An ignorant Carnatic question

Yesterday morning on the TV(*) I was watching a veena player (with the
two precussion players) and I started wondering about the tuning. The
veena ssems to have fixed frets, unlike the hindustani sitar, so it
cannot be re-organised for each raga. I do not have a very good ear,
but it seems to me that the carnatic system has a variety of ragas.

Following teh details of hindustani music, I know that there are
experts on carnatic music on this list (Greg S. at least) who must be
able to lift the veil of ignorance from me, or at least tweak it.

==John ffitch

* TV Udaya, Bangalore where I am working this month