Shree (Carnatic raga)

Shree ragam
Arohanam	S R₂ M₁ P N₂ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ N₂ P M₁ R₂ G₂ R₂ S

Shri ragam is an ancient ragam in the Carnatic tradition. It is also written as Sri or Sreerag.^[1] This scale does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes) in the ascending scale.^[1] Shree is the asampurna melakartha equivalent of Kharaharapriya, the 22nd Melakarta rāgam.^[1]^[2] It is the last of the 5 Ghana rāgams of Carnatic music.^[1] It is a popular rāgam that is considered to be highly auspicious.^[2]

Notably, Carnatic Shree takes the lower madhyamam being the asampurna scale equivalent of Kharaharapriya. It is not related to the Hindustani raga, Shree.

Structure and Lakshana

Shree is an asymmetric rāgam that does not contain gāndhāram or dhaivatam in the ascending scale. It is a audava-vakra-sampurna rāgam (or owdava, meaning pentatonic in ascending scale),^[1] where vakra indicates the zig-zag nature of jumping notes in descending scale. 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 M₁ P N₂ Ṡ^[a]
avarohaṇa: Ṡ N₂ P M₁ R₂ G₂ R₂ S^[b] (or) Ṡ N₂ P D₂ N₂ P M₁ R₂ G₂ R₂ S^[c]

This scale uses the notes chatushruti rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chatushruti dhaivatam and kaisiki nishadam.

Popular compositions

Shree rāgam has been decorated with compositions by many composers. A few of the popular kritis are listed here.

Sami ninnekori, a Varnam by Karur Devudu Iyer in Telugu
Mayanai - 5th Thiruppavai by Andal
The fifth Pancharatna Kriti Endaro mahanubhavulu composed by Tyagaraja in Telugu, the last of the 5 gems
Nama kumusumamula, Yuktamu gAdu by Tyagaraja in Telugu
Sri Varalakshmi, Sri Muladhara Chakra Vinayaka , Sri Kamalambike, Sri Abhayamba, Sri Vishvanatham Bhaje, Tyagaraja Mahadhvajaaroha and Kameshvarena Samrakshitoham by Muthuswami Dikshitar in Sanskrit
Karuna judu ninnu by Shyama Shastri in Telugu
Vanajasana Vinuta composed by Subbaraya Shastri in Telugu
Bhavayami Nanda and Reena Madadritha by Swathi Thirunal
Vande Vasudevam (Sanskrit), Dinamu Dwadasi Nedu (Telugu), O! Pavanatmaja O! Ghanuda (Telugu) by Annamacharya
Bandanene Ranga (9th Navaratna Malike), Adi Varahana (very rare composition on Lord Varaha) by Purandara Dasa in Kannada
Mangalam Arul by Papanasam Sivan in Tamil
Karuna Cheyvan Enthu by Irayimman Thampi in Malayalam

Film Songs

Language:Tamil

Song	Movie	Year	Composer	Singer
Deviyar Iruvar	Kalai Kovil	1964	Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy	P. Susheela
Ulagin Mudalisai(Hindi lines in Ragam Pahadi)	Thavapudhalavan	1972	M. S. Viswanathan	T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Srinivas
Sugamana Ragangale(Pallavi only)	Miruthanga Chakravarthi	1983		Vani Jairam
Ninaivaale	Andaman Kadhali	1978		K.J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam
Sugaraagame Yen(Ragam Manirangu)	Kanni Rasi	1985	Ilayaraja	Malaysia Vasudevan, Vani Jairam
Solam Vidhakayile	16 Vayathinile	1977		Illayaraja
Saamakozhi Koovudhamma	Ponnu Oorukku Pudhusu			Ilayaraja, S. P. Sailaja
Kandane Engum	Kaatrinile Varum Geetham	1978		S. Janaki, Vani Jairam(Pathos)
Poovana Enna Thottu	Ponmana Selvan	1989		Mano, Vani Jairam
Devi Durga Devi	En Padal Unakaga			Mano, K.S. Chitra
Nee Pogum Pathayil	Gramatthu Minnal	1987		Malaysia Vasudevan, K.S. Chitra
Vaadi Yen Sengamalam	Raasukutti	1992		Minmini
Perai Chollava	Guru	1980		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Kondai Seval Koovum	Enga Chinna Rasa	1987	Shankar–Ganesh	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Thodu Vaanam Nijamalla	Kavithai Paada Neramillai	1987	L. Vaidyanathan	S. Janaki
Andhi Malai Kovil (Inspired from Endaro mahanubhavulu By Thyagaraja)	Andhi Malai(Album song)	1992	Ouseppachan(Keyboard By AR Rahman)	S. Janaki
Theendai Mei Theendai	En Swasa Kaatre	1999	A. R. Rahman	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chitra
Selai Kattum	Kodi Parakuthu	1988	Hamsalekha
Kaakai Chiraginile	Purusha Lakshanam	1993	Deva
Pacha Marikozhundhu	Veeram Vilanja Mannu	1998		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Anuradha Sriram
Manase Manase	Nenjinile	1999		P. Unnikrishnan, K. S. Chitra
Cochin Madapura	Unnudan	1998		P. Unnikrishnan, Swarnalatha
Suttipoove	Kaivantha Kalai	2006	Dhina	Karthik, Sadhana Sargam
Sinthamani Sinthamani	Aahaa Enna Porutham	1997	Vidyasagar	Hariharan, S. Janaki
Thodu Thodu Vaa Mella	Dharma Devathai	1986	Raveendran	K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Ottiyaanam Senju	Arul	2004	Harris Jayaraj	Hariharan, Srimathumitha
Anbae Anbae	Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal	2014	Harris Jayaraj	Harish Raghavendra, Harini
Pooncholai Kiliye	Aran	2006	Joshua Sridhar	Karthik, Asha G. Menon

Tamil Devotional Songs

Song	Album	Composer	Singer
Aadhaaram Neeyae	Sri Guru Bhagavan	Veeramani Kannan	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

Related rāgams

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

Scale similarities

Madhyamavati is a rāgam which has a symmetric ascending and descending scale, which matches the ascending scale of Shree. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P N2 S : S N2 P M1 R2 S
Manirangu is a rāgam which has gāndhāram in the descending scale, while all other notes in both the ascending and descending scale are same as Madhyamavati. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R2 M1 P N2 S : S N2 P M1 G2 R2 S

Notes

^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: S R M P Ṉ Ṡ
- Western: C D F G B♭ C
^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
- Western: C B♭ G F D E♭ D C
^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P D Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
- Western: C B♭ G A B♭ G F D E♭ D C

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
^ ^a ^b Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

[3] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: S R M P Ṉ Ṡ
Western: C D F G B♭ C

[2] Hindustani: S R M P Ṉ Ṡ

[3] Western: C D F G B♭ C

[4] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
Western: C B♭ G F D E♭ D C

[5] Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P M R G̱ R S

[6] Western: C B♭ G F D E♭ D C

[5] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P D Ṉ P M R G̱ R S
Western: C B♭ G A B♭ G F D E♭ D C

[8] Hindustani: Ṡ Ṉ P D Ṉ P M R G̱ R S

[9] Western: C B♭ G A B♭ G F D E♭ D C

[ragas-1] Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

[raganidhi-2] Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

[1]

[2]

[a]

[b]

[c]

v t e Janya ragas
A-B	Abheri Abhogi Ahiri Amritavarshini Amritha Kalyani Anandabhairavi Andolika Arabhi Asaveri Atana Bageshri Bahudari Bhairavi Bhimsen Bhupalam Bilahari Bowli
D-J	Darbar Darbari Kanada Devagandhari Dhanyasi Gambhiranata Garudadhvani Gaula Hamsadhvani Hamsanadam Hamsanandi Hindolam Jana Ranjani Jaunpuri
K-L	Kalavati Kalyanavasantam Kambhoji Kāpi Karnataka Shuddha Saveri Kathanakuthuhalam Kedaragaula Kedaram Khamas Lalitha Lavangi
M	Mahati Madhuvanti Madhyamavati Malahari Malayamarutam Mohanakalyani Mohanam Mukhari
N-R	Nada Kalyani Nagasvaravali Nata Nattakurinji Navarasa kannada Niroshta Pharaju Poornachandrika Punnagavarali Ranjani Reethigowla Revagupti Revati
S	Sahana Salaga Bhairavi Saramati Saveri Shivaranjani Sri Tyagaraja Shree ragam Shree ranjani Shuddha Saveri Sindhu Bhairavi Sunadavinodini Surutti
T-V	Thyagaraja Mangalam Tilang Udayaravichandrika (Shuddha Dhanyasi) Valaji Varali Vasantha Yadukulakamboji Yamunakalyani
Carnatic music Swaras Melakarta ragas Asampurna Melakarta ragas List of Janya ragas