Bangala is a minor raga and found sung towards the end of concerts or as fillers in between. The raga can be traced in medieval literature, but is supposed to be of folk origin; there was no evidence found to connect it to Bengal. Saint Thyagaraja was the first to use this raga in compositions. The arohana does not contain D2 and N3, while avarohanam lacks N3 – it is a vakra-oudava, shadava janya of Sankarabharanam; the notes can be seen as: S R2 G3 M1 P M1 R2 P S // S N3 P M1 R2 G3 R2 S All the notes are flat and without any gamakas. It is beautiful to listen when sung in the medium speed. The sancharas extend from the mandra sthayee Nishadam to tAra sthayee Panchamam. SSP does not give any reference regarding this raga, but Ragapravaham by D.Pattammal places it under two mela ragas, (28) Harikambhoji and (29) Sankarabharanam. Under mela (28) Harikambhoji: S R G M P S // S N P M R G R S S R G M P M R P S // S N P M R G R S S R G M R P S // S N D N P M G R S S R G M P S // S N P M R G R S S R G M R P S // S N P M R G R S S R G M P M R P S // S N P M R G R S
Under mela (29), Sankarabharanam: S R G M P M R P S // S N P M R G R S S R G M N P S // S N P M R G R S The ragam Bangala evokes bhakthi and devotion. Hence the available compositions are also in the same type only. Compositions: Cidambaram ena ninaivai - Suddhaananda Bhaarati Devam kavachinam - Dr. Muthaiah Bhagavatar Girirajasutha thanaya - Thyagaraja Munupe teliyaka - Thyagaraja Sakshi ledanucu - Thyagaraja Karuninca brovarada - Mysore Vasudevacharya Rara Rama Ravikula Soma - Garbhapurivasa We have come to the discussion part; the mostly heard krithi, ‘Giriraja sutha’ is taken for the same. It is supposed that the adhi Devatha of this raga is Lord Ganesha, hence Saint Thyagaraja has written this krithi on the same deity. Also, it is one of the rare compositions by the Saint on Gods other than Lord Rama; in this the composer praises Lord Ganesha. “O Lord vinAyaka – Son of pArvatI! O Merciful Lord! O Lord whose feet are worshipped by indra and other chieftains! O Elephant faced Lord! O Chief of attendants of Lord Siva! O Supreme Lord - beyond everything! O Moon shining in the Ocean of SivAgamas! (OR) O Auspicious Lord! O Moon shining in the Ocean of Agamas! O Lord who wears SEsha as bracelet! O Lord who removes obstacles! O Son of Lord Siva! O Glorious Lord praised by this tyAgarAja! Please protect me”.
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