Apoorva Raga Darshini – 1, the inaugural session of a series of lecture demonstrations on rare ragas devised and hosted by Ananya, Bangalore, was conducted recently by eminent vocalist Neela Ramgopal, accompanied by Charulatha Ramanujam (violin), K.U.Jayachandra Rao (mridanga), and Yoga Keerthana (vocal support).
The first of the four ragas of the day was Udayaravichandrika. Though the raga is commonly perceived to be identical to Shuddhadhanyasi, it was explained that while Udayaravichandrika is a pentatonic scale it uses the kakali nishada instead of the kaishiki nishada, and is derived from the melakartha Dhenuka. The raga, it was further elucidated, is exemplified in compositions by Muthuswami Deekshithar and Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wodeyar. A beautiful raga alapana was then presented, followed by the exquisite but rarely heard Deekshithar krithi ‘Sri Guruguha Murthe’ in rupaka thala, incorporating the raga mudra, followed by kalpana swaras.
It was pointed out that the second raga, Kalavathi, is derived from Chakravaka in Thyagaraja compositions, while a completely different format is discernible in the Deekshithar school, akin to the melakartha Yagapriya. The former structure was taken up for expansion, initially with swara sancharas, and subsequently with a full alapana that was hauntingly melodious, highlighting the luminescence of the rishabha and the strength of the dhaivatha. Thyagaraja’s ‘Ennadu Juthuno’ in adi thala, rendered with great fidelity to the beseeching tone of the lyrics, was suffixed with a spate of kalpana swaras. Bhogavasantha, defined as a scale derived from Panthuvarali by merely omitting the panchama, was the next raga taken up for elaboration. It was clarified, however, that the proximity of the prathi madhyama and the shuddha dhaivatha without the anchor of an intervening panchama, made the negotiation of the swara structure a tricky proposition. A consummate raga alapana was succeeded by Jayachamaraja Wodeyar’s ‘Amba Sri Rajarajeswari’ in adi thala. The neraval at ‘Lambodara Janani Kameshwari,’ with the forays into the thara sthayi set off immediately thereafter by the descent to the madhya sthayi gandhara and shadja, was compelling. The kalpana swaras in the second speed, crafted and contoured with precision and bhava worthy of emulation by young aspirants, culminated in a brief yet alluring thani avarthana.
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The presentation concluded with an exposition of the raga Pranavapriya, a janya of Simhendramadhyama, comprising a raga essay and ‘Mohana Muthukumara’, a beautiful composition in Tamil by the lead artiste on Lord Subrahmanya. The procedure adopted during the course of the programme, beginning with technicalities and proceeding to a demonstration of swara patterns, full raga alapanas and kirthis appended with manodharma components such as neraval and kalpana swaras, effectively illustrated the potential for inclusion of rare ragas in the performance repertoire. The import of each of the lyrics was also narrated succinctly, enhancing the appreciation levels of students and connoisseurs alike. Soft and supportive violin and mridanga accompaniment, buttressed with immense skill and virtuosity, was one of the highlights of the session, which combined the academic and scholarly elements of a lecture demonstration with the aesthetic and intellectual stimulation of a full fledged concert.