not only is this chromatic scale apparent in the nomenclature, but Rāgams in this mode (or scale) were once popular, though now somewhat neglected. In the scheme of Grāmarāgas in the Ratnākara and the Svaramela-kalānidhi (both of the sixteenth century) the first on the list, by name Mūkhārī, is in this scale, and is plentifully filled with Rāgams, showing that it was popular and was considered the natural one to put first.¹ [*Grāmarāga* is an early name for *melakarta*.] Popular favour has now, however, been transferred to another scale, *Māya-Mālavagaula*: