It has all of five notes in it. A captivating and entertaining raga. The mood of this raga ranges from deeply devotional, softly soothing to intensely romantic (especially in film music), depending on how it is used.
IN CLASSICAL MUSIC
Some well known compositions in Shuddha Dhanyasi are Narayana Ninna Namada by Purandaradasa, Enta Nerchina by Tyagaraja, Himagiri Tanaye by Muttiah Bhagavathar and Subrahmanyena Rakshitom by Muthuswami Dikshithar.
IN FILMS
In film music this scale has been used extensively. Vaa Vaa Valarmathiye in Vanangamudi, composed by G Ramanathan and sung by ML Vasantakumari, was set in this raga. Kangal Enge from Karnan (music by M S Viswanathan and T K Ramamurthy), Neeye unakku endrum nigaraanavan in Bale Pandiya sung by T M Soundararajan and tuned by Viswanathan and Ramamurthy is very popular. Thottal Poo Malarum from Padagotti is base on Suddhadhanyasi. Ilayaraja had come out with many songs in this raga. Vizhiyil vizhundu from Alaigal Oyvadillai, Maalaiyil yaaro from Kshatriyan, Manjolai Kilithano in Kizhakke Pogum Rail and Enna solli paaduvatho from En Mana Vaanil are some of his songs.