Saramati

For the mountain, see Mount Saramati.

Saramati is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a janya rāgam (derived scale) from the 20th melakarta scale Natabhairavi.^[1] It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes) in the descending scale.

Saramati

Arohanam	S R₂ G₂ M₁ P D₁ N₂ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ N₂ D₁ M₁ G₂ S

Structure and Lakshana

Ascending scale with shadjam at C, which is same as Natabhairavi scale

Descending scale with shadjam at C, which is same as Hindolam scale

Saramati is an asymmetric rāgam that does not contain panchamam or rishabham in the descending scale. It is a combination of the sampurna raga scale Natabhairavi and pentatonic scale Hindolam. It is an sampurna-audava rāgam (or owdava rāgam, meaning pentatonic descending scale).^[1][2] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows:

• ārohaṇa : S R₂ G₂ M₁ P D₁ N₂ Ṡ^[a]
• avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₂ D₁ M₁ G₂ S^[b]

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chathusruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, panchamam, shuddha dhaivatham and kaisiki nishadham in ascending scale, with panchamam and rishabham dropped in descending scale. For the details of the notations and terms, see swaras in Carnatic music.

Popular compositions

A few compositions have been set to Saramati rāgam.

• Mokshamugalada by Tyagaraja
• Sarasadala nayane by Muthiah Bhagavatar
• Manasaramati by Thanjavur Shankara Iyer
• Unnata Venkata by Thulaseevanam
• Shârade Namaste and Sâramati Saraswati by Kalyani Varadarajan

Music composer Ilaiyaraaja has set the Tyagaraja krithi "Mari Mari Ninne" to this Raga in the movie Sindhu bhairavi, even though the actual krithi is in the raga Kambhoji.

Film Songs

Language:Tamil

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Unai Allaal OIru	Raja Mukthi	C. R. Subbaraman	M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
Kaathiruppan Kamalakannan(Ragamalika)	Uthama Puthiran	G. Ramanathan	P. Leela
Mari Mari Ninne	Sindhu Bhairavi	Ilaiyaraaja	K. J. Yesudas
Paadariyen Padipariyen			K. S. Chithra (Won National Award for Paadariyen)
Ettadukku Maligayil	Aadi Viradham	Shankar–Ganesh
Eduda Melam	Enga Chinna Rasa		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Maasi Maasam Than	Oorkavalan		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Edutha Sabadam			K. J. Yesudas

Language:Kannada

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Bharatha Bhooshira	Upasane	Vijaya Naarasimha	S. Janaki
Yellellu Sangeetave	Malaya Marutha	Chi. Udayashankar	K. J. Yesudas

Related rāgams

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

Scale similarities

• Hindolam has a symmetric pentatonic scale, with the notes same as the descending scale of Saramati. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S G2 M1 D1 N2 S : S N2 D1 M1 G2 S

Notes

1. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: S R G̱ M P Ḏ Ṉ Ṡ
   • Western: C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C
2. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ Ḏ M G̱ S
   • Western: C B♭ A♭ F E♭ C

References

1. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
2. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras