Salagam (pronounced sālagam) is a

raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

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 the 37th ''

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 in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Sowgandini in

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 ...

school of Carnatic music.''Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar Keertanaigal'' by Vidwan A Sundaram Iyer, Pub. 1989, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 1st rāgam in the 7th ''chakra Rishi''. The mnemonic name is ''Rishi-Pa''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ra ga mi pa dha na''. Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms): * : * : In this scale, the notes ''shuddha rishabham, shuddha gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham'' and ''shuddha nishadham'' are used. As ''Salagam'' is a ''melakarta'' rāgam, by definition it is a ''sampoorna'' rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the ''prati madhyamam'' equivalent of ''

Kanakangi Kanakangi (pronounced kanakāngi, meaning ''the golden bodied one'') is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 1st ''Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is ...

'', which is the first ''melakarta''.

''Janya'' rāgams

''Salagam'' has a minor ''

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) associated with it. See List of ''janya'' rāgams for full list of rāgams associated with ''Salagam'' and other ''melakartas''.

Compositions

A few compositions set to ''Salagam'' scale are: *''Ganamrudham'' by Koteeswara Iyer *''VĀraÑa vadanam'' 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 ...

Film Compositions Adheera Adheera Song - Cobra - Ajay Gnanamuthu - A.R.Rahman (Anya Swaram G₃,N₃)

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam. ''Salagam'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 no other ''melakarta'' rāgam, like all 6 rāgams in the ''Rishi chakra'' (''

Jalarnavam Jalarnavam (pronounced , meaning ''the ocean'') is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 38th ''Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Jaganmōhan ...

Jhalavarali Jhalavarali (pronounced , meaning ''A moon with the sun's heat''), is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 39th ''Melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is ...

Navaneetam Navaneetam (pronounced navanītam, meaning ''the eternal new one'') is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 40th ''Melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic ...

, Pavani'' and ''

Raghupriya Raghupriya (meaning ''The one dear to Raghu'') is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 42nd ''melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is calle ...

'' being the other 5). Only these rāgams have a gap of 3 notes anywhere in their scale, between G1 to M2. Such a gap does not occur in any other ''melakarta'' by definition. ''Graha bhedam'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāgam.

Notes

References

{{Janya, state=collapsed Melakarta ragas