Mayamalavagowla

Venkatamakhin defines its lakshana thus: pūrṇō māḻavagouḻākhyaḥ sa grahō gīyatē sadā Mayamalavagowla is the 3rd raga in the 3rd chakra, Agni.

Its mnemonic phrase is sa ra gu ma pa dha nu.

The gamakas in the raga are unique in that conversely to the G-M relationship in Śankarābharaṇaṃ, G is sung in oscillation (M,G M,G M,G) while M is held constant.

R and D are also usually sung in oscillation with S and P respectively, making the only constant notes S, M, and P. Of course, these rules are occasionally broken for effect (e.g., holding N flat before ascending to S).

It is also defined as a mūrcana kāraka méLa since it can be used for Graha bhedam on madhyamam and rishabham to result in Simhendramadhyamam and Rasikapriya respectively.

Mayamalavagowla has quite a few janya ragams associated with it, of which Bowli, Jaganmohini, Gowla, Gowlipantu, Lalita, Nadanamakriya, Revagupti, Saveri and Malahari are quite well known.

The first mini-songs (geetam) that are taught after the completion of basic exercises are set to Malahari, a janya of Mayamalavagowla.

Muthuswami Dikshitar's famous gouḻānta kritis (eight compositions with their raga names ending as gowla), on Goddess Nilothpalamba has māyāmāḻavagouḻa for one of them.