Raga Appreciation

**Indrajith** · 29th July 2005, 01:42 AM

3 more days to go.... to come up with sahana...

**Google Adsense** · 29th July 2005 01:42 AM

**baroque** · 29th July 2005, 12:14 PM

Lots of information!! thanks a lot!!!

Beautiful Sahana - karuna rasapradhana raga(pathos)
I recall my favorite, very emotive ‘Vandanamu raghunandana setu bandana bhakta candana rama....’ I indulge in this krithi for ever!!
R.......R long karvais and R...G RSN many beautiful phrases!!! I am all ready with my ears sharp to learn!!

**viggop** · 29th July 2005, 01:00 PM

Mukhari is another raga depicting pathos.

**viggop** · 29th July 2005, 03:11 PM

more about Kambodhi at sangeetham.com

http://www.sangeetham.com/others/arc...a+appreciation

**baroque** · 30th July 2005, 11:04 AM

Viggop,
When I mentioned
Beautiful Sahana - karuna rasapradhana raga(pathos) , I should not have emphasis as ‘pathos’.
In “vandanamu raghunandana aa
sEtu bandhana bhakta chandana” Sahana raga in beautiful slow movement with elegant simplicity brings devotion.
In Sivan composition “Chittam Iranga ...”

“Chittam Iranga denaiyaa sendil velaiyaa nin.....
Bhaktark kirangum dheena bandu enrunnai nambi...” The singer literally begging for karunai, sympathy!!
Very aesthetic Sahana with catchy phrases with proper gamakas reflects devotion, karuna and other rasas!!!

**Indrajith** · 9th August 2005, 12:42 AM

Preparing the write up. will post it by tomorrow( IST.

)

**Nitya** · 11th August 2005, 08:06 AM

This is my understanding of Sahaana's defining characteristics:

1. Gaandhaaram is between Sadhaarana and Anthara. It can be rendered with or without gamakam.

2. Kaishiki Nishaadam is always oscillated, and therefore not prolonged-- not alpa, but not prolonged.

3. Suitable nyasa swaras are Ri2, Dha2, Ma1 in descent, and of course Sa and Pa. Ga3 is not a suitable nyasa swara.

I'll leave it to Indrajith to fill in what I've missed.

**Nitya** · 19th August 2005, 10:16 PM

Indrajith?? Have you forgotten??

**shree_nav** · 21st August 2005, 07:11 PM

A LITTLE FILM INFO ON SAHANA..
THE SONG SWAPNANGAL..

FROM KAVYAMELA
IS BEAUTIFULLY DONE
BY DAKSHINAAMOORTHY SWAMI..
IN RAAGAMALIKA..
PALLAVI AND FIRST ANUPALLAVI IS IN SAHANA..
REST IS IN SHANMUKHAPRIYA..

**Indrajith** · 24th August 2005, 04:34 PM

Sahana is a recent inclusion in terms of carnatic music history.
This is a ranjakatva ubhaya vakra raga. Means which is asthetic and pleasing.
The Arohana and avarohana are as follows

Arohanam Sa1 Ri2 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Ma1 Dha2 Ni2 Sa2
Avarohanam Sa2 Ni2 Dha2 Pa Ma1 Ga3 Ma1 Ri2 Ga3 Ri2 Sa1

From the above one can notice that the arohana and avarohana have vakra prayogams.
The Gandharam in this raga is specially named as Trisanku Gandharam, which is neither sadharana gandaram nor anthara gandaram. It is somewere inbetween those 2. Sahana is considered a derivative of the 28th melakarta or a derivative of the 22nd melakarta due credits to the Trisanku Gandharam.This raga is learnt by listning than academically.

The Sadharana Gandhara is used as alpathvam ( not freely/frequently used).Most of the songs use the Antara Gandhara while few use the Sadharana Gandhara.Rather this raga is a bit restricted in the sense it has to be Alapana, gamakas, swaraprastaram should be limited and this is called Mithathavam. ( Ref. Bahuthvam, Mithathvam, Alpathvam).

This raga relies heavily ont he gamakas and cannot be sung with out gamakas. kampita gamakam and pratyahata/Dhattu gamaka swaras are extensively used in rendering.

Rishabham & Nishadham are used with gamakams while rendering and it is mostly the pivot of many songs in this raga.

Chaya Swaram: Ri Ni
Nyasa Swaram: Ri Ni Dha Pa
Dheerga Swaram: Dha Ma
Gamaka Swaram: Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni
(generally Ga is used with out gamaka to create a pathos (it is what they claim))

This raga being a ranjakatva raga is generally rendered in a very slow pace.stay on each and every swara and deliver gamaka and move. this raga requires lots of effort to make the listener feel the Bhava of the raga, so the singer must "ripe" to sing compositions on this raga.

Songs like Vandhanamu, Giripai,Ee Vasudha etc from Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar's compositions like Sri Kamalambikayam, Abhayambayam are great numbers to listen and there are no songs in this raga by Syama sasthri.
Papanasam Sivan has done Sri Vathapi Gananapathiye which is a notable number to start the concert with.

Generally this raga is not taken up for elaboration ( Main piece) in concerts. It will be used as one of the thukkadas sung at last. But nowdays people have a habbit of shocking others starting the concert with sahana.

This raga sounds good on instruments like Veena ,flute and violin than vocal ( Its my personal opinion though).GNB has a very rough sahana while M.D.Ramanathan has a softcorner for sahana and performs at great ease. ( Might be that suits his pace of singing)
For me the best bet in this raga would be Ee Vasudha...

pour in........