Hindōḷaṃ is a
rāga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradition, and as ...
m in
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...
(musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a ''
janya
''Janya'' is a term meaning "derive". In Carnatic (South Indian) music a ''janya raga'' is one derived from one of the 72 ''melakarta'' ragas (fundamental melodic structures). ''Janya'' ragas are classified into various types based on a varie ...
'' rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven ''
swara
Svara or swara (Devanagari: स्वर, generally pronounced as ''swar'') is a Sanskrit word that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave or '' ...
s'' (musical notes). Hindolam is not the same as the Hindustani
Hindol
Hindol is a Hindustani classical '' raga'' from the Kalyan Thaat.
According to Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj, Hindol is an ancient raga associated with the spring season and is sung during the first part of the day.
Origin
The ra ...
. The equivalent of ''Hindolam'' in
Hindustani music
Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...
is ''
Malkauns
Malkauns, known also as rag Malkosh, is a raga in Indian classical music. It is one of the oldest ragas of Indian classical music. The equivalent raga in Carnatic music is called Hindolam, not to be confused with the Hindustani Hindol.
Accordi ...
''
[''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications] (or
Malkosh[''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras]).
It is known to be a rāgam that is generally beautiful and soothing to listen to. Being symmetrical in its ascending and descending scales, it lends itself very well to improvisation and is therefore popular at concerts.
Structure and Lakshana
![Hindolam scale](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Hindolam_scale.svg)
''Hindōḷaṃ'' is a symmetric rāgam that does not contain ''rishabham'' and ''panchamam''. It is a pentatonic scale (''audava-audava'' rāgam
in Carnatic music classification—''audava'' means 'of 5'). Since pentatonic scales can be found in other world music such as Chinese music, shades of ''
Mohanam
Mohanam is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is usually described as a '' janya'' rāga of Harikamboji (28th Melakartha Raga) ...
'' and ''Hindōḷaṃ'' can sometimes be traced in Chinese and east Asian music. Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see
''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
*
:
*
:
This rāgam uses the ''
swara
Svara or swara (Devanagari: स्वर, generally pronounced as ''swar'') is a Sanskrit word that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave or '' ...
s'' sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatam and kaisiki nishadam. ''Hindolam'' is not a ''
melakarta
Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales ( ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). ''Mēḷakartā'' ragas are parent ragas (hence known as ''janaka'' ragas) from which other ragas may be generated. A ''melak ...
'' rāgam, since it does not contain all the seven ''swaras''.
Experts in Carnatic music hold differences of opinion on the ''janaka'' rāgams (rāgams of origin) that should be attributed to ''Hindolam''. It is widely accepted that the 20th melakarta, ''
Natabhairavi'', is the parent rāgam of ''Hindolam'', but some would like to associate it with the 8th melakarta, ''
Hanumatodi
Hanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi (pronounced hanumatōdi and tōdi), is a rāgam (musical scale) in Carnatic music. It is the 8th ''melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system. This is sung very often in concer ...
''.
It can be derived from both, by dropping the ''rishabham'' and ''panchamam''.
Popular Compositions
''Sāmajavara gamanā'' by the maestro
Tyagaraja
Thyagaraja (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ) (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his ...
is one of the most popular compositions in ''Hindolam''. ''Mamavatu śri Sarasvati'' by
Mysore Vasudevachar
Mysore Vasudevacharya (28 May 1865 – 17 May 1961) was an Indian musician and composer of Carnatic music compositions who belonged to the direct line of Thyagaraja's disciples. Vasudevachar's compositions (numbering over 200) were mostly in Telu ...
is another popular composition. Here are some more ''kritis'' composed in Hindolam:
*''Samajavaragamana'', ''Manasulōni Marmamulu'' and ''Gōvardhana Giridhāri'' by
Tyagaraja
Thyagaraja (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ) (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his ...
*''Madhukara Vritti'', ''Yaare Rangana'',
''Avanavana Kayva'', by
Purandaradasa
Purandara Dasa ( IAST: Purandara dāsa) ( 1470 – 1565) was a Haridasa philosopher and a follower of Madhwacharya 's Dwaitha philosophy -saint from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a composer, singer and one of the chief founding-pro ...
*''Dasa Dasara Maneya'' By
Kanakadasa
Kanaka Dasa (1509–1609) was a Haridasa saint and philosopher, popularly called Daasashreshta Kanakadasa (ದಾಸಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಕನಕದಾಸ). He was a renowned composer of Carnatic music, poet, reformer and musician. He is kn ...
*'' Guru Purandara Dasare'', ''Uma Kathyayani'' By
Vijaya Dasa
Vijaya Dasa ( kn, ವಿಜಯದಾಸ) (c. 1682– c. 1755) was a prominent saint from the Haridasa tradition of Karnataka, India in the 18th century, and a scholar of the Dvaita philosophical tradition. Along with contemporary haridasa saint ...
*''Hari Sarvothama Vayu Jeevothama'' By Kamalesha Vittala Dasu
*''Gōvardhana Girīśam Smarāmi'', ''Neerajakshi Kamakshi'' and ''Saraswati Vidhiyuvathi'' by
Muthuswami Dikshitar
Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar)(, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer and veena player, and a legendary composer of Indian classical music, who is considered one of the musical ...
*''Padmanabha Pāhi'' by
Swathi Thirunal
( ml, സ്വാതി തിരുനാള് രാമവർമ്മ) (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He is also considered as a brilliant music composer and is credited with over 4 ...
*''Maa Ramanan'', ''Sāma Gāna lolalane'' and ''Nambikettavar'' by
Papanasam Sivan
Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema ...
*''Sadanandamayi Chinmayi'' by
Oothukadu Venkata Kavi
*''Mamavatu Sri Saraswati'' by
Mysore Vasudevacharya
Mysore Vasudevacharya (28 May 1865 – 17 May 1961) was an Indian musician and composer of Carnatic music compositions who belonged to the direct line of Thyagaraja's disciples. Vasudevachar's compositions (numbering over 200) were mostly in Telu ...
*''Chintayami Jagadamba'' by
Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar
Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar (18 July 1919 – 23 September 1974) was the 25th Maharaja of Mysore from 1940 to 1950, who later served as the governor of Mysore State, Mysore and Madras State, Madras states.
Early life
Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar w ...
*''Dēva Dēvaṃ Bhajē'', ''Konḍalalō Nelakonna'', ''Garuda Gamana'', ''Narayana Ni Namame'', ''Nigama Nigama Nigamandha'' by
Annamacharya
Tallapaka Annamacharya (Telugu : తాళ్ళపాక అన్నమాచార్య) ( IAST: taḷḷapāka annamācārya; 22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, was a 15th-century Hindu saint and the ea ...
*''Ramanakku Mannan Mudi'' by
Arunachala Kavi
*''Mal Marugan (varnam)'' by Thanjavur Shankara Iyer
*''Tillana (Dhim na naa tha dhirana) '' by
Balamuralikrishna
Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna (6 July 1930 – 22 November 2016) was an Indian Carnatic vocalist, musician, multi-instrumentalist, playback singer, composer, and character actor. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in ...
Numerous ''
bhajan
Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...
s,
stotra
''Stotra'' (Sanskrit: स्तोत्र) is a Sanskrit word that means "ode, eulogy or a hymn of praise."Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'Stotra'' It is a literary genre of In ...
s,
kritis
''Kriti'' (Sanskrit: कृति, ''kṛti'') is a format of musical composition typical to Carnatic music. ''Kritis'' form the mental backbone of any typical Carnatic music concert and is the longer format of Carnatic song. "Kriti" also means C ...
'' and film music numbers also have been composed in the ''Hindolam'' rāgam.
Tamil Film Songs
Non Film Songs
Kannada Film Songs
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
''Hindolam's'' notes when shifted using ''
Graha bhedam'', yields 4 other major pentatonic rāgams, namely, ''
Mohanam
Mohanam is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is usually described as a '' janya'' rāga of Harikamboji (28th Melakartha Raga) ...
'', ''
Shuddha Saveri
Shuddha Saveri or śuddha sāveri is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music) and Yakshagana music. It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a '' janya'' rāgam (derive ...
'', ''
Udayaravichandrika
Udayaravichandrika is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale ). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the ...
'' (also known as ''Shuddha Dhanyasi'') and ''
Madhyamavati
Madhyamavati (madhyamāvati) is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale), as it does not have all the seven musical notes (''swaras''). ...
''. ''Graha bhedam'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāgam. For more details and illustration of this concept refer ''
Graha bhedam on Mohanam''.
Scale similarities
*''Saramati'' has an asymmetric scale, with the ascending scale of ''
Natabhairavi'', while the descending scale is same as ''Hindolam''. Its ' structure is S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S : S N2 D1 M1 G2 S
Notes
References
{{Janya
Janya ragas