Shamalangi

Shamalangi or Shyamalangi (pronounced shāmaḻāngi) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (classical music of southern India). It is the 55th in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music, and is called Shāmaḻam in the Muthuswami Dikshitar school of that genre.[1][2][3]

Shamalangi
ArohanamS R₂ G₂ M₂ P D₁ N₁ Ṡ
AvarohanamṠ N₁ D₁ P M₂ G₂ R₂ S

Carnatic music
Tanjavur-style Tambura
Concepts
Compositions
Instruments
Melody
Sarasvati Vīṇā
Veṇu
Nādasvaraṃ
Goṭṭuvādyaṃ (Citra Vīṇā)
Violin
Percussion
Mr̥daṅgaṃ
Ghaṭaṃ
Morsing
Kanjira
Thavil
Drone
Tambura
Shruti box

Structure and Lakshana
Shamalangi scale with shadjam at C

Shamalang is the 1st rāgam in the 10th chakra Disi. Its mnemonic name is Disi-Pa; the mnemonic phrase associated with it is sa ri gi mi pa dha na.[2] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on notation and terms):

Shamalangi's swaras are chathusruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham and shuddha nishadham. As it is a melakarta rāgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rāgam (containing all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the prati madhyamam equivalent of Jhankaradhwani, which is the 19th melakarta scale.

Janya rāgams

Shamalangi has a couple of minor janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it (see List of janya rāgams).

Compositions

A few compositions set to Shamalangi rāgam are:

Sh

When shifted using Graha Bhedam, Shamalangi's notes yield two minor melakarta rāgams: Ganamoorti and Vishwambari. Graha Bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies the same while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For more details and an example, see Graha Bhedam on Ganamoorti.

Notes
  1. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: S R G̱ M̄ P Ḏ D Ṡ
    • Western: C D E♭ F♯ G A♭ B C
  2. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: Ṡ D Ḏ P M̄ G̱ R S
    • Western: C B A♭ G F♯ E♭ D C

References
  1. Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar Keertanaigal by Vidwan A Sundaram Iyer, Pub. 1989, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai
  2. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
  3. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
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