Gourimanohari

Gourimanohari scale with Shadjam at C

It is the 5th rāgam in the 4th chakra Veda. The mnemonic name is Veda-Ma. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri gi ma pa dhi nu.[1] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

• ārohaṇa: S R₂ G₂ M₁ P D₂ N₃ Ṡ[lower-alpha 1]
• avarohaṇa: Ṡ N₃ D₂ P M₁ G₂ R₂ S[lower-alpha 2]

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chatushruti rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chatushruti daivatam and kakali nishadham. It is a sampurna rāgam – a rāgam that has all seven swaras (notes). It is the shuddha madhyamam equivalent of Dharmavati, which is the 59th melakarta.

It has a few minor janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of janya rāgams to look up all rāgams associated with it.

The following are a few popular compositions in this rāgam.

• Guruleka etuvanti by Thyagaraja
• Varalakshmi Namostute by Mysore Vasudevacharya
• Sarasa sama mridu pada by Swati Tirunal
• Brova Samayamide Ramayya by Karur Devudu Iyer
• Gangadhara Shiva by Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji
• Gauri Manohara by Papanasam Sivan

‘Shades of Blue: A Musical Tribute to Venmurasu’ sung by Kamal Haasan, Sriram Parthasarathy, Saindhavi composed by Rajan Somasundaram is considered to be the definition of this ragam as it explores various shades of expressions possible in Gaurimanohari using vocals, Sitar, Sarangi, Flute, singing bowls and various string instruments.[2]

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

Gourimanohari's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 3 other major melakarta rāgams, namely, Vachaspati, Natakapriya and Charukesi. 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 see Graha bhedam on Vachaspati.