Hamsanadam (pronounced hamsanādam) is a

rāga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

m in

Carnatic music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

(musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a pentatonic scale (''audava'' rāgam, which means "of 5"), as it is sung in current days.''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras It is a derived scale (''

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 vari ...

'' rāgam), as it does not have all the seven ''

swara Swara () or svara is an Indian classical music term that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, a note, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave, or ''saptanka''. More comprehensively ...

s'' (musical notes), from the 60th ''

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 derived. A ''melaka ...

'' rāgam ''

Neetimati Neetimati is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 60th ''melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Nishādham in Muthuswami Dikshitar sc ...

''.

Structure and Lakshana

''Hamsanadam'', as it is sung now-a-days, is a symmetric scale that does not contain ''gandharam'' and ''dhaivatam''. It is called an ''audava'' rāgam, in Carnatic music classification (as it has 5 notes in both ascending and descending scales). Its ''ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa'' structure is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms): * ārohaṇa : * avarohaṇa : This scale uses the notes ''shadjam, chatusruti rishabham, prati madhyamam, panchamam'' and ''kakali nishadam''.

Other structures

Earlier structure of this scale were as follows:''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications *Ascending scale : *Descending scale : In the above, ''shatsruti dhaivatam'' is added in the scale compared to current usage (''shadava'' scale with 6 notes in ascendinga and descending scale), with a ''vakra prayoga'' (zig-zag descending scale).

''Graha bhedham''

''Hamsanadam's'' notes when shifted using '' Graha bhedham'', yields three pentatonic rāgams, '' Gambhiranata'', Neela and '' Bhupalam''. ''Graha bhedham'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāgam. For more details and illustrations of this concept refer '' Graha bhedham on Gambhiranata''.

Popular compositions

''Hamsanadam'' has a few popular compositions: *''Kalyana Rama'' by

Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi Oothukkaadu Venkata Kavi (-1765) or Oottukkaadu Venkata Subramanyar 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 V ...

*''Bantureethi Koluvu'' by

Tyagaraja Sadguru Tyagaraja Swami ( Telugu: సద్గురు త్యాగరాజ స్వామి; 4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Tyagayya, and in full as Kakarla Tyagabrahmam ( Telugu: కాకర్ల త్యాగబ ...

*''Neeye Paramukham'' by

Papanasam Sivan Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema a ...

*''Kripanidhe'' by

Muthiah Bhagavatar Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar (15 November 1877 – 30 June 1945), commonly known as Muthiah Bhagavatar, is one of Carnatic classical music's famous twentieth-century composers. He also created about 20 ''ragas''. Early life Muthiah was bo ...

*''Paasa Vendume'' by

Dandapani Desikar M M Dandapani Desikar (August 27, 1908 – June 26, 1972) was a Carnatic vocalist, actor and composer. 'Isai Arasu' Dandapani Desikar was born in Tiruchengattangudi, near Nannilam in Madras Presidency. He got training from Manicka Desikar and K ...

*''Bharama Ee Baluni'' by G N Balasubramaniam *''Ezhiludai Hamsanaadham'' by Thanjavur Sankara Iyer *''Vishwa Prakashunaku'' by

Annamacharya Tallapaka Annamacharya () (09 May 1408 – 23 February 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, was a Telugu musician, composer, and a Hindu saint. He is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called '' samkirtanas.'' His devoti ...

Film Songs

Language:
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

Tamil Serial Title Song

Language:
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

Notes

References

{{Janya, state=collapsed Janya ragas