Gayakapriya (pronounced gÃÂyakapriya) is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 13th Melakarta rÃÂgam in the 72 melakarta rÃÂgam system of Carnatic music.
It is called Geyahejjujji in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.
It is the 1st rÃÂgam in the 3rd chakra Agni. The mnemonic name is Agni-Pa. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra gu ma pa dha na. Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
(the notes used in this scale are shuddha rishabham, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham, shuddha nishadham)
As it is a melakarta rÃÂgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rÃÂgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the shuddha madhyamam equivalent of Dhavalambari, which is the 49th melakarta.
Geyahejjujji is the 13th Melakarta in the original list compiled by Venkatamakhin. The notes used in the scale are the same, but the ascending scale is different and vakra (zig-zag usage of notes in phrases of the scale). It is an shadava-sampurna raga (6 notes in ascending scale, while full 7 are used in descending scale).
Gayakapriya has a few minor janya rÃÂgams (derived scales) associated with it, of which Kalagada is heard occasionally in concerts. See List of janya rÃÂgams to see all the rÃÂgams associated with Gayakapriya.
Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to Gayakapriya.
Muthuswami Dikshitar's composition Ramachandra bhakthum is set to Geyahejjujji rÃÂgam.
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rÃÂgam.
Gayakapriya's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields a minor melakarta rÃÂgam Dhatuvardani. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rÃÂgam. For further details and an illustration refer Graha bhedam on Gayakapriya.