Ragale is a type of meter in Kannada prosody

Kannada meter (poetry)

Kannada prosody is the study of metres used in Kannada poetry, describing the rhythmic structure of a verse. The metres used include some metres borrowed from other traditions, and indigenous metres. Kannada literature, especially Old Kannada poetry, clearly exhibits the importance poets placed on...

 that is used in Kannada poetry

Kannada poetry

Kannada poetry is poetry written in the Kannada language spoken in Karnataka. Karnataka is the land that gave birth to eight Jnanapeeth award winners, the highest honour bestowed for Indian literature...

.
This meter can usually have as many pada

Pada

Pada may refer to:*Pada , in Sanskrit grammar, and Hindu and Buddhist tradition*Sri Pada or Adam's Peak, a mountain in Sri Lanka*Pada, Estonia, village in Viru-Nigula Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia*Pada River, see List of rivers of Estonia...

s of syllables divided into two groups of various fixed number of matra

Matra

Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family...

 in each line

Pada

Pada may refer to:*Pada , in Sanskrit grammar, and Hindu and Buddhist tradition*Sri Pada or Adam's Peak, a mountain in Sri Lanka*Pada, Estonia, village in Viru-Nigula Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia*Pada River, see List of rivers of Estonia...

. It is the most prevalent meter of the Old Kannada poets Harihara and Raghavanka

Raghavanka

Raghavanka was a noted Kannada writer and a poet in the Hoysala court which flourished in the late 12th to early 13th century. Raghavanka is credited for popularising the use of the native shatpadi metre in Kannada literature...

.

Lalita Ragale, Mandanila Ragale, Utsaaha Ragale are variations we see in the use of Ragale meter.

Lalita Ragale

In this variation of Ragale meter, each pada

Pada

Pada may refer to:*Pada , in Sanskrit grammar, and Hindu and Buddhist tradition*Sri Pada or Adam's Peak, a mountain in Sri Lanka*Pada, Estonia, village in Viru-Nigula Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia*Pada River, see List of rivers of Estonia...

 has four, syllable groups (Gana

Gana

The word ' , in Sanskrit, means "flock, troop, multitude, number, tribe, series, class" . It can also be used to refer to a "body of attendants" and can refer to "a company, any assemblage or association of men formed for the attainment of the same aims".In Hinduism, the s are attendants of Shiva...

). Each syllable group has five matra

Matra

Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family...

 (time units).

Mandanila Ragale

In this variation of Ragale meter, each pada has four, syllable groups (Gana). Each syllable group has four matra (time units).

Utsaaha Ragale

In this variation of Ragale meter, each pada has four, syllable groups (Gana). Each syllable group has three matra (time units).

Sarala Ragale

Sarala Ragale is the modern version where the rules are flexible and it does not strictly adhere to any of the ragale forms enlisted above but largely retains the Ragale form. Mahachandssu used by Kuvempu

Kuvempu

Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa was a Kannada writer and poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the pen name Kuvempu...

is a variation of Sarala Ragale.