Karnataka Shuddha Saveri

Karnataka Shuddha Saveri
Arohanam	S R₁ M₁ P D₁ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ D₁ P M₁ R₁ S

Karnataka Shuddha Saveri is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an audava rāgam (or owdava rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a janya rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes).

This scale is known as Shuddha Sāveri in the Muthuswami Dikshitar school of music.^[1]^[2] This scale is quite different from the popular Shuddha Saveri pentatonic scale.

Structure and Lakshana

Karnataka Shuddha Saveri scale with shadjam at C

Karnataka Shuddha Saveri is a symmetric rāgam that does not contain gandharam or nishādam. It is a symmetric pentatonic scale (audava-audava ragam^[1]^[2] 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 R₁ M₁ P D₁ Ṡ^[a]
avarohaṇa : Ṡ D₁ P M₁ R₁ S^[b]

The notes used in this scale are shadjam, shuddha rishabham, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam and shuddha dhaivatham. It is considered a janya rāgam of Kanakangi, the 1st Melakarta rāgam, though it can be derived from 8 other melakarta rāgams, by dropping both gandharam and nishādam.

Popular compositions

This rāgam lends itself for creative elaboration and creative exploration due to the use of shuddha notes.

Ekamresha Nayike composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar

Film Songs: Tamil

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer	Lyricist
Mouna Raagam	Kolangal	Ilaiyaraaja	S. Janaki	Vaali

Related rāgams

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

Graha bhedam

Karnataka Shuddha Saveri's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 1 popular pentatonic rāgam, Amritavarshini. 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 Amritavarshini.

Scale similarities

Saveri is a rāgam which has the ascending scale of Karnataka Shuddha Saveri and descending scale of Mayamalavagowla. Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure is S R1 M1 P D1 S : S N3 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S
Gunakri is a raga from the Hindustani tradition with identical intervals which is sometimes classified in the same group.^[3]^[4]
Malahari

Notes

^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: S Ṟ M P Ḏ Ṡ
- Western: C D♭ F G A♭ C
^
Alternate notations:
- Hindustani: Ṡ Ḏ P M Ṟ S
- Western: C A♭ G F D♭ C

References

^ ^a ^b 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
^ "Comprehensive Scale Catalog: Five-Tone Scales in Equal Temperament". www.flutopedia.com. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
^ "Royal Carpet: Equivalent Ragas in Carnatic and Hindustani Music". www.karnatik.com. Retrieved 22 June 2022.

[3] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: S Ṟ M P Ḏ Ṡ
Western: C D♭ F G A♭ C

[2] Hindustani: S Ṟ M P Ḏ Ṡ

[3] Western: C D♭ F G A♭ C

[4] Alternate notations:
Hindustani: Ṡ Ḏ P M Ṟ S
Western: C A♭ G F D♭ C

[5] Hindustani: Ṡ Ḏ P M Ṟ S

[6] Western: C A♭ G F 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

[5] "Comprehensive Scale Catalog: Five-Tone Scales in Equal Temperament". www.flutopedia.com. Retrieved 22 June 2022.

[6] "Royal Carpet: Equivalent Ragas in Carnatic and Hindustani Music". www.karnatik.com. Retrieved 22 June 2022.

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