Rag Shree

Description

If you are looking for a “feel good” rag, this is not for you. Shree rag evokes very powerful emotions of a dark introspection.

A survey of the literature shows that rag Shree has been around for a very long time. It has a presence in the Guru Granth Sahib of the Sikhs, and appears in a number of shabads. In Hindu mythology, it is sometimes said that Shree rag emanated directly from the face of Paravati, the consort of Shiva.

In spite of frequent references in literature and mythology. It is hard to assess how this rag has changed over the centuries. Even as late as 1960s, references are found to multiple versions of Shree (Rao, B.S. 1985). Furthermore, the Shree of the Carnatic tradition is very different from the Shree found in today’s Hindustani Sangeet.

Discussing the vadi and samvadi for Marwa is very difficult. Tradition ascribes the vadi to komal Re and the samvadi to Pa. But this is clearly impossible, because the interval between the two is an augmented 4th. Such an interval is not permissible for a vadi/samvadi relationship.

Here, we will discuss the common North Indian approach.