How many Ragas are there in Carnatic Music?

Carnatic Music is very scientific. Many others here have already mentioned that there are 72 Melakarta(Parent Ragams). These 72 Ragams have all the 7 swaras SRGMPDN in the Aarohanam and Avarohanam. This system is created using the permutation and combination of swaras and swarasthanas. Innumerable Child Ragams can be derived from the Parent (Melakarta) Ragams. Some of the ways are described below:- 1) By not using all the 7 Swaras of the parent Ragam in Aarohanam and Avarohanam. 2) By not using the same type of swaram in the Aarohanam and Avarohanam ( eg: Daivatham usage in Bhairavi -chathusruthi (D2) in aarohanam and shuddha (D1) in avaroha?am) 3)Irregular sequencing or repetition of swaras (Vakra) in aarohanam/avarohanam eg :- Sahana. Mentioned above are only some of the ways in which Child Ragams are Derived from the Parent Ragam giving birth to INNUMERABLE Ragams in carnatic music. read less