Shanmukhapriya is aragam inCarnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 56thmelakarta rāgam (parent scale) in the 72melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is calledChāmaram inMuthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.[1][2] It is said to be borrowed intoHindustani music from Carnatic music.[2] Many compositions on LordMurugan and LordShiva are based on this raaga.
It is the 2nd rāgam in the 10thchakra Disi. The mnemonic name isDisi-Sri. The mnemonic phrase issa ri gi mi pa dha ni.[1] Itsārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (seeswaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
This scale uses theswaras chatushruti rishabham, sadharana gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatam andkaisiki nishadam. As it is amelakarta rāgam, by definition it is asampoorna rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is theprati madhyamam equivalent ofNatabhairavi, which is the 20thmelakarta scale.
The compositions ofMuthuswami Dikshitar, namely,Siddhi Vinayakam,Mahasuram Ketumaham,Sadashraye andEkamreshanayakim have their school's rāgam nameChāmarammudra in them.Mahasuram Ketumaham is disputed to be his disciples composition by some.
A composition later set toShanmukapriya isMuthai tharu pathi byArunagirinathar[3]
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Shanmukhapriya's notes when shifted usingGraha bhedam, yields 3 other majormelakarta rāgams, namely,Shoolini,Dhenuka andChitrambari.Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting theshadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration referGraha bhedam on Shanmukhapriya.
