Bhupalam
Introduction '''Bhupalam''' (pronounced ''bhūpalam'') is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a pentatonic scale (''audava'' rāgam or ''owdava'' rāgam). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven ''swaras'' (musical notes). It is also written as '''Bhoopalam'''.It is considered an auspicious scale and a morning rāgam. In Tamil music, this scale is called ''Puranirmai pann'' and some ''thevarams'' are set to this scale. This rāgam is played in the night. It is also used for chanting slokas, folks songs, Kathakali music and other rituals. The equivalent scale in Hindustani music is Bhupal Todi.
Structure and Lakshana ''Bhupalam'' scale with ''shadjam'' at C''Bhupalam'' is a symmetric rāgam that does not contain ''madhyamam'' or ''nishādham''. It is a symmetric pentatonic scale (''audava-audava'' ragam in Carnatic music classification – ''audava'' meaning 'of 5'). Its ascending and descending scale ('''' structure) is as follows:* : * : The notes used in this scale are ''shadjam, shuddha rishabham, sadharna gandharam, panchamam'' and ''shuddha dhaivatham'', as per Carnatic music notation and terms for the ''swaras''. ''Bhupalam'' is considered a ''janya'' rāgam of ''Shubhapantuvarali'', the 45th ''Melakarta'' rāgam, though it can be derived from 5 other melakarta rāgams by dropping both the ''madhyamam'' and ''nishādham''.
Popular compositions ''Bhupalam'' rāgam lends itself for good elaboration and has a few compositions in both classical music and film music. Here are some popular songs composed in ''Bhupalam''. *''Sadhu vibhatam'' (''varnam'') and other ''kritis'', ''Nijadasanam prati'' and ''Samajendra'' composed by Swati Tirunal*''Annai Janaki'' by Arunachala Kavi*''Sadachaleshwaram'' by Muthuswami Dikshitar
Film Songs === Language:Tamil ===SongMovieComposerSingerNee Palli EzhundhaalRaja MukthiC. R. SubburamanM. K. Thyagaraja BhagavatharPanniner MozhiyaalThiruvarutchelvarK. V. MahadevanT. M. Soundararajan,Master MaharajanSugamana SindhanaiyilTaxi DriverM. S. ViswanathanS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiKozhi KoovumVanna Vanna PookkalIlaiyaraajaDegam Pon DegamAnbulla MalareS. JanakiBhoomiye EngaPuthu PaatuMano, S. JanakiVidinthatha PozhuthuPillai PaasamIlaiyaraajaSenthazham PoovilMullum MalarumK.J. YesudasKathiravanai PaarthuPookkal Vidum ThudhuT. RajendarPonmaanaiMythili Ennai KaathaliS. P. BalasubrahmanyamBoobalam ArangerumAgni TheerthamShankar–GaneshK.J. YesudasPaarthu Sirikithu BommaiThirumathi Oru VegumathiVani JairamVaigai NeeradaChinnanchiru KiliyeG. K. VenkateshMalaysia Vasudevan, S. JanakiKaalai Veyil NerathileThen ChittugalVijay RamaniP. JayachandranKadhal Kavithai PaadaGanam Courtar AvargaleDevendranS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K.S. ChitraPaadum Paravaigal SangeethamShenbagathottamSirpyS. Janaki
Related rāgams This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.=== ''Graha bhedham'' ===''Bhupalam's'' notes when shifted using ''Graha bhedham'', yields two pentatonic rāgams, ''Gambhiranata'' and ''Hamsanadam''. ''Graha bhedham'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāgam. We get ''Hamsanadam'' by shifting the ''Shadjam'' to ''Shuddha Rishabham''. For more details and illustrations of this concept refer ''Graha bhedham on Gambhiranata''.=== Scale similarities ===*''Revagupti'' rāgam differs from ''Bhupalam'' only by the ''gāndhāram''. It uses ''antara gāndhāram'' instead of ''sadharana gāndhāram'' and its '''' structure is S R1 G3 P D1 S : S D1 P G3 R1 S*''Bhauli'' rāgam uses an additional ''nishadam'' in descending scale, in comparison to Revagupti above. Its '''' structure is S R1 G3 P D1 S : S N3 D1 P G3 R1 S*''Karnataka Shuddha Saveri'' rāgam uses ''shuddha madhyamam'' in place of ''sadharana gandharam'' of ''Bhupalam''. Its '''' structure is S R1 M1 P D1 S : S D1 P M1 R1 S
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