What is "melakarta"

n. (context music English) A collection of fundamental ragas (scales) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music).

Mēḷakarta is a collection of fundamental ragas (musical scales) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). Mēḷakarta ragas are parent ragas (hence known as janaka ragas) from which other ragas may be generated. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well, though the latter term is inaccurate, as a sampurna raga need not be a melakarta (take the raga Bhairavi, for example).

In Hindustani music the thaat is equivalent of Melakarta. There are 10 thaats in Hindustani music, though the commonly accepted melakarta scheme has 72 ragas.