Raag Gowri Manohari..

Call her the twin of Dharmavathi.
Or the offspring of Sankarabaranamand Kalyani.

Gouri Manohari embodies all that those three stand for,the majesty that is evident of Sankarabaranam, the artistry thatunderlines Kalyani, the compassion that is symbolized by Dharmavathi.

Take a look at the surs of these ragas:

Sankarabaranam contains all and only the major notes
S R G M P D N S - S N D P M G R S
Kalyani has five of the major notes and only m, a minor one.
S R G m P D N S - S N D P m G R S
Dharmavathi takes on variant minor g and is different from Kalyani.
S R g m P D N S - S N D P m g R S
Gouri Manohari is different from Dharmavathi in M as it again resorts to the major note.
S R g M P D N S - S N D P M g R S

Imbibing thus, the passions of all these ragas, Gouri Manohari stillretains its unique quality in bringing forth the basic emotions.
A traveler on the hot sands of a desert, thirsty for a few drops ofwater, still hopeful of quenching his thirst, the hope and despairalternately springing forth. Yet he is no ordinary traveler.
He is abadshah, perhaps he has presently lost his kingdom, but would regainone. He hopes while in despair. The soul-filing raga, Gouri Manohari,has to be sung to be felt.

A classic example of the raga in Hindi film music would be "meghachhaye" in Sharmilee under the composition of R.D.Burman. The Junior Dawho was otherwise known more for his rock styled music (remember TeesriManzil and Caravan were his spring board to fame), this delightfulnumber is very noteworthy. True to Keats' words "the sweetest songalways comes from the saddest heart."

In Tamil K.V.Mahdevan fully utilized the majestic element of the ragain Thiruvilaiyadal with the song "Paatum naane". Follow the sur trackin the charanam "arivaay manidha un aanavam peridha" winding up throughthe river like flow of the raga and bringing out its majesty in itsentierty.
The Lord donning the role of a human to teach an arrogantmusician his place well suited the raga.

MSV, in Mazhalaipattalam came out with the song starting with the nameof the raga itself "Gouri manohariyai kanden" had the elegance of theraga, for the situation of a widowed woman singing happily, embodyingthe hope she nurses for the future in her mind.

The longing and passion of the raga was brought out very astonishingly,what we talked of earlier, the alternate emotions of hope and despair,by Ilayaraja in his song "dhoorathil naan kanda un mugam."

The song,though, did not feature in the film (Nizhalgal) has such a sway overthe listener you are dumbfounded by the mastery of the maestro. Play onthe song to hear the chittswaram-like words in the charanam "kanavupola vaazhvil endhan - kavalai yaavum mara vendum.".

The lyric,music, the tone of the singer all vie with one another to reach theepitome of the raga. Where words fail to describe the raga, Raja doesit with his composition. The intervening solo violin interlude was aclear instance of his deep craftsmanship.

*** R e v a t h i ***

A young girl longing to meet with her beloved, full of desires andexpectations, a little fear lurking in the mind, trying to overcome itwith joy at the imminent meet, not able to bear more separation andeager to reach early the appointed moment - that is how this ragashapes. A base sense of fear and insecurity underlines the raga, asoutwardly it is lined with passion.
Revathy, called Bairaghi in HCM, is the raga we are talking of. Amelakartha raga, it is suited for riyaaz at morning.

Aorkan : S r M P n S
Avro : S n P M r S

The minor r and n bring out the longing while the successive major Mand P provide the flow.
The chanting of Veda was based on Revathy: nsrsnsr - srrsss
The signature tune of DD news was also on Revathy.
This beautiful raga has not been much utilized by the MD of eitherHindi or Tamil filmdom. Surprisingly, the one who used it in filmformat was Bappi Lahiri in the picture Aitbaar (starring Raj Babbar,Dimple - a take off on Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder). That a personotherwise known for the gimmick compositions for the gyratingJeetender, Bappi Lahir, somehow could switch his mind to a totallydifferent wavelength for this semi classical song is a matter ofwonder. The lyrical beauty, the musical composition of the Bairagi inthe gazal format and the support by the actors was wonderful. WhenSuresh Oberoi sang "Ki nazar ko tera intezaar aaj bhi hai" and Dimplesang back "woh pyaar jis keliye humne chhod de duniya", you wonder, youcould join to sing in your rejoinder "yeh gana is kelilye hum bhi choddenge duniya"
In Tamil one song identifiable to Ravathy was "sangeetha jaathi mullai"by the Maestro in Kaadhal Oviyam. The intervening viruthams and chitaswarams are beautifully woven into the fabric of the song that itbrings it about in its utmost elegance.
As lovers of music, we understand there is no good or bad music. It isonly what we like or do not like, which of course, would beyond anydiscussion being based on individual values. A point in illustration-"choli ke peeche kya hai" is anybody's guess. But what were the sursbehind the line. We are surprised to find they are the same which formthe basis of the vedic chanting:
nsrsssns - nsrsss
Howzthat!!!

Panthu Varali..(Is it Kama Vardhini ? )

suba Panthuvarali

Ever heard of the Christian concept of Purgatory?

(In Roman Catholic teaching) this is a place or condition in which the souls of the dead are purified by suffering in preparation for Heaven; (vide Oxford Adv.Dictionary)

The ghost of Hamlet's father visits him from thePurgatory!

It is the place that washes you of all your sins.

In music, the raga, which washes the soul of all its sorrows, is SubaPantuvarali.

Remember the days when DD and AIR only ruled the air?

Remember anyoccasion where the entire nation mourned for seven days the death of aNational Figure?

Void of any entertainment, the air used to be filledwith shehanoi or violin playing this Suba Pantuvarali.

It could purgatean entire nation of its sadness over the death of her beloved leader.

Called Thodi in HCM (Thodi in CCM is a totally different raga), SubaPantuvarali has minor notes woven intricately to bring out thequintessence of the raga.

Arokan: S r g M P d N S

Avro : S N d P M g r S

Naushad, the master of classicism in Hindi films, churned out quite afew numbers. He, in fact, used it twice in a film, Baiju Bawra, for thesongs "Insaan Bano" and "Tori Jai Jai Kartar". The forlorn andfrustrated singer, who could never sight the "bahar" of his life,pleads, in "Basant Bahar" , to the Lord "ab to bulale charanon meinteri". Also under the able Naushad's music.

Ravi composed an equally heart rending melody in Ek Phool Do Mali -"aulaadwalon phoolon palo" excites and saddens the Balraj Sahani, whoreacts to it from his then predicament. Though the picturisation was abit cinematic, the underlying beauty of the raga was brought out wellby Ravi.Rafi, with Manna Dey(?) sang "Tu hain prem ki devata", in one of thelesser known movies.To top it all, the son of the Master Bengali Babu, R.D.Burman, createdhis "rainaa bitii jaaye" (Amar Prem). Till date, the melody queenconsiders it as one of her best rendered songs. Recollect the sancharamLata does in the opening line, "Shaam na aaaaaaaa ye", the melodiousbeauty of the raga, filled with inexplicable emotions, would at once berealized.

In Tamil, MSV had a few hit numbers with "indha natakam" (PalumPazhamum), "kala magal kann thirapal" (Anandha Jyothi). Ilayarajahandled it for his sonorous "vizhiyorathu kanavum" (Raja Paarvai) and"Vaigarayil" (Payanangal Mudivathillai). His half hearted attempt tomake a comic song of the raga ("Kandu pudichen" in Guru Sishyan turnedout a farce). With due regards to his mastery of music, endowing aphase totally different to inherent nature of a raga was not everybody's cup of tea.

In my knowledge, the only one who successfullyachieved was the genius, G.Ramanathan, who composed a happy duet "Vadamalare" for Ambikapathy (Shivaji Ganesan) in Mukari.

Try to remember a devotional number of TMS, "Engellam Theduvatho", asoul searching for a glimpse of the Lord to purge itself of all itssins and sorrows. And an equally powerful, classical number by MLV "Srisatya anandha mayam ". What could not be brought about in this wholepage, would be accomplished by just a hearing of the two songs.

Hamir Kalyani ..THE MUGAL AMONG THE RAGHAS

Yaman or Yamuna Kalyani was a delicately decorated young bride.
Hamir Kalyani is the established and also novel, innocent and alsoproud, beautiful and also the majestic Begum of the Sultanate Durbar.

Listen to the raga.

Arokan : S G m P N S
Avro : S N D P G M P G m R S

While DPGMP provides the majesty and pride, with GmRS flows theinnocent beautiful proximity to the heart.

Originated in HCM where it is known by the name Hamvir or Hamir, the raga was aptly adopted as Hamir Kalyani in CCM, being of the KalyaniThaat and is suited for late evening riyaaz.

Naturally, with the fragrance of wine, flowers and fully decked tawaifs overflowing theCourt of the Sutanate, no other raga would have suited it better.

Hamvir has been very beautifully exploited by the MDs of Hindi filmdom,O.P.Nayyar being the prominent among them.

Can anyone forget theBengali Babu, Joy Mukerjee (whose films mostly ran just on the merit ofsongs) pleading with a naughty Saira in Ek Hasina Ek Musafir to meethim every day, so that "ek din pyaar ho jaayega". Same Joy rodehappily with Asha Parekh singing happily "Shaukse bachkar yaar kahonjaoge". Surely, no body can escape the charm of the raga. Again underNayyar's tantallizing music, Mukerjee sang on a boat "Phir tereshahar mein lutneko chhalaya hoon". True, Hamvir would not let you beback till it has robbed you of all your restlessness.

Naushad, the classical master of filmy geet, was not far behind. Achained Madhubala prays "bekas pe karam keejiye" in the legendMugal-e-Azam. The song was Film-e-Azam.

The sweet and shrill voiced Hemant Kumar had us mesmerized with his"Darshan Do Dhanshyam" in Narsi Bagat, composed by Ravi. RavindraJain had the cute little girl sing "Humko Manki Shakti Dede" inGuddi.

Very few MDs have highlighted Hamir Kalayani in Tamil, first in theplace being Vis & Ram with the duo's evergreen "Ennuyir Thozhi"in Karnan. The same duo had us spellbound in Sumaithangi with the sweet and never-gets-old voice of Janaki in "En Annai Seidha Paavam".Later, MSV alone had TMS and Suseela in the duet, "Chandrodayam orupenn anadho", in a film of like name.

Interestingly, you would find in the above songs, sitar and saroddominating the other instruments.

No wonder, the instruments basicallyof the HCM and pertaining to the Mugal Era could never have a match inretention and exposition of the Mugal of the Ragas.