Dhenuka (pronounced dhÃÂnukÃÂ) is a rÃÂgam (musical scale) in Carnatic music. It is the 9th Melakarta rÃÂgam in the 72 melakarta rÃÂgam system of Carnatic music.
It is called Dhunibinnashadjam in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.
It is the 3rd rÃÂgam in the 2nd chakra Netra. The mnemonic name is Netra-Go. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri ga ma pa dha ni. Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
(Suddha Rishabham, Sadharana Gandharam, Suddha Madhyamam, Suddha Dhaivatham, Kakali Nishadham)
As it is a melakarta rÃÂgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rÃÂgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the Suddha madhyamam equivalent of Shubhapantuvarali, which is the 45th melakarta.
Dhunibinnashadjam is the 9th Melakarta in the original list compiled by Venkatamakhin. The notes used in the scale are the same as Dhenuka.
Dhenuka has a few janya rÃÂgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of Janya RÃÂgams for full list of rÃÂgams associated with Dhenuka.
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rÃÂgam.
Dhenuka's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 3 other Melakarta rÃÂgams, 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 rÃÂgam.