# Hamsadhvani

Hamsadhvani (meaning "the cry of the swan"), is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of Carnatic tradition of Indian classical music). It is an audava rāgam (or owdava rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a janya rāga of the Melakartha raga, Sankarabharanam (29th) but according to Hamsadhvani's prayoga or the way it is sung it is said to be the janya of Kalyani (65th).
Hamsadhvani is also extensively used in Hindustani music and is borrowed into it from Carnatic music. It was created by the Carnatic composer Ramaswami Dikshitar (1735–1817), father of Muthuswami Dikshitar (one of the musical trinity of Carnatic music), and brought into Hindustani music by Aman Ali Khan of the Bhendibazaar gharana. It has become popular due to Amir Khan.

## Structure and lakshana

Hamsadhvani does not contain madhyamam or dhaivatham. It is a pentatonic scale (audava-audava ragam 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 R₂ G₃ P N₃ Ṡ
* avarohaṇa :Ṡ N₃ P G₃ R₂ S
The notes used in this scale are shadjam, chatushruti rishabham, antara gandharam, panchamam and kakali nishadam. In Hindustani music, it is associated with Bilaval thaat (equivalent of Shankarabharanam).

## Compositions

Hamsadhvani rāgam lends itself for elaboration and exploration and has many compositions in both classical music and film music. It is usually sung at the beginning of a performance. There are many kritis (compositions) in praise of Lord Ganesha set in this musical scale.
* Jalajaskha an adi Talam Varnam by Mānambuccāvaḍi Venkaṭa Subbayyar
* Gajamukhane Siddhidayakane by Vyasatirtha
* Raghunāyaka, Śrī Raghukula and Abhishta varada by Tyagaraja in Telugu
* Vātāpi Gaṇapatiṃ and Parvathi Pathim by Muthuswami Dikshitar in Sanskrit
* Pāhi Śripatē by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
* Varanamukha vā by Koteeswara Iyer
* Mūlādhāra mūrti, Karunai seivai, ullam irangi and parasakthi janani by Papanasam Sivan in Sanskrit and Tamil
* Gajavadana beduve by Purandaradasa in Kannada
* Nammamma Sharade by Kanakadasa in Kannada
* Vināyakā by Veena Kuppayyar in Sanskrit
* Varavallabha Ramaṇa by G. N. Balasubramaniam
* Gaṃ Gaṇapatē by Muthiah Bhagavatar
* Pirai Aniyum Peruman by Dr M. Balamuralikrishna
* Vinayaka Vighnavishaka by R Ganapati
* Sundar Gopālaṃ by Devaki Pandit
* Varuvai Arulvai Shantanayagi by Manachanallur Giridharan
* Tumbikkai Andavane by Manachanallur Giridharan
* Vinayaka Ninnu Vina by E.V. Ramakrishna Bhagavathar
* Vande Anishamaham by Mysore Vasudevachar
* Bhajamahe Sree Vinayakam by Tulaseevanam
* Arul purivai and Karunai seiguvai by Sudhanandha Bharathi

## Film songs

* Lagi Lagan Pathi Sakhi Sangh from the movie "Meghe Dhaka Tara"

### In Tamil language

| Song | Movie | Year | Composer | Singer |
| Vaadaatha Pushpame.... Vanithaa Maniye | Adutha Veettu Penn | 1960 | Adi Narayana Rao | P. B. Sreenivas |
| Mazhalai Kaalamum | Savithiri | 1980 | M. S. Viswanathan | P. Jayachandran, Vani Jairam |
| Malargale Nadhaswarangal | Kizhakke Pogum Rail | 1978 | Ilaiyaraaja | Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki |
| Mayile Mayile | Kadavul Amaitha Medai | 1979 | Ilaiyaraaja | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Jency Anthony |
| Sevvaname Ponmegame | Nallathoru Kudumbam | 1979 | Ilaiyaraaja | P. Jayachandran, Kalyani Menon, Jency,Sasirekha |
| Therkondu Sendravan | Enakkul Oruvan | 1984 | Ilaiyaraaja | P. Susheela |
| Kalam Maralam (Ragamalika: Hamsadhvani, Vasanthi) | Vaazhkai | 1984 | Ilaiyaraaja | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam |
| Va Va Va Kanna Va | Velaikkaran | 1987 | Ilaiyaraaja | Mano, K. S. Chithra |
| Poomudithu | En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan | 1989 | Ilaiyaraaja | P. Jayachandran,Sunandha |
| Nillavu Vandhadu (Ragamalika: Hamsadhvani, Vasanthi) | Endrum Anbudan | 1992 | Ilaiyaraaja | Mano, S. Janaki |
| Sriranga Ranganathanin (Ragamalika: Hamsadhvani, Mohanam) | Mahanadhi | 1994 | Ilaiyaraaja | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Uma Ramanan, Shobana |
| Maalai En Vethanai | Sethu | 1999 | Ilaiyaraaja | Unni Krishnan, Arunmozhi, S.N.Surendar |
| Diana Diana | Kaadhal Kavithai | 1998 | Ilaiyaraaja | Hariharan |
| Nandri Solla | Chithirayil Nilachoru | 2013 | Ilaiyaraaja | Karthik, Priyadarshini |
| Iru vizhiyin | Siva | 1989 | Ilaiyaraaja | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra |
| Yaaro Athu Yaaro | Ungal Anbu Thangachi | 1994 | Chandrabose | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra |
| Vasandhamum Neeye | Kanneer Pookkal | 1981 | Shankar–Ganesh | S. Janaki |
| Isaiyin Mazhaiyile | Kadaikan Parvai | 1986 | V. Narasimhan | K. J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam |
| Naan Enna Pade | Ullathil Nalla Ullam | 1988 | Gangai Amaran | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki |
| Vellai Pookal | Kannathil Muthamittal | 2002 | A. R. Rahman | A. R. Rahman |
| Manmadha Maasam (Ragamalika: Vasanthi) | Paarthale Paravasam | 2001 | A. R. Rahman | Shankar Mahadevan, Nithyasree Mahadevan |
| Dating | Boys | 2003 | A. R. Rahman | Blaaze, Vasundhara Das |
| Theekuruvi | Kangalal Kaidhu Sei | 2004 | A. R. Rahman | Johnson, Harini & Mukesh |
| Poovukkul | Jeans | 1998 | A. R. Rahman | P. Unnikrishnan, Sujatha Mohan |
| En Manathai | Kalloori Vaasal | 1996 | Deva | Hariharan, Anuradha Sriram |
| Oru Mani Adithal | Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga | 1997 | Deva | Hariharan |
| Gadothkaja | Pammal K. Sambandam | 2002 | Deva | Srinivas, Mahalakshmi Iyer |
| Vinodhamanavale | Lovely | 2001 | Deva | Hariharan, Sujatha Mohan |
| Aayiram Thirnaal | Pudhu Vasantham | 1990 | S. A. Rajkumar | K. S. Chithra,Kalyan |
| Udaiyatha Vennila | Priyam | 1996 | Vidyasagar | Hariharan, K. S. Chithra |
| Nee Pesum Poova | Golmaal | 1998 | Bala Bharathi | Hariharan, K. S. Chithra |
| Imaikkatha Vizhigal | Kadhal Dot Com | 2004 | Bharadwaj | Srinivas, Srimathumitha |
| Unnodu Vaazhatha | Amarkalam | 1999 | Bharadwaj | K. S. Chithra |
| Siragillai | Vaaname Ellai | 1992 | M. M. Keeravani | K. S. Chithra |
| Vanthal Puguntha | Amman Kovil Vaasalile | 1996 | Sirpy | K. S. Chithra, Swarnalatha |
| Nenjodu Kalanthidu | Kaadhal Kondein | 2003 | Yuvan Shankar Raja | P. Unnikrishnan, Sujatha Mohan |
| Manja Kaattu Maina | Manadhai Thirudivittai | 2001 | Yuvan Shankar Raja | Karthik, Sadhana Sargam |
| Azhagana Chinna Devathai | Samudhiram | 2001 | Sabesh–Murali | Shankar Mahadevan, Harini |
| Suppose Unnai | Sukran | 2005 | Vijay Antony | Ranjith,Vinaya |
| Aval Appadi Onrum | Angadi Theru | 2010 | Vijay Antony | Vineeth Sreenivasan, Ranjith,Janaki Iyer |
| Natta Nadu Rathiri | A Aa E Ee | 2009 | Vijay Antony | Karthik, Sangeetha Rajeshwaran,Christopher |
| Molachu Moonu | Velayudham | 2011 | Vijay Antony | Prasanna, Supriya Joshi |
| Poovin Manam Poovil Ellai | Narthagi | 2011 | G. V. Prakash Kumar | Tippu, Harini |
| Ingivalai | Ninaithu Ninaithu Parthen | 2007 | Joshua Sridhar | Goutham, Harini Sudhakar |
| Koba Kanalgal Theeradha | Unarvugal Thodarkathai | | Amin Mirza | Gowtham Bhardwaj |
| Kadhale Kadhale | Konjam Koffee Konjam Kaadhal | 2012 | Phani Kalyan | Prasanna, Neha Nair |
| Irupathu Kodi | Thulladha Manamum Thullum | 1999 | S. A. Rajkumar | Hariharan |

### In Malayalam language

| Song | Movie | Year | Composer | Singer |
| "Sree vinayakam" | Bharatham | 1991 | Raveendran | K. J. Yesudas |
| "Aa ragam madhumayamam" | Kshanakkathu | 1989 | Sharreth | K. J. Yesudas |
| "Maayamanjalil" | Ottayal Pattalam | 1991 | Sharreth | G. Venugopal |
| "sumahorthama swasthi"(ragamalika) | Kamaladalam | 1992 | Raveendran | K. J. Yesudas |
| "Sree Padam vidarnu" | Etho Oru Swapnam | 1978 | Salil Chowdhury | K. J. Yesudas |
| "Nadangalay nee varu" | Ninnishtam Ennishtam | 1986 | Kannur Rajan | P. Jayachandran, K. S. Chitra |

## Related rāgas
### Graha bhedham

Hamsadhvani's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields another pentatonic rāgam, Nagasvaravali. 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 Hamsadhvani.

### Scale similarities

* Amritavarshini is a rāgam which has Prati Madhyamam in place of the rishabham. Structures are shown in below table.
* Gambhiranata is a rāgam which has shuddha madhyamam in place of the rishabham. Structures are shown in below table.
| Rāgam | Śruti Tonic | C | D | E | F | | G | B | C |
| Hamsadhvani | C | S | R2 | G3 | | | P | N3 | S' |
| Amritavarshini | C | S | | G3 | | M2 | P | N3 | S' |
| Gambhiranata | C | S | | G3 | M1 | | P | N3 | S' |
* Mohanam is a rāgam which has chatushruti dhaivatam in place of the nishadam. Structures are shown in below table.
* Niroshta is a rāgam which has chatushruti dhaivatam in place of the panchamam. Structures are shown in below table.
| Rāgam | Śruti Tonic | C | D | E | G | A | B | C |
| Hamsadhvani | C | S | R2 | G3 | P | - | N3 | S' |
| Mohanam | C | S | R2 | G3 | P | D2 | - | S' |
| Niroshta | C | S | R2 | G3 | - | D2 | N3 | S' |

## In Hindustani music
### Vadi and samavadi

Vadi: Sa
Samavadi: Pa

### Pakad or chalan

ga pa ni Sa ga re ni pa Sa The Pakad is the one where one can identify to which raga does the composition belongs.

### Organization and relationships

Thaat: Bilaval.

### Time

Late Evening

### Important recordings

* Amir Khan, Ragas Hansadhwani and Malkauns, on HMV LP (long-playing record), EMI-EASD1357
* Lagi Lagana (Drut – Teental) by A. Kanan in Meghe Dhaka Tara
* Ja Tose Nahin Bolun Kanhaiya by Lata Mangeshkar in Parivar (1956)