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Writer's pictureDr Radhakrishnan

EKA-KRITHI RAGAS : RASALI – JANYA OF MELA(4) RAGAM VANASPATHI

There are three known janyas listed under Vanaspathi; Rasali, Vanavali and Vittalapriya. Except the first, the other two ragas are only in names, no compositions are found. Rasali (pronounced as RasAli) is a shadava – oudava ragam; losing G1 in the arohanam and both G1 and N2 in the avarohanam of the Janaka raga. The notes are:

Aroh: S R1 M1 P D2 N2 S // Avaroh: S D2 P M1 R1 S (The notes used by this raga are Shadja, Sudha rishabha, Sudha madhyama, Panchama, Chatusruti dhaivata and Kaisiki nishada).

It is also known as Vanavali or Rasavali. Though it is a janya of mela (4) Vanaspathi, it can be derived from mela (10) Natakapriya, or mela (16) Chakravaka because of the absence of Ga. The rishabha is an amsa swara and nyasa swara. It is a morning raga. We owe to Saint Thyagaraja for this raga; as there is only one composition known and it is by the Saint. As I had shown in an earlier issue, these Eka-raga krithis of Saint Thyagaraja is the only main source for us to recognize sancharas of these rare ragas.

Saint Thyagaraja has composed the krithi, “Aparadhamula norva” in this raga, Rasali, the lyrics of which is: Pallavi aparAdhamula nOrva samayamu krpajUDumu ghanamaina nA anupallavi capala cittuDai mana serugakanE jAli beTTu koni moralaniDu nA charaNam sakala lOkula phalamula nerigi samrakSincucu nuNDaga nannokani brOva teliya kIrtana shataka mOnarcu tyAgarAjanuta nA

In this composition, Thyagaraja pleads to the God to forgive him for his transgressions and protect him as He has done for others. It is the very last kriti of Satharagarathnamalika composed by Thyagaraja. The deletion of gandharam adds colour to this raga, the sudden glide from M1 to R1, which is too below gives a special beauty as in the case of another raga, Revathi (janya of Ratnangi mela). The phrases 'p m r; s r m r' add beauty to this krithi. Thyagaraja highlighted the swara R1 throughout the krithi. (Some phrases without Nishada slightly resembles the raga Gaula).

Compositions available:

In addition to the Thyagaraja krithi, Aparadhamula norva, there is a thillana composed by the great flautist, Dr. N.Ramani and a Jathiswaram by Smt. Padma S. Raghavan.


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