Sarasangi

Sarasangi (pronounced sarasāngi) is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 27th melakarta rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Sowrasena in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.^[1] In Western music it is known as the Harmonic major scale.

Sarasangi

Arohanam	S R₂ G₃ M₁ P D₁ N₃ Ṡ
Avarohanam	Ṡ N₃ D₁ P M₁ G₃ R₂ S
Equivalent	Harmonic major scale

Structure and Lakshana

Sarasangi scale with shadjam at C

It is the 3rd rāgam in the 5th chakra Bana. The mnemonic name is Bana-Go. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri gu 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 R₂ G₃ M₁ P D₁ N₃ Ṡ^[a]
• avarohaṇa: Ṡ N₃ D₁ P M₁ G₃ R₂ S^[b]

This rāgam uses the swaras chathusruthi rishabham, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham and kakali nishadham.

By definition, Sarasangi, a melakarta rāgam, is a sampurna rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the shuddha madhyamam equivalent of Latangi, which is the 63rd melakarta scale.

Janya rāgams

Sarasangi has a few minor janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it, of which Kamala manohari and Nalinakanti are popular. See List of janya rāgams for all rāgams associated with Sarasangi.

Compositions

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

• Jaya jaya padmanabha by Swati Tirunal
• Sourasenesham vallisham by Muthuswami Dikshitar
• Nikela dayaradu by Ramaswami Sivan
• Paripaliso guru vadiraja by R. K. Padmanabha
• Vandeham govinda by M. Balamuralikrishna
• Tirupati malaiyurai Venkata vaa by M. M. Dandapani Desikar
• Sadaashivam upaasmahe by Jayachamaraja Wadiyar
• Unadhu Thiruvadi by Gopalakrishna Bharati

Film Songs

Language:Tamil

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Paal Polave (Ragam Charukesi touches too)	Uyarndha Manithan	M. S. Viswanathan	P. Susheela (won National Award)
Adi Ennadi Rakkamma	Pattikada Pattanama		T. M. Soundararajan
Manithan Ellaam Therindhu Kondaan	Azhagu Nila	K. V. Mahadevan	Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Meenama Meenama	Rajadhi Raja	Illayaraja	Mano, K. S. Chitra
Ellorum Sollu Pattu	Marupadiyum		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Endrendrum Aanandame	Kadal Meengal		Malaysia Vasudevan
Malligaye Malligaye	Periya Veetu Pannakkaran		K.J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra
Muthu Muthu			K.J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Maharajanodu	Sathi Leelavathi		P. Unnikrishnan, K. S. Chitra
Ammamma Unnai	Sadhu		K.J. Yesudas
Kokki Vaichchen (Folkish style)	Nattupura Pattu		Mano, Devi
Puthusu Puthusu	Manitha Jaathi		Gangai Amaran, S. Janaki
Oh Alagu Nilavu	My Dear Marthandan		Mano
Thaathanthana Kummikotti	Athisaya Piravi		Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
Idhayam Idhayam	Vidukathai	Deva	Krishnaraj, K. S. Chitra
Cu Cu Tara	Thayagam		K. S. Chithra,Malaysia Vasudevan
Sri Ranganatharukku	Kottai Mariamman		K. S. Chithra
Engengey (Shades of Charukesi in Pallavi)	Nerrukku Ner		Hariharan, Asha Bhosle
Kobama Enmel	Unnudan		Hariharan
Tamizha Tamizha	Roja	A. R. Rahman
Chittukuruvi	Parasuram		Swarnalatha, Arjun and Sriram Parthasarathy
Jalali	Lal Salaam		A. R. Rahman
Kannatthula Vai	Captain	Sirpy	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Kannaana Kanney	Viswasam	D. Imman	Sid Sriram

Related rāgams

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

Sarasangi's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 2 other major Melakarta rāgams, namely, Dharmavati and Chakravakam. 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 further details and an illustration refer Graha bhedam on Dharmavati.

Notes

1. Alternate notations:

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

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