Hamsadhwani

When I first attended a concert of Flute Ramani sir, I was spellbound by his mastery over the craft. He began the concert with a kirti in the raagam Hamsadhwani, the very famous “Vatapi Ganapathim Bhaje’ham” composed by Dikshitar. That is what established my strong emotional association with Hamsadhwani. I was so captivated by the pleasantness of the raagam and also the musical eloquence with which Ramani sir delivered it that, to this day Hamsadhwani remains one of my all time favourites. Hamsadhwani is an audava raagam (what we call a pentatonic scale in Western) and is a janya (derivative scale) of Shankarabharanam. It does not feature Madhyamam and Dhaivatham in its aarohana avarohana structure….

Hypnotic Hindholam

My close friend Mr.Srinivas has the nice habit of analyzing Carnatic Raagaas in movie songs. He recently brought to discussion an A.R.Rehman hit Maargazhi Poove Maargazhi Poove in the movie May Maadham.

Exotic Maandu

Sowkiyama Kanney Sowkiyama…..Sowkiyama Kanney Sowkiyama…….an A.R.Rehman composition from the movie Sangamam is a piece par excellence in the Raagam Maandu.

Amazing Aabheyri

I was just listening to the song Kannodu kaanbathellaam thalaivaa in the movie Jeans. It is an amazing composition of A.R.Rehman with notes swirling up and down like splashes of sea waves in a calm evening soothing our soul in the Raagam Aabheyri.

Scintillating Shanmukhapriya

Who can ever forget the all time green Shanmukhapriya melody Maraindirundhu paarkum marumam enna in Sivaji Padmini combo movie Thiilaanaa Mohanaambaal?

Charming Chaarukesi

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.

Mohanam – Raaga

Raaga is a sequence of musical notes in Indian Classical Music. Every Raaga has a defined style of exposition of the notes and has a name.