Shree (Carnatic raga) explained
Shri ragam is an ancient ragam in the Carnatic tradition. It is also written as Sri or Sreerag.[1] This scale does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes) in the ascending scale. Shree is the asampurna melakartha equivalent of Kharaharapriya, the 22nd Melakarta rāgam.[2] It is the last of the 5 Ghana rāgams of Carnatic music. It is a popular rāgam that is considered to be highly auspicious.
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
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), 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.
Popular compositions
Shree rāgam has been decorated with compositions by many composers. A few of the popular kritis are listed here.
- Sami ninnekori, a Varnam by Karur Devudu Iyer in Telugu
- Mayanai - 5th Thiruppavai by Andal
- The fifth Pancharatna Kriti Endaro mahanubhavulu composed by Tyagaraja in Telugu, the last of the 5 gems
- Nama kumusumamula, Yuktamu gAdu by Tyagaraja in Telugu
- Sri Varalakshmi, Sri Muladhara Chakra Vinayaka, Sri Kamalambike, Sri Abhayamba, Sri Vishvanatham Bhaje, Tyagaraja Mahadhvajaaroha and Kameshvarena Samrakshitoham by Muthuswami Dikshitar in Sanskrit
- Karuna judu ninnu by Shyama Shastri in Telugu
- Vanajasana Vinuta composed by Subbaraya Shastri in Telugu
- Bhavayami Nanda and Reena Madadritha by Swathi Thirunal
- Vande Vasudevam (Sanskrit), Dinamu Dwadasi Nedu (Telugu), O! Pavanatmaja O! Ghanuda (Telugu) by Annamacharya
- Bandanene Ranga (9th Navaratna Malike), Adi Varahana (very rare composition on Lord Varaha) by Purandara Dasa in Kannada
- Mangalam Arul by Papanasam Sivan in Tamil
- Karuna Cheyvan Enthu by Irayimman Thampi in Malayalam
Film Songs
| Song | Movie | Year | Composer | Singer |
|---|
| Deviyar Iruvar | Kalai Kovil | 1964 | Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy | P. Susheela |
| Ulagin Mudalisai(Hindi lines in Ragam Pahadi) | Thavapudhalavan | 1972 | M. S. Viswanathan | T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Srinivas |
| Sugamana Ragangale(Pallavi only) | Miruthanga Chakravarthi | 1983 | Vani Jairam |
| Ninaivaale | Andaman Kadhali | 1978 | K.J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam |
| Sugaraagame Yen(Ragam Manirangu) | Kanni Rasi | 1985 | Ilayaraja | Malaysia Vasudevan, Vani Jairam |
| Solam Vidhakayile | 16 Vayathinile | 1977 | |
| Saamakozhi Koovudhamma | Ponnu Oorukku Pudhusu | | Ilayaraja, S. P. Sailaja |
| Kandane Engum | Kaatrinile Varum Geetham | 1978 | S. Janaki, Vani Jairam(Pathos) |
| Poovana Enna Thottu | Ponmana Selvan | 1989 | Mano, Vani Jairam |
| Devi Durga Devi | En Padal Unakaga | | Mano, K.S. Chitra |
| Nee Pogum Pathayil | Gramatthu Minnal | 1987 | Malaysia Vasudevan, K.S. Chitra |
| Vaadi Yen Sengamalam | Raasukutti | 1992 | Minmini |
| Perai Chollava | Guru | 1980 | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki |
| Kondai Seval Koovum | Enga Chinna Rasa | 1987 | Shankar–Ganesh |
| Thodu Vaanam Nijamalla | Kavithai Paada Neramillai | L. Vaidyanathan | S. Janaki |
| Andhi Malai Kovil(Inspired from Endaro mahanubhavulu By Thyagaraja) | Andhi Malai(Album song) | 1992 | Ouseppachan(Keyboard By AR Rahman) |
| Theendai Mei Theendai | En Swasa Kaatre | 1999 | A. R. Rahman | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chitra |
| Selai Kattum | Kodi Parakuthu | 1988 | Hamsalekha |
| Kaakai Chiraginile | Purusha Lakshanam | 1993 | Deva |
| Pacha Marikozhundhu | Veeram Vilanja Mannu | 1998 | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Anuradha Sriram |
| Manase Manase | Nenjinile | 1999 | P. Unnikrishnan, K. S. Chitra |
| Cochin Madapura | Unnudan | 1998 | P. Unnikrishnan, Swarnalatha |
| Suttipoove | Kaivantha Kalai | 2006 | Dhina | Karthik, Sadhana Sargam |
| Sinthamani Sinthamani | Aahaa Enna Porutham | 1997 | Vidyasagar | Hariharan, S. Janaki |
| Thodu Thodu Vaa Mella | Dharma Devathai | 1986 | Raveendran | K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki |
| Ottiyaanam Senju | Arul | 2004 | Harris Jayaraj | Hariharan, Srimathumitha |
| Anbae Anbae | Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal | 2014 | Harish Raghavendra, Harini |
| Pooncholai Kiliye | Aran | 2006 | Joshua Sridhar | Karthik, Asha G. Menon | |
Related rāgams
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 and References
- Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
- Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
