Isai Arangam

Charming Chaarukesi

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Continuing our journey into the graceful garden of Carnatic music, we now move to the Raaga Chaarukesi. Chaarukesi is a charming Raaga that induces a soft mood but kindles deep rooted subtle emotions. Being placed number 26 in the 72 Meylakarthaa mode of classification of Carnatic Raagas, Chaarukesi is a Sampoorna Raaga (a Raaga that has all the 7 Indian notes, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha and Ni). The Raaga can be represented on a Western musical keyboard as follows with the Western musical note C as the starting note;

Charukesi is a Raagaa whose intricate structure is more visible and understood in the Anupallavi part of a Krithi (the higher octave of the Raaga exposition) giving a feel of a Himalayan glacier.
Although the Raaga has been handled by almost all the famous Carnatic music composers, Adamodi Galade by Saint Tyagaraaja and Kripaya paalaya sowray by Maharaja Swathi Thirunaal are popular. No one can deny the fact that Chaarukesi was more popularized by M.K.Tyagaraaja Bhaagawadhar, with his evergreen melody hit Manmadha leelaiyai venraar vundo in the film Haridas of our grandpa’s era.

Nadanthaai Vaazhi Kaaveri from the film Agathiar is a more recent wonder combo of Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan’s genius with the gifted voice of Seergaazhi Govindarajan. But…the modern cine lovers will understand and cherish Chaarukesi only with Kaadhalin deepam onru in Thanbikki endha ooru, a Rajinikaanth super hit movie. Also specially to mention is the song Uthaya Uthaya by A.R.Rahman in the movie Uthaya, which was composed on the same raaga.

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The melodious Aadal kalaye devan thanthathu in another Rajni super hit movie Sri Raagavendrar is Chaarukesi too….Kaadhala Kaadhala from Kamala Hassan’s Avvai shanmugi is Chaarukesi in splendor.

It is interesting to note that most of the Krithis and film songs mentioned here have substantial period of sustenance in the higher octave as discussed. For example, Manmadha leelaiyai begins in a higher octave note and swirls around higher notes;
Nadanthaai Vaazhi Kaaveri also has its beginning in a higher octave note and Kaadhala Kaadhala goes as high as the panchamam or the fifth note in the higher octave in its course.

Thus, Chaarukesi is special in the sense that it can stir subtle feminine or soft emotions – even in the higher octave exposition in contrast to similar higher octave specialty Raagaas that stir Gambeera or masculine mood during their higher octave sanchaaram or exposition.

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Do you have more examples to offer? Comment below

Author: Prof. Ramanan – (c) IsaiArangam Prof. Ramanan is a Writer/Editor and Proofreader working for a Medical Translation company in China and for several Journals of Nursing in the US. Further, he had been consultant writer for a parenting blog from Hartford and an Ergonomic website from Texas. Beside all this, he also owns and operates a company called “Elementum”. Contact: ramanan@isai-arangam.com

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