Raghuvara
I was going through my old music note book….found this song that I used to love. But I have forgotten how to sing it.
It is Raghuvara….
Ragam: Pantuvarali or Kamavardhini (its an alias)
composer: Thagaraja
The ragam is mesmerizing. This is one of the non peppy carnatic songs that really took my heart away.
I found the song on musicindiaonline.com and have vowed to refresh my memory again…
Here is some insight in to the raagam itself (taken from http://seetha-narayanan.sulekha.com/blog/post/2003/08/great-ragas-pantuvarali.htm)
The raga is called Kamavardhini, and is the 51st in the Melakarta system. Long long ago, this raga was known as Ramakriya. The Dikshitar school calls it Kashee Ramakriya.
It has Shadjamam, Shudha Rishabham, Antara Gandharam, Prati Madhyamam, Panchamam, Shudha Dhaivatam and Kakali Nishadham.
The aarohanam and avarohanam are:
S R1 G3 M2 P D1 N3 S
S N3 D1 P M2 G3 R1 S
Long karvais in medium octave G are very reposeful. Elaboration of raga alapana at G brings out the shades of this raga very well.
Homing on to middle octave Gandhara, prayogas are very effective in establishing the identity of this raga, ie, G, G M R G, G M D P M G R G, Saa R G, etc. Upper octave prayogas are frowned upon by some schools, but having been firmly established, these prayogas are now part and parcel of Pantuvarali.
Introduced as third or fourth song in a concert, this raga adds pep and vigor to the concert.
Barring two Dikshitar kritis ‘Ramanatham Bhajeham’ and ‘Visalakshi Vishweshi,’ almost all compositions in this raga are medium paced. One of Thyagaraja’s Kovoor Pancharatna kritis ‘Shambo Mahadeva’ in Sanskrit is a sought after kriti by almost all rasikas.
‘Ninne nera Nammi’ of Thyagaraja is a very popular kriti in this raga. Later composers like GNB and Papanasam Sivan used the same mode for their compositions: `Ninnarul Iyambalagumo’ by Sivan and ‘Shivananda Kamavardhini’ by GNB.
There are quite a few Thevarams in this raga.
Learners find this raga easy to learn. One reason could be that it is the corresponding raga of Mayamalava gowla in Pratimadhyama division of Melakarta system. As Mayamalawa gowla is the first raga one learns, students learn this raga faster.
There is a composition of Thyagaraja, ‘Shobhaney,’ which is sung on all auspicious occasions like weddings. The uniqueness of this song is that it is in Madhyama sruti. Usually, Madhyama sruti is used in Nishadantiya (ending in N) raga like Nadanamakriya or Panchamantiya raga like Navaroj (scale ending with Panchama). Hence ‘Shobhaney,’ a Pantuvralii Utsava Sampradaya kriti being sung in Madhyama sruti is a rarity. This, of course, lends a very beautiful shade to this raga.
I also found that this song actually has 4 charanams…but everyone sings only one…
The song goes like this (picked from rasikas.org)
Pallavi
raghuvara nannu marava tagunA
Anupallavi
naga dhara bhakta jan(A)gha nivAraNa (raghu)
Charanam
1. talli taNDrul(a)nna tammulu(y)unna polatiki(y)okuDu puruShuND(au)nA (raghu)
2. para daivamulu bAgu sommulu sura nuta mangala sUtramul(au)nA (raghu)
3. cEsina puNya cayamu brahmaNya Asan(o)sangiti anupama lAvaNya (raghu)
4. manasuna nIkE marulukonnAnu sajjana hita tyAgarAja nuta SubhA kara (raghu)
Meaning goes like this:
Pallavi : O Lord raghuvara! Is it fair to forget me?
Anupallavi : O Bearer of Mountain (mandara or gOvardhana)! O Reliever of the sins of devotee lot!
Charanam :
1. For a woman, even if there are parents (mother and father) and brothers (elder brothers and younger brothers), will one be equal to husband?
2. For a woman, even if there other Gods and/or much ornaments, will they (these) be equal to the sacred tAli or tAliboTTu? O Lord praised by celestials!
3. O Lord dear to brahmA! probably because of the many merits which I earned that You fulfilled my desire; O Lord of Peerless beauty or handsomeness!
4. In my mind, I am in love with You; O Lord well disposed to pious people! O Lord praised by this tyAgarAja! O Lord who causes auspiciousness!
