Shree ragam

Shree ragam
Arohanam S R₂ M₁ P N₂ Ṡ
Avarohanam Ṡ N₂ P M₁ R₂ G₂ R₂ S

Shri ragam is an ancient ragam in the Carnatic tradition. It is also written as Sri or Shree.[1] This scale does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes) in the ascending scale.[1] Shree is the asampurna melakartha of Kharaharapriya, the 22nd Melakarta rāgam.[1][2] It is the last of the 5 Ghana rāgams of Carnatic music.[1] It is a pleasing and popular rāgam.[2] It is considered to be highly auspicious.

It is not related to the Hindustani raga, Shree. Notably, Carnatic Shree takes the lower madhyamam being the asampurna scale of Kharaharapriya.

Structure and Lakshana

Ascending scale is same as Madhyamavati scale, shown here with shadjam at C
Notes in descending scale is that of Kharaharapriya scale, shown here with shadjam at C

Shree is an asymmetric rāgam that does not contain gāndhāram or dhaivatam in the ascending scale. It is a audava-vakra-sampurna rāgam (or owdava, meaning pentatonic in ascending scale),[1] where vakra indicates the zig-zag nature of jumping notes in descending scale. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

This scale uses the notes chatushruti rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chatushruti dhaivatam and kaisiki nishadam.

Shree rāgam has been decorated with compositions by many composers. A few of the popular kritis are listed here.

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

Scale similarities

  • Madhyamavati is a rāgam which has a symmetric ascending and descending scale, which matches the ascending scale of Shree. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P N2 S : S N2 P M1 R2 S
  • Manirangu is a rāgam which has gāndhāram in the descending scale, while all other notes in both the ascending and descending scale are same as Madhyamavati. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P N2 S : S N2 P M1 G2 R2 S

Notes

  1. ↑ Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: S R M P Ṉ Ṡ
    • Western: C D F G A# C
  2. ↑ Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
    • Western: C A# G F D D# D C
  3. ↑ Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P D Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
    • Western: C A# G A A# G F D D# D C

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
  2. 1 2 Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
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