Shanmukhapriya is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 56th melakarta rÃÂgam (parent scale) in the 72 melakarta rÃÂgam system of Carnatic music. It is called ChÃÂmaram in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music. It is said to be borrowed into Hindustani music from Carnatic music. Many compositions on Lord Murugan and Lord Shiva are based on this raaga.
It is the 2nd rÃÂgam in the 10th chakra Disi. The mnemonic name is Disi-Sri. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri gi mi pa dha ni. Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
This scale uses the swaras chatushruti rishabham, sadharana gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatam and kaisiki nishadam. 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 prati madhyamam equivalent of Natabhairavi, which is the 20th melakarta scale.
Shanmukhapriya has a few minor janya rÃÂgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of janya rÃÂgams for scales associated with Shanmukhapriya.
Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to Shanmukhapriya.
Ascending:S G2 M2 P N2 S
Descending:S N2 P M2 G2 S
This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rÃÂgam.
Shanmukhapriya's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields 3 other major melakarta rÃÂgams, namely, Shoolini, Dhenuka and Chitrambari. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rÃÂgam. For further details and an illustration refer Graha bhedam on Shanmukhapriya.
Shanmukhapriya corresponds to Hungarian Gypsy scale in Western music.