Simhendramadhyamam 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 57th ''
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 Sumadyuti 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.
[''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications][''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras] It is said to be borrowed into
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 ...
from Carnatic music.
Structure and Lakshana
It is the 3rd rāgam in the 10th ''chakra Disi''. The mnemonic name is ''Disi-Go''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ri gi mi pa dha ni''.
Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see
''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
*
:
*
:
It is also equivalent to
Hungarian Minor Scale
The Hungarian minor scale,Christiansen, Mike (2000). ''Guitar Scale Dictionary'', p. 14. .Stetina, Troy (2007). ''Fretboard Mastery'', p. 126. .Kent Cleland, Mary Dobrea-Grindahl (2010). ''Developing Musicianship Through Aural Skills'', p. 495. Ca ...
that is also called as Gypsy Minor Scale in Western Music.
This musical scale uses the notes ''chatushruti rishabham, sadharana gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha daivatam'' and ''kakali nishadham''. As it is a ''melakarta'' rāgam, by definition it is a
''sampūrṇa'' rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the ''prati madhyamam'' equivalent of ''
Kiraṇāvali'' ( also known by name kīravāṇi ), which is the 21st ''melakarta''.
''Janya'' rāgams
''Simhendramadhyamam'' has a few 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 ...
'' rāgams (derived scales) associated with it, of which ''Vijaya Saraswati'', a scale first used by
Muthiah Bhagavatar is sung in concerts. See
List of ''janya'' rāgams for all scales associated with ''Simhendramadhyamam''.
Compositions
Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to ''Simhendramadhyamam''.
*''Needu charanamule'' by Tyagaraja
*''Kamakshi Kamakoti peetha vaasini'' 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 ...
(with rāgam name ''sumadyuti''
mudra
A mudra (; sa, मुद्रा, , "seal", "mark", or "gesture"; ,) is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.
As wel ...
in it)
*''Pamarajanapalini'' 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 ...
(with rāgam name ''sumadyuti''
mudra
A mudra (; sa, मुद्रा, , "seal", "mark", or "gesture"; ,) is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.
As wel ...
in it)
*''Ashaindhadum mayil onDru'' by
Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi
Oothukkaadu Venkata Kavi (-1765) or Oottukkaadu Venkata Subbaiar was one of the pioneering composers in Indian classical Carnatic music. He lived in South India in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu. Also known by the name Oothukkaadu Venkatas ...
*''Ninne Nammithi nayya'' 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 ...
*''Innum orutharam'' by
Muthu Thandavar
Muthu Thandavar (1525 – 1600 CE) (Tamil:முத்துத்தாண்டவர்)was composer of Carnatic music. He was an early architect of the present day Carnatic '' kriti'' (song) format, which consists of the ''pallavi'' (refra ...
*''Ayyappa'' by
Yesudas
Kattassery Joseph Yesudas (born 10 January 1940) is an Indian playback singer and musician who sings Indian classical, devotional and film songs. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of Indian Music and also as a c ...
*''unnaiyallAl vErE gati'' by
Koteeswara Iyer
*''Rama rama guna seema'' by
Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
*''Marakata Simhasana'' by
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 ...
*"Iha Param yennum" by Pabanasamsivan
Here two famous Bengali songs composed by
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
&
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam ( bn, কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম, ; 24 May 1899 – 29 August 1976) was a Bengali poet, Bengali literature, writer, Bangladeshi music, musician, and is the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul is regarded as one ...
, set to ''Simhendramadhyamam''.
* Baje Koruno Sure (Rabindra Sangeet)
* Paradesi Megh Jao Re fire (Nazrul Geeti)
Film songs
Language:
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
''Simhendramadhyamam's'' notes when shifted using ''
Graha bhedam'', yields 2 other ''melakarta'' rāgams, namely, ''
Mayamalavagowla
Mayamalavagowla (pronounced ) is a raga of Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is classified as 15th '' melakarta'' raga under Venkatamakhin's '' melakarta'' system. Originally known as ''malavagowla'', "maya" was ...
'' and ''
Rasikapriya
Rasikapriya is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the last (72nd) ''melakarta'' rāgam in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Rasamanjari in Muthuswami Dikshitar scho ...
''. ''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 further details and an illustration refer ''
Graha bhedam on Mayamalavagowla''.
Notes
References
{{Janya, state=collapsed
Melakarta ragas