Hamsadhvani

Hamsadhvani (meaning "the cry of the swan"^[1]), is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of Carnatic tradition of Indian classical music). It is an audava rāgam (or owdava rāga, meaning pentatonic scale).^[2] It is a janya rāga of the Melakartha raga, Sankarabharanam (29th) but according to Hamsadhvani's prayoga or the way it is sung it is said to be the janya of Kalyani (65th).

Hamsadhwani

Thaat	Bilaval
Type	Audava
Time of day	Early night, 9–12[1]
Arohana	S R G P N Ṡ[1]
Avarohana	Ṡ N P G R S[1]
Pakad	G P N - Ṡ N P G
Vadi	P
Samavadi	R
Similar	Shankara

Hamsadhvani is also extensively used in Hindustani music and is borrowed into it from Carnatic music.^[3] It was created by the Carnatic composer Ramaswami Dikshitar (1735–1817),^[4] father of Muthuswami Dikshitar (one of the musical trinity of Carnatic music), and brought into Hindustani music by Aman Ali Khan of the Bhendibazaar gharana. It has become popular due to Amir Khan.

Structure and lakshana

Hamsadhvani scale with shadjam (tonic) at C

Hamsadhvani does not contain madhyamam or dhaivatham. It is a pentatonic scale (audava-audava ragam^[3][5] in Carnatic music classification – audava meaning 'of 5'). 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 G₃ P N₃ Ṡ^[a]
• avarohaṇa :Ṡ N₃ P G₃ R₂ S^[b]

Hamsadhwani

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chatushruti rishabham, antara gandharam, panchamam and kakali nishadam. In Hindustani music, it is associated with Bilaval thaat (equivalent of Shankarabharanam).

Compositions

Hamsadhvani rāgam lends itself for elaboration and exploration and has many compositions in both classical music and film music. It is usually sung at the beginning of a performance.^[3] There are many kritis (compositions) in praise of Lord Ganesha set in this musical scale.

• Jalajaskhi an adi Talam Varnam
• Gajamukhane Siddhidayakane by Vyasatirtha
• Raghunāyaka,Śrī Raghukula and Abhishta varada by Tyagaraja in Telugu
• Vātāpi Gaṇapatiṃand parvathypathim by Muthuswami Dikshitar in Sanskrit
• Pāhi Śripatē by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
• Varanamukha vā by Koteeswara Iyer
• Mūlādhāra mūrti, Karunai seivai, ullam irangi and parasakthi janani by Papanasam Sivan in Sanskrit and Tamil
• Gajavadana beduve by Purandaradasa in Kannada
• Nammamma Sharade by Kanakadasa in Kannada
• Vināyakā by Veena Kuppayyar in Sanskrit
• Varavallabha Ramaṇa by G. N. Balasubramaniam
• Gaṃ Gaṇapatē by Muthiah Bhagavatar
• Pirai Aniyum Peruman by Dr M. Balamuralikrishna
• Vinayaka Vighnavishaka by R Ganapati
• Sundar Gopālaṃ by Devaki Pandit
• Varuvai Arulvai Shantanayagi by Manachanallur Giridharan
• Tumbikkai Andavane by Manachanallur Giridharan
• Vinayaka Ninnu Vina by E.V. Raamakrishna Bhaagavatar
• Vande Anishamaham by Mysore Vasudevachar
• Bhajamahe Sree Vinayakam by Tulaseevanam
• Arul purivai and Karunai seiguvai by Sudhanandha bharathy

Film songs

• Lagi Lagan Pathi Sakhi Sangh from the movie "Meghe Dhaka Tara"

In Tamil language

Song	Movie	Year	Composer	Singer
Vaadaatha Pushpame.... Vanithaa Maniye	Adutha Veettu Penn	1960	Adi Narayana Rao	P. B. Sreenivas
Mazhalai Kaalamum	Savithiri	1980	M. S. Viswanathan	P. Jayachandran, Vani Jairam
Malargale Nadhaswarangal	Kizhakke Pogum Rail	1978	Ilaiyaraaja	Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
Mayile Mayile	Kadavul Amaitha Medai	1979		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Jency Anthony
Sevvaname Ponmegame	Nallathoru Kudumbam			P. Jayachandran, Kalyani Menon, Jency,Sasirekha
Therkondu Sendravan	Enakkul Oruvan	1984		P. Susheela
Kalam Maralam (Ragamalika: Hamsadhvani, Vasanthi)	Vaazhkai			S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
Va Va Va Kanna Va	Velaikkaran	1987		Mano, K. S. Chithra
Poomudithu	En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan	1989		P. Jayachandran,Sunandha
Nillavu Vandhadu (Ragamalika: Hamsadhvani, Vasanthi)	Endrum Anbudan	1992		Mano, S. Janaki
Sriranga Ranganathanin (Ragamalika: Hamsadhvani, Mohanam)	Mahanadhi	1994		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Uma Ramanan, Shobana
Maalai En Vethanai	Sethu	1999		Unni Krishnan, Arunmozhi, S.N.Surendar
Diana Diana	Kaadhal Kavithai	1998		Hariharan
Nandri Solla	Chithirayil Nilachoru	2013		Karthik, Priyadarshini
Iru vizhiyin	Siva	1989		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Yaaro Athu Yaaro	Ungal Anbu Thangachi	1994	Chandrabose
Vasandhamum Neeye	Kanneer Pookkal	1981	Shankar–Ganesh	S. Janaki
Isaiyin Mazhaiyile	Kadaikan Parvai	1986	V. Narasimhan	K. J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam
Naan Enna Pade	Ullathil Nalla Ullam	1988	Gangai Amaran	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Vellai Pookal	Kannathil Muthamittal	2002	A. R. Rahman	A. R. Rahman
Manmadha Maasam (Ragamalika: Vasanthi)	Paarthale Paravasam	2001		Shankar Mahadevan, Nithyasree Mahadevan
Dating	Boys	2003		Blaaze, Vasundhara Das
Theekuruvi	Kangalal Kaidhu Sei	2004		Johnson, Harini & Mukesh
Poovukkul	Jeans	1998		P. Unnikrishnan, Sujatha Mohan
En Manathai	Kalloori Vaasal	1996	Deva	Hariharan, Anuradha Sriram
Oru Mani Adithal	Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga	1997		Hariharan
Gadothkaja	Pammal K. Sambandam	2002		Srinivas, Mahalakshmi Iyer
Vinodhamanavale	Lovely	2001		Hariharan, Sujatha Mohan
Aayiram Thirnaal	Pudhu Vasantham	1990	S. A. Rajkumar	K. S. Chithra,Kalyan
Udaiyatha Vennila	Priyam	1996	Vidyasagar	Hariharan,K. S. Chithra
Nee Pesum Poova	Golmaal	1998	Bala Bharathi
Imaikkatha Vizhigal	Kadhal Dot Com	2004	Bharadwaj	Srinivas, Srimathumitha
Unnodu Vaazhatha	Amarkalam	1999		K. S. Chithra
Siragillai	Vaaname Ellai	1992	M. M. Keeravani
Vanthal Puguntha	Amman Kovil Vaasalile	1996	Sirpy	K. S. Chithra,Swarnalatha
Nenjodu Kalanthidu	Kaadhal Kondein	2003	Yuvan Shankar Raja	P. Unnikrishnan, Sujatha Mohan
Manja Kaattu Maina	Manadhai Thirudivittai	2001		Karthik, Sadhana Sargam
Azhagana Chinna Devathai	Samudhiram		Sabesh–Murali	Shankar Mahadevan, Harini
Suppose Unnai	Sukran	2005	Vijay Antony	Ranjith,Vinaya
Aval Appadi Onrum	Angadi Theru	2010		Vineeth Sreenivasan, Ranjith,Janaki Iyer
Natta Nadu Rathiri	A Aa E Ee	2009		Karthik, Sangeetha Rajeshwaran,Christopher
Molachu Moonu	Velayudham	2011		Prasanna, Supriya Joshi
Poovin Manam Poovil Ellai	Narthagi		G. V. Prakash Kumar	Tippu,Harini
Ingivalai	Ninaithu Ninaithu Parthen	2007	Joshua Sridhar	Goutham, Harini Sudhakar
Koba Kanalgal Theeradha	Unarvugal Thodarkathai		Amin Mirza	Gowtham Bhardwaj
Kadhale Kadhale	Konjam Koffee Konjam Kaadhal	2012	Phani Kalyan	Prasanna, Neha Nair

In Malayalam language

Song	Movie	Year	Composer	Singer
"Sree vinayakam"	Bharatham	1991	Raveendran	K. J. Yesudas
"Aa ragam madhumayamam"	Kshanakkathu	1989	Sharreth	K. J. Yesudas
"Maayamanjalil"	Ottayal Pattalam	1991	Sharreth	G. Venugopal
"sumahorthama swasthi"(ragamalika)	Kamaladalam	1992	Raveendran	K. J. Yesudas
"Sree Padam vidarnu"	Etho Oru Swapnam	1978	Salil Chowdhury	K. J. Yesudas
"Nadangalay nee varu"	Ninnishtam Ennishtam	1986	Kannur Rajan	P. Jayachandran, K. S. Chitra

Related rāgas

Graha bhedham

Hamsadhvani's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields another pentatonic rāgam, Nagasvaravali. 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 more details and illustration of this concept refer Graha bhedam on Hamsadhvani.

Scale similarities

• Amritavarshini is a rāgam which has Prati Madhyamam in place of the rishabham. Structures are shown in below table.
• Gambhiranata is a rāgam which has shuddha madhyamam in place of the rishabham. Structures are shown in below table.

Rāgam	Śruti Tonic	C		D		E	F		G		A		B	C
Hamsadhvani	C	S		R2		G3			P				N3	S'
Amritavarshini	C	S				G3		M2	P				N3	S'
Gambhiranata	C	S				G3	M1		P				N3	S'

• Mohanam is a rāgam which has chatushruti dhaivatam in place of the nishadam. Structures are shown in below table.
• Niroshta is a rāgam which has chatushruti dhaivatam in place of the panchamam. Structures are shown in below table.

Rāgam	Śruti Tonic	C		D		E	F		G		A		B	C
Hamsadhvani	C	S		R2		G3			P		-		N3	S'
Mohanam	C	S		R2		G3			P		D2		-	S'
Niroshta	C	S		R2		G3			-		D2		N3	S'

In Hindustani music

Vadi and samavadi

Vadi: Sa

Samavadi: Pa

Pakad or chalan

ga pa ni Sa ga re ni pa Sa The Pakad is the one where one can identify to which raga does the composition belongs.

Organization and relationships

Thaat: Bilaval.

Time

Late Evening ^[6]

Important recordings

• Amir Khan, Ragas Hansadhwani and Malkauns, on HMV LP (long-playing record), EMI-EASD1357
• Lagi Lagana (Drut – Teental) by A. Kanan in Meghe Dhaka Tara
• Ja Tose Nahin Bolun Kanhaiya by Lata Mangeshkar in Parivar (1956)

Notes

1. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: S R G P N Ṡ
   • Western: C D E G B C
2. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: Ṡ N P G R S
   • Western: C B G E D C

References

• India portal
• Music portal

1. Bor, Joep; Rao, Suvarnalata (1999). The Raga Guide: A Survey of 74 Hindusthani Ragas. Nimbus Records with Rotterdam Conservatory of Music. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-9543976-0-9.
2. O'Brien, J.P. (1977). Non-western Music and the Western Listener. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-8403-1755-1.
3. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
4. There is no much reference about how the kriti Gajavadana Beduve by Purandaradasa was composed between 1484 - 1564 in the same tune. http://www.carnatica.net/special/rdiksitar.htm P.P.Narayanaswami on www.carnatica.net]
5. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
6. w.w.w.wikipedia

Literature

• Bor, Joep (ed). Rao, Suvarnalata; der Meer, Wim van; Harvey, Jane (co-authors) The Raga Guide: A Survey of 74 Hindustani Ragas. Zenith Media, London: 1999.

External links

• SRA on Samay and Ragas
• SRA on Ragas and Thaats
• Rajan Parrikar on Ragas