Raga is the soul of Indian classical music and of its myriad forms, raga Mohanam is very popular. This pentatonic scale, Janya raga derivative of Harikambhoji, the 28th Melakarta raga, is known for its beauty in its melodic quotient. A thematic concert ‘Raga Sammohanam’ by senior vocalist Mandapaka Sarada and her disciples Moola Srilata, G Srividya and S. Saidev Harsha made an elaborate presentation with a focus on Mohanam, at Kalabharati Visakhapatnam.
Though termed a concert, in was more of a lecture-demonstration, as Sarada effectively wore her teaching cap and was seen at her pedagogic best. This audava raga or pentatonic scale has its presence across various systems of music in the world. While it is called Mohanam in Carnatic system of music, in the Hindustani system, it is termed Bhup.
With a slideshow and digital video presentation, Sarada elucidated the pentatonic scale akin to our Mohanam in the Asian countries like China and Japan. She also explained its presence in Greek, Ethiopian, Tibetan systems of music. She elaborated its various shades in those systems of music substantiating her point. We find almost all types of compositions in classical music like Varnam, , Lakshna Geetam, Swarapallavi, krithi, kirtana and bhajan,, . Ravindra Sangeeth, light music, devotional music and patriotic songs too, she observed.
While Sarada chose mostly to explain the different dimensions of raga Mohanam, Srilata, Srividya and Saidevharsha demonstrated those aspects with sample renditions.
The session opened with Raktha Ganapathim a composition of Muthuswamy Dikshitar followed by Varaveena geetham, a Lakshna geetham of Govinda Kavi, Swarapallavi, Ninnukori , a varnam of Ramanad Srinivas Iyangar, Swagatham Krishna of Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi, a Rabindra geeth, a bhajan of Swathi Tirunal, Mohanarama of Thyagaraja, a brief RTP, patriotic songs of Kandukuri Rambhadra Rao and Devulapalli Krishna Sastry, Tillana of Muttaiah Bhagavatar formed the fare.
Ch Ramyakironmayi (violin), Mandapaka Nagalakshmi (mridangam), M Suryaprasad Rao (ghatam) lent good support. Visakha Music Academy hosted it.
