Dhenuka (raga)

Dhenuka (pronounced dhēnukā) is a rāgam (musical scale) in Carnatic music. It is the 9th Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music.

Dhenuka

Arohanam	S R₁ G₂ M₁ P D₁ N₃ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ N₃ D₁ P M₁ G₂ R₁ S
Equivalent	Neapolitan minor scale

It is called Dhunibinnashadjam^[1][2] in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.

Structure and Lakshana

Dhenuka scale with Shadjam at C

It is the 3rd rāgam in the 2nd chakra Netra. The mnemonic name is Netra-Go. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri ga ma pa dha 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):

• ārohaṇa: S R₁ G₂ M₁ P D₁ N₃ Ṡ^[a]
• avarohaṇa: Ṡ N₃ D₁ P M₁ G₂ R₁ S^[b]

(Suddha Rishabham, Sadharana Gandharam, Suddha Madhyamam, Suddha Dhaivatham, Kakali 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 Suddha madhyamam equivalent of Shubhapantuvarali, which is the 45th melakarta.

Asampurna Melakarta

Dhunibinnashadjam is the 9th Melakarta in the original list compiled by Venkatamakhin. The notes used in the scale are the same as Dhenuka.^[3]

Janya Rāgams

Dhenuka has a few janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of Janya Rāgams for full list of rāgams associated with Dhenuka.

Compositions

• Teliyaleru Rama composed by Tyagaraja is one of the most often rendered in concerts.
• Chidhambareshwaram composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar
• Raavayya Rama composed by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna
• Kamadhenuka by Suddhananda Bharathi
• Karunai Kadale by Koteeswara Iyer

Film Songs

Language:Tamil

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Aattuviththaal Yaaroruvar	Avandhan Manidhan	M. S. Viswanathan	T. M. Soundararajan
Yen Soga Kadhaiye	Thooral Ninnu Pochchu	Ilaiyaraaja	Malaysia Vasudevan,Krishnamoorthi
Roja Poonthotam	Kannukkul Nilavu		P. Unni Krishnan, Anuradha Sriram
Kadhal Ragamum	Indiran Chandiran		Mano, K. S. Chitra
Malligai Poo Kathilile	Enne Petha Raasa		Mano
Raathiri Neram Railadi Oram	Bramma		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Maayonae	Maayon		Ranjani–Gayatri
Unnoda Nadantha	Viduthalai Part 1		Dhanush,Ananya Bhat
Uthaya geetham Paaduven	Uthaya Geetham	Ilayaraaja	S.P. Balasubramaniam

Related rāgams

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

Dhenuka's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 3 other Melakarta rāgams, namely, Shanmukhapriya, Chitrambari and Shoolini. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the Shadjam to the next note in the rāgam.

Notes

1. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: S Ṟ G̱ M P Ḏ N Ṡ
   • Western: C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B C
2. Alternate notations:

   • Hindustani: Ṡ N Ḏ P M G̱ Ṟ S
   • Western: C B A♭ G F E♭ D♭ C