Ragas and Raginis: A Pictorial and Iconographic Study of Indian Musical Modes Based on Original Sources c6.302

c6.302

The next available text belongs to the South and the Karnatic system. Saṅgīta-sudhā, composed by Govinda Dikṣit, the minister at the Court of Prince Raghunath Naik (1614-1640 A.D.) of Tanjore, was ascribed by the author to his royal patron.² It is an elaborate treatise, and treats of the melodies very fully. The descriptions of the jāti-rāgas, including the composite jāti-melodies, are illustrated with actual songs, with notations. The author gives to the Śuddha-jātis a picturesque name, viz., Kapālāni (skulls), associating their origin with Śiva, as he went about in his begging role (vikṣāṭaṇa veśa) with the skull as his begging bowl.³ Improving on Matanga (Appendix 3) the author classifies melodies under ten divisions: (1) Grāma-rāga, (2)