Shree (Carnatic raga)

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 equivalent of Kharaharapriya, the 22nd Melakarta rāgam.[1][2] It is the last of the 5 Ghana rāgams of Carnatic music.[1] It is a popular rāgam that is considered to be highly auspicious.[2]

Shree ragam
ArohanamS R₂ M₁ P N₂ Ṡ
AvarohanamṠ N₂ P M₁ R₂ G₂ R₂ S
Carnatic music
Tanjavur-style Tambura
Concepts
Compositions
Instruments
Melody
Sarasvati Vīṇa
Veṇu
Nāgasvaraṃ
Gottuvadhyam (Citra Vīṇa)
Violin
Percussion
Mr̥daṅgaṃ
Ghatam
Morsing
Kanjira
Thavil
Drone
Tambura
Shruti box

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

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.

Film Songs

Language: Tamil
Song Movie Composer Singer
Deviyar Iruvar Kalai Kovil Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy P. Susheela
Sandanathil Nalla Vasam Eduthu Praptham M. S. Viswanathan T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Solam Vidhakayile 16 Vayathinile Illayaraja Illayaraja
Saamakozhi Koovudhamma Ponnu Oorukku Pudhusu Illayaraja, S. P. Sailaja
Theendai Mei Theendai En Swasa Kaatre A. R. Rahman S. P. Balasubramaniam, K.S. Chitra
Selai Kattum Kodi Parakuthu Hamsalekha
Kaakai Chiraginile Purusha Lakshanam Deva
Manase Manase Nenjinile P. Unnikrishnan, K.S. Chitra
Cochin Madapura Unnudan P. Unnikrishnan, Swarnalatha
Suttipoove Kaivantha Kalai Dhina Karthik, Sadhana Sargam
Sinthamani Sinthamani Aahaa Enna Porutham Vidyasagar Hariharan, S. Janaki
Thodu Thodu Vaa Mella Dharma Devathai Raveendran K.J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Pooncholai Kiliye Aran Joshua Sridhar Karthik, Asha G. Menon

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 B♭ C
  2. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
    • Western: C B♭ G F D E♭ D C
  3. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P D Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
    • Western: C B♭ G A B♭ G F D E♭ D C

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