Shivaranjani
Shivaranjani or Sivaranjani is a musical scale used in Indian classical music. There are two scales, one in Hindustani music and one in Carnatic music. The Hindustani rāga is a pentatonic scale,[1] as is the Carnatic scale categorized as Audava-Audava (audava meaning 'of 5') resulting in 5 notes in the Arohanam and 5 in the Avarohanam.
Thaat | Kafi |
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Arohana | S R g P D Ṡ |
Avarohana | Ṡ D P g R S |
Carnatic music |
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Concepts |
Compositions |
Instruments |
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Hindustani classical music |
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Hindustani scale
The Hindustani rāga Shivaranjani belongs to the Kaafi thaat in terms of classification of the scale.[2] Its structure is as follows:
- ārohaṇa : S R g P D Ṡ[lower-alpha 1]
- avarohaṇa : Ṡ D P g R S[lower-alpha 2]
The komal(soft) gandhar(g) in place of shuddh gandhar (G) is the difference between this rāga and the global musical scale of Bhoop.
Borrowed into Carnatic music
![](../I/Shivaranjani_scale.svg.png.webp)
In Karnatic Music, this is a janya rāga (derived scale) from 22nd mela-kartha raga Kharaharapriya. It is a audava-audava rāgam in Carnatic music classification (i.e., a ragam that has five notes in both its arohana and avarohana). Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) using swaras in Carnatic music notation is as follows:
- ārohaṇa : S R₂ G₂ P D₂ Ṡ[lower-alpha 3]
- avarohaṇa : Ṡ D₂ P G₂ R₂ S[lower-alpha 4]
(the variant notes used in this scale are chathusruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, chathusruthi dhaivatham other than the invariants shadjam and panchamam)
Popular compositions
- The opening stanza of Kurai ondrum illai based on lyrics of Rajaji
- Andavan Ambe composed by Papanasam Sivan
- Antaryami Alasithi Solasithi - popular rendering of Annamacharya's krithi.
- Yamanelli Kanenendu, Aluvudyatako Rangayya - popular renderings of Purandara Dasa's krithis.
- Va Velava composed by M D Ramanathan
Film songs
Tamil
Related rāgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspects of this rāgam.
Graha bhedam
Shivaranjani's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 2 other pentatonic rāgams, namely, Sunadavinodini and Revati. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. See Graha bhedam on Shivaranjani for more details and an illustration.
Scale similarities
- Mohanam is a popular rāgam which has the antara gandharam in place of sadharana gandharam. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G3 P D2 S : S D2 P G3 R2 S
- Abhogi is a popular rāgam which has the shuddha madhyamam in place of panchamam. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 G2 M1 D2 S : S D2 M1 G2 R2 S
Carnatic scale
The Carnatic scale Shivaranjani is a janya rāgam (derived scale) associated with the 64th parent scale Vachaspati (melakarta). It has vakra prayoga (zig-zag notes in its scale and note phrases) and its scale is as follows.[3]
- ārohaṇa : S R₂ G₃ M₂ D₂ P N₂ Ṡ[lower-alpha 5]
- avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₂ D₂ P D₂ M₂ G₃ R₂ S[lower-alpha 6]
Compositions
The compositions in this scale are:[3]
- Andavan anbe and Tarunamidaya dayai composed by Papanasam Sivan
- Maha Tripura Sundari Varnam composed by Madurai R. Muralidaran
Notes
- Alternate notations:
- Carnatic: S R₂ D₂ Ṡ
- Western: C D A C
- Alternate notations:
- Carnatic: Ṡ D₂ P S
- Western: C A G C
- Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: S R G̱ P D Ṡ
- Western: C D E♭ G A C
- Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: Ṡ D P G̱ R S
- Western: C A G E♭ D C
- Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: S R G M̄ D P Ṉ Ṡ
- Western: C D E F♯ A G B♭ C
- Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ D P D M̄ G R S
- Western: C B♭ A G A F♯ E D C
References
- Chakraborty, S.; Mazzola, G.; Tewari, S.; Patra, M. (2014). Computational Musicology in Hindustani Music. Computational Music Science. Springer International Publishing. p. 3. ISBN 978-3-319-11472-9.
- Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
- Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications