Kedaram..The Raag of Kingly Might and Magnanimity.

KEDHARAM an ever green ragha with a touch of romance, passion, love, affection, care is at best described a ragha of matchless magnanimity tinged with graceful hospitality.

Theory reveals that this belongs to 29th Mela kartha Raag which is DHIRA SHANKARABARANAM .

The Aaroganam as well as Avarohanam Swaras are:

Aa: S M1 G3 M1 P N3 S
Av: S N3 P M1 G3 R2 S

Please note the meticulous absence of dhaivatam both in Aarohanam as well as in Avarohanam.

One can find plenty of compositions under this Kedharam but the most famous ones are:

Ananda naTana prakAsam
dIna dayAparanE - SNB
manavAdiru manamE - KI
maracE vADana - T
O ramAramaNa - T
ninnu cAla (varNam) - TT
pAdamalarE taNYcam - PS
parama purusha - WVB
paramEshwara pAhi - TSV
pOdum pOdum - SNB
rAma nIpai tanaku - T
The above list is by
Courtesy: www.Karnatik.com

A good number of Thevarams are tuned to this Kedharam being sung in the temples, by Odhuvars just before the rising of the Sun every day.

None can forget the beautiful bhavas exhibited by the actors Kamal and Urvashi while singing the Song SUNDARI NEEYUM. The raag is KEDHARAM.

Let us view this video first.



However as I said that this raag can transport one from passion to Divine Love and Bhakthi. Use of this Raag in Bhajans and devotional songs are more common.
Let us see another video where a Purandara dasa bhajan is waiting for you to view.
Prince Raja Varma sings Kedharam..Purandara dasa bhajan



Songs:

There are plenty of film songs composed in this Raag.
A few of them are ::

marumurai nI anda vArttaiyai (krishNan bhakti)
ponmAlai pozhudu ( nizhalgaL)
rAmanIpai tyAgarAjA)
sundari nIyum michael madana kAmarAjan)
vazhikaTTum deyvam ( K.P. sundarAmbAL)


While writing on Kedharam, none can afford to miss the genius Yesudoss.
His rich and melodious voice is better witnessed in this Raag:
Click the site below> (if you are not directed there, please cut and paste this URL)
www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/QUQ26C-Cbd.As1NMvHdW/?done_detect


Kedharam is Beauty Personified. One gets immersed as one listens to it.

More of it in our next post.