Janya raga · parent: 20. Natabhairavi

Anandabhairavi

◐ Confidence: medium Last verified: 12 Oct 2026

Scale

Derived from the printed scale: sampurna in both ascent and descent (7 notes up, 7 down); vakra (zigzag) in the ascent; bhashanga (borrows D2, outside its parent).

Beginner's explanation

Anandabhairavi is a janya raga : it is derived from the melakarta Natabhairavi (number 20), which means it takes its notes from that parent's scale. It also uses a note from outside the parent (D2), which makes it a Bhashanga raga: that note is an foreign note to the parent scale.

Going up, its notes are S G2 R2 G2 M1 P D2 P N2 S'; coming down, S' N2 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S. Its ascent and descent each use 7 different notes (Sampurna ). The path is Vakra (zigzag) going up: some notes are visited out of straight order.

If Sa is C on a keyboard, the notes it uses fall on C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭. This only shows where the notes sit: a raga is more than its notes, and its ornaments and phrases are not shown here.

A bit deeper

Its parent. Anandabhairavi is placed under Natabhairavi (melakarta 20) by karnatik.com, the source for this page's parent. Of the parent's seven notes it does not use D1.

A borrowed note. Anandabhairavi uses D2 although its parent has a different D. In theory this is what makes a raga bhashanga. No single melakarta holds all of its notes, so its parent is the one it is felt to grow from, by convention.

Same notes, different raga. Manji, Abheri, Bageshri, Bhimpalas and Chittaranjani use exactly the same set of notes as Anandabhairavi but differ in the path, the ornaments or the phrases.

Why start here? How likely you are to meet it

●○○ (rating 1 of 3: 1 = met very often)

Rating 1 of 3 (editorial, a rough guide to how often you are likely to meet this raga): karnatik.com's tally of compositions per raga (based on a list of 38,000 songs) gives it 718, one of the most-composed ragas. A 1 means met very often and 3 means met rarely. It says nothing about how hard the raga is to sing, which depends on its ornaments and is not rated here. The tally counts songs by raga name and dates from 2011.

Characteristic features

Key notes, characteristic phrases and ornaments are not recorded here yet: they could not be confirmed from two sources, and this site leaves them out rather than guess.

Where the notes sit

Related ragas

• 20. Natabhairavi
• Manji
• Abheri
• Bageshri
• Bhimpalas
• Chittaranjani

Compare with another raga

Notable compositions (titles only)

Songs listed for this raga on karnatik.com by composers covered on this site. Lists are community-compiled, so a missing song does not mean it does not exist. Talas are as the source names them; no lyrics are reproduced.

Muthuswami Dikshitar

• Abhayamba Nayaka Harisayaka Adi·Sanskrit
• Anandeshvarena Chapu·Sanskrit
• Kamalamba Samraksatu Mam Chapu·Sanskrit
• Manasa Guruguha Rupam Rupaka·Sanskrit
• Paradevate Namaste Adi·Sanskrit

Papanasam Sivan

• Anandabhairavi Anaiyum Tamil
• Nama Ghosam Tamil
• Nanganallur Tamil
• Ninai Maname Rupaka·Tamil
• Singara Velavan Tamil
• Singaravelavan Vandan Adi·Tamil
• Svami Sharanam Adi·Tamil
• Vanor Vanangu Adi·Tamil

Purandara Dasa

• Akka Ettana Ata·Kannada
• Appappa Ni Adi·Kannada
• Aru Olidarenu Adi·Kannada
• Bai Badikarinda Ata·Kannada
• Bande Rangayya Ata·Kannada
• Eccaradali Nade Ata·Kannada
• Enanna Ninagenanna Adi·Kannada
• Enna Janma Ata·Kannada
• Entha Papi Ata·Kannada
• Enu Pelale Chapu·Kannada
• Giliyu Panjara Adi·Kannada
• Gokuladolagiralarevamma Ata·Kannada
• Govinda Namo Triputa·Kannada
• Hege Uddhara Adi·Kannada
• Hingeyirabeku Adi·Kannada
• Horaghogi Adadir Chapu·Kannada
• Idiryaro Guruve Eka·Kannada
• Inyake Yamana Kannada
• Jagadantaryami Adi·Kannada
• Jo Jo Yashodeya Adi·Kannada
• Karunisi Kelo Ata·Kannada
• Mosara Suridu Adi·Kannada
• Mugu Sannadu Ata·Kannada
• Munjaneyeddu Ata·Kannada
• Muttina Gandana Ata·Kannada
• Naivedyava Kollo Adi·Kannada
• Nine Dayalo Ata·Kannada
• Ninna Nambide Nirada Chapu·Kannada
• Ninnanne Nambide Eka·Kannada
• Nodadiru Para Kannada
• Onde Namadaladgidavo Adi·Kannada
• Pavana Nvapavana Chapu·Kannada
• Phalaharavanu Mado Ata·Kannada
• Pongolaludutiha Ata·Kannada
• Rama Nama Payasakke Rupaka·Kannada
• Saku Samsara Namaginnetara Adi·Kannada
• Samanyavalla Shri Hari Ata·Kannada
• Summane Baruvade Ata·Kannada
• Summane Dorakuvade Triputa·Kannada
• Svami Mukhya Prana Ni Adi·Kannada
• Taraleranna Ata·Kannada
• Tutturu Turendu Ata·Kannada
• Venkatesha Dayamado Ata·Kannada
• Vira Hanuma Ata·Kannada

Swati Tirunal

• Andolika Vahane Chapu
• Balike Moham
• Krsna Karunakadanu Adi
• Manini Vamata Jhampa
• Pahi Taraksu Puralaya Adi
• Pavana Suguna Adi
• Punten Nermozhi
• Varija Vadana

Syama Sastri

• Adinamunci Pogadi Pogadi Triputa
• Himacala Tanaya Adi
• Mahilo Amba Adi
• Marivere Gati Chapu
• O Jagadamba Nanu Adi
• Pahi Shri Girirajasute Rupaka
• Samini Rammanave Khanda Ata

Tyagaraja

• Kshirasagara Vihara Jhampa·Telugu
• Ni Balama Adi·Telugu
• Nike Teliyakapote Adi·Telugu
• Rama Rama Nivaramu Adi·Telugu

How this was checked

• Partly agree: Scale of Anandabhairavi: ascent S G2 R2 G2 M1 P D2 P N2 S'; descent S' N2 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S. Sources: Royal Carpet: Carnatic Ragas; List of Janya ragas. The two sources differ; see Variations & debates.
• Sources agree: Anandabhairavi is a janya of melakarta number 20, Natabhairavi. Sources: Royal Carpet: Carnatic Ragas; Royal Carpet: Introduction to Carnatic Raga (the melakarta ragas). Parent per karnatik.com. The raga borrows D2 from outside the parent, which is what bhashanga means.