Question

Briefly classify the Janya ragas with examples

Hint:

Use two ideas: how many swaras, and whether the raga stays with the parent swaras.

Answer 1

Step 1: What a janya raga is:
A janya raga is derived from a janaka (melakarta) raga. It need not have all seven swaras in order. Janya ragas are classified in two ways.

Step 2: Classification by the number of swaras:
Sampoorna has 7 swaras. Shadava has 6 swaras. Audava has 5 swaras. A raga is named for its ascent and descent, for example audava-audava or audava-sampoorna.
Examples: Sriranjani is shadava-shadava (6 and 6 swaras). Mohanam is audava-audava (5 and 5 swaras). Kambhoji is audava-sampoorna (5 swaras up, 7 down).

Step 3: Classification by the nature of the swaras:
Upanga ragas use only the swaras of their parent mela. Example: Mohanam.
Bhashanga ragas bring in a foreign (anya) swara not found in the parent. Example: Kambhoji with Kakali Nishada.
Varja ragas leave out one or more swaras. Example: Hindolam.
Vakra ragas move in a zigzag order. Example: Sahana.

Final Answer:
Janya ragas are classified as sampoorna, shadava, audava by swara count, and as upanga, bhashanga, varja, vakra by nature. \[ \boxed{\text{Upanga, Bhashanga, Varja, Vakra (and Sampoorna, Shadava, Audava)}} \]