Hemavati (raga)

Carnatic Music
Concepts

SrutiSwaraRagaTalaMelakartaAsampurna Melakarta

Compositions

VarnamKritiGeethamSwarajatiRagam Thanam PallaviThillana

Instruments

melody: VocalsSaraswati veenaVenuViolinChitra veenaNadaswaramMandolin

rhythm: MridangamGhatamMorsingKanjiraThavil

drone: TamburaShruti box

Composers

List of Carnatic composers

Hemavati (Sanskrit: हेमवति, Tamil: ஹேமவதி, Telugu: హేమవతి) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 58th Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music.

It is called Simhāravam[1] or Deshi Simhāravam[2] in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music. It is said to be borrowed into Hindustani music from Carnatic music, especially with instrumentalists.[2]

Contents

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 4th rāgam in the 10th chakra Disi. The mnemonic name is Disi-Bhu. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri gi mi pa dhi ni[1]. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

(the notes for this scale are chathusruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, prati madhyamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham, kaisiki nishadham)

As it is a melakarta rāgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the prati madhyamam equivalent of Kharaharapriya, which is the 22nd melakarta.

Janya rāgams

Hemavati has a few minor janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of janya rāgams to view all rāgams associated with Hemavati.

Compositions

Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to Hemavati.

Related rāgams

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

Hemavati's notes when shifted using Graha bedham, yields 3 other major melakarta rāgams, namely, Keeravani, Vakulabharanam and Kosalam. Graha bedham is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration refer Graha bedham on Keeravani.

References

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