Hamsadhvani (meaning "the cry of the swan"), 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 ...

in Carnatic music (musical scale of Carnatic tradition of Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a '' janya'' rāga of the Melakartha raga,

Sankarabharanam Sankarabharanam may refer to: * ''Sankarabharanam'' (1980 film), an Indian Telugu-language musical drama film * ''Sankarabharanam'' (2015 film), an Indian Telugu-language crime comedy film * Sankarabharanam (raga) Dhīraśankarābharaṇaṃ, c ...

(29th) but according to Hamsadhvani's prayoga or the way it is sung it is said to be the janya of

Kalyani Kalyani may refer to: Film and television * ''Kalyani'' (1940 film), a Hindi film * ''Kalyani'' (1952 film), a Tamil film * ''Kalyani'' (1971 film), a Kannada film * ''Kalyani'' (1979 film), a Telugu film * ''Kalyani'' (1983 film), an Oriya ...

(65th). ''Hamsadhvani'' is also extensively used in Hindustani music and said to be borrowed into it from Carnatic music.''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras It was created by the Carnatic composer Ramaswami Dikshitar (1735–1817), father of Muthuswami Dikshitar (one of the musical trinity of Carnatic music), and brought into Hindustani music by

Aman Ali Khan Ustad Aman Ali Khan ‘Amar’ (1888–1953) was an Indian classical vocalist and composer from the Bhendibazaar Gharana The Bhendibazaar gharana is one of the vocal gharanas of Indian classical music, which originated in Bhendi Bazaar area of ...

of the Bhendibazaar gharana. It has become popular due to Amir Khan.

Structure and lakshana

''Hamsadhvani'' does not contain ''madhyamam'' or ''dhaivatham''. It is a pentatonic scale (''audava-audava'' ragam''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications in Carnatic music classification – ''audava'' meaning 'of 5'). Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms): * : * : The notes used in this scale are ''shadjam, chatushruti rishabham, antara gandharam, panchamam'' and ''kakali nishadam''. In Hindustani music, it is associated with ''

Bilaval Bilaval or Bilawal () is a raga and the basis for the eponymous ''thaat'' (musical mode) in Hindustani classical music. Raga Bilaval is named after Veraval, Gujarat. Bilaval has been the standard for North Indian music since the early 19th cen ...

thaat'' (equivalent of ''Shankarabharanam'').

Compositions

''Hamsadhvani'' rāgam lends itself for elaboration and exploration and has many compositions in both classical music and film music. It is usually sung at the beginning of a performance. There are many '' kritis'' (compositions) in praise of Lord Ganesha set in this musical scale. * ''Jalajaskhiro'' an

adi Talam Adi tala (Sanskrit: ''ādi tālà'' {{lang, sa, आदि ताळ, Kannada: ಆದಿ ತಾಳ, literally "primary rhythm" also spelled aadi taalam or adi talam) is the name of one of the most popular tala or rhythms used in Carnatic Music. I ...

Varnam * ''Gajamukhane Siddhidayakane'' by Vyasatirtha * ''Raghunāyaka'',''Śrī Raghukula'' and ''Abhi‌shta varada'' by Tyagaraja in Telugu * '' Vātāpi Gaṇapatiṃ''and parvathypathim by Muthuswami Dikshitar in Sanskrit * ''Pāhi Śripatē'' by

Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma ( 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 40 ...

* ''Varanamukha vā'' by Koteeswara Iyer * ''Mūlādhāra mūrti'',''Karunai seivai','ullam irangi and parasakthi janani by Papanasam Sivan in Sanskrit and Tamil * ''Gajavadana beduve'' by Purandaradasa in Kannada *''Nammamma Sharade'' by Kanakadasa in Kannada * ''Vināyakā'' by Veena Kuppayyar in Sanskrit * ''Varavallabha Ramaṇa'' by

G. N. Balasubramaniam Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramaniam (6 January 1910 – 1 May 1965), popularly known as GNB, was an Indian Carnatic singer. He innovated the art through emphasis on ''laya ''control and reducing the ''gamakas'' which eventually made Carnatic ...

* ''Gaṃ Gaṇapatē'' by

Muthiah Bhagavatar Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar (15 November 1877 – 30 June 1945), commonly known as Muthiah Bhagavatar, is one of Carnatic classical music's famous twentieth-century composers. He also created about 20 '' ragas''. Early life Muthiah was bo ...

* ''Pirai Aniyum Peruman'' by Dr

M. 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 ...

* ''Vinayaka Vighnavishaka'' by

R Ganapati R, or r, is the eighteenth Letter (alphabet), letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabe ...

* ''Sundar Gopālaṃ'' by Devaki Pandit * ''Varuvai Arulvai Shantanayagi'' by Manachanallur Giridharan * ''Tumbikkai Andavane'' by Manachanallur Giridharan * ''Vinayaka Ninnu Vina'' by E.V. Raamakrishna Bhaagavatar * ''Vande Anishamaham'' by Mysore Vasudevachar * ''Bhajamahe Sree Vinayakam'' by Tulaseevanam * Arul purivai and Karunai seiguvai by Sudhanandha bharathy

Film songs

* ''Lagi Lagan Pathi Sakhi Sangh'' from the movie " Meghe Dhaka Tara"

In Tamil language

Related rāgas

''Graha bhedham''

''Hamsadhvani's'' notes when shifted using ''

Graha bhedam ''Graha Bhedam'' in Carnatic music is the process (or result of the process) of shifting the Tonic note (''śruti'') to another note in the rāgam and arriving at a different rāgam. Its equivalent in Hindustani classical music is called a ''mur ...

'', yields another pentatonic rāgam, ''

Nagasvaravali , is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'', meaning pentatonic scale). It is a '' janya'' rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven '' swaras'' (mu ...

''. ''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 Hamsadhvani''.

Scale similarities

* '' Mohanam'' is a rāgam which has ''chatushruti dhaivatam'' in place of the ''nishadam''. Structures are shown in second table. * ''

Amritavarshini Amr̥tavarṣiṇi is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music), created in the early nineteenth century by Muthuswami Dikshitar. It is an ''audava'' rāgam (meaning pentatonic scale) in which only five of the ...

'' is a rāgam which has ''Prati Madhyamam'' in place of the ''rishabham''. Structures are shown in first table. * '' Gambhiranata'' is a rāgam which has ''shuddha madhyamam'' in place of the ''rishabham''. Structures are shown in first table. * '' Niroshta'' is a rāgam which has ''chatushruti dhaivatam'' in place of the ''panchamam''. Structures are shown in second table.

In Hindustani music

Vadi and samavadi

Vadi: Sa Samavadi: Pa

Pakad or chalan

ga pa ni Sa ga re ni pa Sa The Pakad is the one where one can identify to which raga does the composition belongs.

Organization and relationships

Thaat:

Time

Late Evening w.w.w.wikipedia

Important recordings

* Amir Khan, Ragas Hansadhwani and Malkauns, on HMV LP (long-playing record), EMI-EASD1357 * ''Lagi Lagana'' (Drut – Teental) by A. Kanan in Meghe Dhaka Tara * ''Ja Tose Nahin Bolun Kanhaiya'' by Lata Mangeshkar in Parivar (1956)

Notes

References

Literature

* Bor, Joep ''(ed).'' Rao, Suvarnalata; der Meer, Wim van; Harvey, Jane ''(co-authors)'' ''The Raga Guide: A Survey of 74 Hindustani Ragas''. Zenith Media, London: 1999.

External links

SRA on Samay and Ragas

Rajan Parrikar on Ragas
{{Rāgas as per Performance Time Janya ragas