Hamsadhwani, the call of the swan, is a raag of five swaras: Sa, Re, Ga, Pa and Ni, all shuddh, with neither Ma nor Dha. It came to Hindustani music from the Karnatic tradition, where it is credited to Ramaswamy Dikshitar, and it is bright, joyful and auspicious in both: in the south, concerts often begin with it, in praise of Ganesha. It belongs to Bilawal thaat and to the evening.
Hear it
How it moves
Sa is its vadi and Pa its samvadi. Its swaras form two bright leaps, Ga to Pa and Pa to Ni, and its phrases spring between them:
Its hour
Hamsadhwani belongs to the first prahar of the night, the evening, though, bright and auspicious, it is welcome to begin a concert at almost any hour.
On the bansuri
- S
- R
- G
- P
- N
- S
- Its swaras are all shuddh, its phrases quick and bright: a raag for clean fingers and a lively breath.
- Keep Ni high and clear, leading to Sa: it is the raag's sparkle.
Look-alikes
Bhoopali has five swaras too, with Dha where Hamsadhwani has Ni:
Durga leaves out Ga and Ni, with Ma and Dha instead:
Practise it
- Long notes on Sa and Pa.
- The aaroh and avaroh, briskly once clean.
- Paltas in its five swaras, in threes.
- The pakad and the phrases.
All ten alankars in Hamsadhwani, to hear in your Sa →
Meend starts it with Aaroh–Avaroh, Pakad, Paltas in Hamsadhwani, Aalap and Bandish, 27 minutes a day, and listens as you play: each swara of the notation lit as it is played, the time kept, a lotus grown petal by petal.
Listen
In Karnatic music, Muthuswami Dikshitar's Vatapi Ganapatim, a hymn to Ganesha in Hamsadhwani, is among the most sung of all compositions, and a joyful way to hear the raag.
Questions
Which swaras are left out of Hamsadhwani?
Ma and Dha. It uses Sa, Re, Ga, Pa and Ni.
Where does Hamsadhwani come from?
The Karnatic tradition of the south, where it is credited to Ramaswamy Dikshitar.