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Grahabedam process as above can be used on janya ragas also. The
notation can handle only janya ragas with
symmetric arohanam and avarohanam (meaning the arohanam and
avarohanam should have the same swaras) and janya ragas with vivadi
swaras cannot be distinguished correctly.
The most famous Grahabedam group of janya ragas includes Mohanam,
Hindolam, Suddha Dhanyaasi, Suddha Saaveri and Madhyamaavathy. Some
other groups are listed in the Appendix.
The next logical question that arises is
whether it is possible for a raga (assumed to have
symmetric arohanam and avarohanam) to be Grahabedam derivable from
itself. If the raga has five or seven
swaras (including the fixed Sa), then it turns out that it cannot be
Grahabedam derived from itself. Thus,
melakartas are not self Grahabedam derivable since they all have seven swaras. If a ragam is
self Grahabedam derivable, it can be confusing to the listener since
the same tune can belong to a single ragam at two different
sruthis! perhaps, it is no coincidence that we see ancient systems of
music with five note scales and the current system with seven note scales, but no
significant six note scales. The seven swara scale is most probably here to stay since
setting more than seven swaras into twelve swara sthanas would allow
very little room for the creation of distinct base ragas especially if the
Panchama sthana is reserved and always present.
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