Graha Bhedam in Carnatic music is the process (or result of the process) of shifting the Tonic note (śruti) to another note in the rāgam and arriving at a different rāgam. Its equivalent in Hindustani classical music is called a murchhana. Expressed in Western music theory terms, this is the process of arriving at a different scale by shifting to another mode in the key, i.e, modulation. Graha literally means position and Bhedam means change. Since the position of the śruti is changed (pitch of the base note or drone), it is also sometimes called Swara Bhedam or Śruti Bhedam though Śruti Bhedam and Graha Bhedam have some technical differences.

Definition

Modal shift of the Tonic note to higher notes of a rāgam, while retaining the note's positions (swara sthānas – sthāna means position/ pitch), results in different rāgams. This is called Graha Bhedam.

Practical demo

A simple practical demonstration of Graha Bhedam can be taken up by playing the structure of a rāgam with the drone set to Sa (Shadjamam). Then if we keep playing the same keys/ notes, while shifting the drone to another note in the rāgam, to form the new śruti/ tonic note, the result is a different rāgam.

Example Illustration

When Graha bhedam is applied on Shankarabharanam's notes, it yields 5 other major Melakarta rāgams, namely, Kalyani, Hanumatodi, Natabhairavi, Kharaharapriya and Harikambhoji. Notes on above table

Melakarta Rāgams

Graha Bhedam can be applied on most Melakarta rāgams to yield other Melakarta rāgams (16 of the 72 do not yield any valid Melakarta scale). When applying such modal shift of tonic note, some results are not valid Melakarta rāgams (rules of the definition of Melakarta are violated). Example scenarios are missing Panchamam (Pa) or two of particular note (Rishabham (Ri), Gandharam (Ga), Madhyamam (Ma), Dhaivatam (Da) or Nishadam (Ni)).

Shankarabharanam

See Example Illustration in previous section.

Kanakangi

The Graha Bhedam derivative of Kanakangi is Kamavardhini and vice versa.

Mayamalavagowla

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Mayamalavagowla are Rasikapriya and Simhendramadhyamam.

Ragavardhini

The Graha Bhedam derivative of Ragavardhini is Varunapriya and vice versa.

Vachaspati

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Vachaspati are Charukesi, Gourimanohari and Natakapriya.

Shanmukhapriya

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Shanmukhapriya are Shoolini, Dhenuka and Chitrambari.

Keeravani

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Keeravani are Hemavati, Vakulabharanam and Kosalam.

Ratnangi

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Ratnangi are Gamanashrama and Jhankaradhwani.

Ganamurti

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Ganamurti are Vishwambari and Shamalangi.

Vanaspati

The Graha Bhedam derivative of Vanaspati is Mararanjani and vice versa.

Manavati

The Graha Bhedam derivative of Manavati is Kantamani and vice versa.

Sooryakantam

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Sooryakantam are Senavati and Latangi.

Kokilapriya

The Graha Bhedam derivative of Kokilapriya is Rishabhapriya and vice versa.

Gayakapriya

The Graha Bhedam derivative of Gayakapriya is Dhatuvardani and vice versa.

Dharmavati

The Graha Bhedam derivatives of Dharmavati are Chakravakam and Sarasangi.

Hatakambari

The Graha Bhedam derivative of Hatakambari is Gavambhodi and vice versa.

Naganandini

The graha bhedam derivatives of Naganandini are Bhavapriya and Vagadheeshwari.

Gangeyabhooshani

The graha bhedam derivative of Gangeyabhooshani is Neetimati and vice versa.

Chalanata

The graha bhedam derivative of Chalanata is Shubhapantuvarali and vice versa.

Shadvidamargini

The graha bhedam derivative of Shadvidamargini is Nasikabhooshani and vice versa.

Janya rāgams

Graha bhedam can be applied to some of the janya rāgams to yield other janya rāgams. Unlike Melakarta rāgams, where strict rules are adhered to, in terms of which swaras can be chosen in a rāgam, janya rāgams do not have such rules. Hence, such modal shift of tonic note is valid on all swaras, but may not have been chosen as a rāgam, experimented with, elaborated and composed with. Hence they lead to theoretical rāgams, which have not yet been discovered (all combinations of notes exist, but one may never have been used or exposed to the world at large).

Mohanam

Mohanam rāgam and its graha bhedam derivatives are one of the key scales in use all over the world, especially East and South Asia. The other four derivatives are Hindolam, Shuddha Saveri, Shuddha Dhanyasi and Madhyamavathi. Notes on above table

Shivaranjani

Shivaranjani rāgam and its Graha Bhedam derivatives are Revati and Sunadavinodini. Notes on above table

Hamsadhwani

Hamsadhwani rāgam and its graha bhedam derivative is Nagasvaravali.

Abhogi

Abhogi rāgam and its graha bhedam derivative is Valaji.

Amritavarshini

Amritavarshini rāgam and its graha bhedam derivative is Karnataka Shuddha Saveri.

Gambhiranata

Gambhiranata rāgam and its graha bhedam derivative is Bhupalam.