Melakarta number 65 · Rudra chakra

Mechakalyani

Also written or called: Shantakalyani, Kalyani, Meca Kalyani

● Confidence: high Last verified: 12 Oct 2026

Scale

A sampurna melakarta: all seven notes in straight order, going up and coming down, with no omitted notes and no zigzag paths.

Beginner's explanation

Mechakalyani is number 65 of the 72 melakarta ragas , the parent ragas from which many other ragas are derived. It belongs to the Rudra Chakra (the eleventh of 12). Its Ma is M2 (prati madhyama) , so it sits in the second half of the list (numbers 37 to 72).

Going up, its notes are S, R2, G3, M2, P, D2, N3 and the upper S; coming down it uses the same notes in reverse. Like every melakarta it is Sampurna : all seven notes, in straight order, with no omitted notes and no zigzags.

If Sa is C on a keyboard, these notes fall on C, D, E, F♯, G, A, B (0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 semitones above Sa). This only shows where the notes sit: a raga is more than its notes, and its ornaments and phrases are not shown here.

In practice this raga is often listed under the name Kalyani.

A bit deeper

How the number gives the notes. Number 65 is in chakra 11 (Rudra). The chakra fixes the pair of Ri and Ga (R2, G3), and the raga's place within the chakra (fifth of 6) fixes the pair of Dha and Ni (D2, N3). Ma is M2 because 65 falls in the second 36. This is exactly the rule this site uses to generate all 72 scales.

Counterpart and neighbours. Number 29, Dheerasankarabharanam, has the same notes with M1 in place of M2. The other five ragas of the Rudra chakra (Kantamani, Rishabhapriya, Latangi, Vachaspati, Chitrambari) share its Ri, Ga and Ma and differ only in Dha and Ni.

The name. The name encodes the number through the katapayadi sutra : the first two syllables, "mē" and "ca", stand for 5 and 6, and read in reverse that gives 65.

Other names. Sources also give these names or spellings: Shantakalyani, Kalyani, Meca Kalyani.

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 1039, 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

• 29. Dheerasankarabharanam
• 61. Kantamani
• 62. Rishabhapriya
• 63. Latangi
• 64. Vachaspati
• 66. Chitrambari

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 Jagadamba Adi·Sanskrit
• Bhajare Re Citta
• Bhajare Re Citta Balambikam Chapu·Sanskrit
• Brahma Vidyambike Shri Adi·Sanskrit
• Ganapate Mahamate Rupaka·Sanskrit
• Jnana Prasunasmbike Rupaka·Sanskrit
• Kamaksim Kalyanim Rupaka·Sanskrit
• Kamalambam Bhajare Re Manasa Adi·Sanskrit
• Kumbheshvarena Adi·Sanskrit
• Shivakameshvarim Adi·Sanskrit
• Shri Madhurambike Khanda Chapu·Sanskrit
• Shri Mangalambike Triputa·Sanskrit

Papanasam Sivan

• Cidambaram Ena Tamil
• Cintai Telindu Tamil
• Devi Shri Tamil
• Ennai Shodanai Chapu·Tamil
• Kalyani Karunanidhi Tamil
• Kamala Malaridazh Tamil
• Kameshvara Tamil
• Kanindarul Tamil
• Kanindarul Purindal Tamil
• Mayil Vahane Tamil
• Oru Varam Tamil
• Padam Nambinen Tamil
• Padmanabha Mam Pahi Tamil
• Purakkave Avatarittan Adi·Tamil
• Rama Idu Tamil
• Ramacandran Malaradi Tamil
• Shridhara Venkatesham Tamil
• Sundareshvarane Tamil
• Teril Erinan Tamil
• Tunai Niye Adi·Tamil
• Un Padam Aladu Adi·Tamil
• Unai Allal Vere Tamil
• Unaiyallal Gati Adi·Tamil
• Vayu Kumaran Tamil
• Venkataramana Pankaja Tamil

Purandara Dasa

• Andinda Na Triputa·Kannada
• Anjikin Yatakayya Ata·Kannada
• Dari Yavudayya Ata·Kannada
• Daya Mado Adi·Kannada
• Dayamado Dayamado
• Dharma Dorakombuvade Ata·Kannada
• Eke Nirdayanaguve Ata·Kannada
• Elliruvano Ranga Ata·Kannada
• Ena Helale Ata·Kannada
• Geddeyo Hanumanta Ata·Kannada
• Gururayara Nambiro Ata·Kannada
• Helabarade Buddhiya Ninna Ata·Kannada
• Innu Dayabarade Ata·Kannada
• Kalla Sikkida Ata·Kannada
• Kallu Sakkare Kolliro Ata·Kannada
• Kanda Hala Chapu·Kannada
• Karmave Tarakavu Ata·Kannada
• Kusu Kandirya Adi·Kannada
• Malagayya Jalajanabha Ata·Kannada
• Nambi Kettavar Chapu·Kannada
• Nambi Kettavar Illavo Kannada
• Nammappa Summagiro Ata·Kannada
• Narayana Barade Ata·Kannada
• Ninnashrayisuvenu Kannada
• Ollano Shri Hari Chapu·Kannada
• Onde Kugalate Ata·Kannada
• Onde Namavu Ata·Kannada
• Pillangoviya Celuva Triputa·Kannada
• Saddu Madalu Ata·Kannada
• Sallado Krsna Ata·Kannada
• Sanditayya Prayavu Ata·Kannada
• Sannavanendu Na Eka·Kannada
• Satyavembude Adi·Kannada
• Sharanambe Vani Adi·Kannada
• Tundanivanu Ata·Kannada
• Yake Gokula Chapu·Kannada
• Yake Kakuladi Ata·Kannada

Swati Tirunal

• Adrisutavara
• Atri Sutavara Adi
• Endu Mama
• Kintu Ceyvu Rupaka
• Pahi Mam Shri Vagishvari Adi
• Paripahi Mamayi Sanskrit
• Sarasa Locana Rupaka
• Sarasa Suvadana Adi
• Satura Kamini Pv Adi
• Seve Syanadureshvara Adi
• Tillana Triputa
• Vipinamasau
• Yojaya Pada

Syama Sastri

• Birana Varalicci Rupaka
• Devi Nannu Jhampa
• Nive Gatiyani Varna Tisra Matya
• Paramukhamenamma Triputa
• Rave Parvata Rajakumari Jhampa
• Shankari Shankari Ata
• Shri Kamaksi Adi

Tyagaraja

• Bhaja Re Raghuviram Adi·Telugu
• Bhajana Seyave Rupaka·Telugu
• E Tavunara Adi·Telugu
• E Varamadugudura Adi
• Enduko Ni Manasu Adi·Telugu
• Kamala Bhavudu Triputa·Telugu
• Karu Velpulu Adi·Telugu
• Nammi Vaccina Rupaka·Telugu
• Ninnana Valasina Telugu
• Rama Ni Vadukonduvo Adi·Telugu
• Rama Rama Rama Napai Telugu
• Sandehamu Elara Rupaka·Telugu
• Shive Pahimambike Adi·Telugu
• Sundari Ni Divya Adi·Telugu
• Tarama Ni Mahima Rupaka·Telugu
• Vaccunu Hari Adi·Telugu

How this was checked

• Sources agree: Scale of melakarta #65 Mechakalyani: S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S'. Sources: Melakarta; Royal Carpet: Introduction to Carnatic Raga (the melakarta ragas). Generated from the melakarta rules, then compared with the scale printed for this number in each source. Both match.
• Sources agree: Mechakalyani is melakarta number 65, as the katapayadi code of its name gives. Sources: Mela Pocket Guide (katapayadi and the 72 melakartas); Royal Carpet: Introduction to Carnatic Raga (the melakarta ragas). The number-to-name pairing agrees in both sources and decodes under the standard rule.