Salagam
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Salagam (pronounced sÄlagam) is a rÄgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 37th melakarta rÄgam in the 72 melakarta rÄgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Sowgandini in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.[1][2][3]
Structure and Lakshana
It is the 1st rÄgam in the 7th chakra Rishi. The mnemonic name is Rishi-Pa. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra ga mi pa dha na.[2] Its Ärohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
- Ärohaṇa: S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N1 S
- avarohaṇa: S N1 D1 P M2 G1 R1 S
In this scale, the notes shuddha rishabham, shuddha gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham and shuddha nishadham are used. As Salagam is a melakarta rÄgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rÄgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the prati madhyamam equivalent of Kanakangi, which is the first melakarta.
Janya rÄgams
Salagam has a minor janya rÄgam (derived scale) associated with it. See List of janya rÄgams for full list of rÄgams associated with Salagam and other melakartas.
Compositions
A few compositions set to Salagam scale are:
- Ganamrudham by Koteeswara Iyer
- VĀraÑa vadanam by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna
Related rÄgams
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rÄgam.
Salagam's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields no other melakarta rÄgam, like all 6 rÄgams in the Rishi chakra (Jalarnavam, Jhalavarali, Navaneetam, Pavani and Raghupriya being the other 5). Only these rÄgams have a gap of 3 notes anywhere in their scale, between G1 to M2. Such a gap does not occur in any other melakarta by definition. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rÄgam.
References
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