Mangalakaishiki is a janya of mela (15) Mayamalavagoula ragam; losing Nishadam (N3) and slightly vakra in the arohanam only; keeps the avarohanam of MMG same. It is to be noted that the difference in listening by just a very small change like this is too distinguishable. This raga is considered one of the rarest janya raga. This is an all time raga, suitable of singing any time. The raga is a vakra-shadava sampoorna janyam of ragam Mayamalavagoula, represented as:
S R1 M1 G3 D1 P S // S N3 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S
Sangeetha Sampradaya Pradarshini by Subbarama Dikshithar also places it under mela (15), and quotes the lakshya geetham of Venkatamakhi as:
"chyutapancamasamyukta vakrarohavarohane |
sampurna sagrahopeta sa syanmangalakaisiki ||"
Arohanam: SRGMPMGPDNS or SRMGDPS
Avarohanam: SNDPMGRS
(the chyutha panchama as GMPMG and jati as DDRR must be included in swarakalpana)
Smt. D.Pattammal, in her book, Ragapravaham gives a number of different specifications for this raga under mela (15). (She has referred this as Mangala kaishika).
S M G M P M D N S // S N D P M G R S
S M G M P M G M // S N D P M G R S
S R G M S M G M P M G M // S N D P M G R S
S R G M P D S // S N D P M G R S
S R G M P M G P D N S // S N D P M G R S
S M G M P // S N D P M G R S
S R G R S M G M P D // S N D P M G R G R S
S R M G P D S // S N D P M G R S
S M G M P M // P N D P M G R S
Since the time of the Carnatic Trinities, this raga was not being used by any composer; though this raga is a thousand years old one; even among the trio, only Muthuswamy Dikshithar composed in this – ‘Sri Bhargavi bhadram’. So, this was considered to be an Eka-krithi ragam until the Thyagaraj krithi (?), ‘jaya jaya sri Raghurama’ was found; later, Patnam Subramanya Iyer composed ‘hara hara smara hara’ in this ragam, followed by many others. The Swathithirunal composition, ‘Sibikayil’ is in this raga (Ulsava prabandham); but not sure whether the Maharaja himself or by Dr. Muthaiah Bhagavathar who has set it to Mangalakaishiki.
Compositions available:
Abburampu shishuvu aku midi shishuvu-Adi-Annamacharya
Allalla allalla (padam) Chapu-Kshetragna
Araginche namma nedu shri venkateshudu-Adi-Talpakkam Chinniah
Aule nenoka paniki- -Annamacharya
Bhanau ma guru- -S.Jagannarayanan
Bharakudatade bandhuvudu atade cheriti-Adi-Annamacharya
Deva na valana- -Annamacharya
Devudokkade gauri- -Annamacharya
Dosamu ledanu- -Annamacharya
Endaka jutumu- -Annamacharya
Hara hara smara hara girijavara shankara-Adi-Patnam Subramania Iyer
Ide ni kannula- -Annamacharya
Indaru ni kokka- -Annamacharya
Intesi naku- -Annamacharya
Jagamellam padaittarulum shiva (mangalam)-Adi-Nilakantha Shivan
jaya Jaya Sri Raghu Rama – Thyagaraja (?)
Jivamulu davvu voya- -Annamacharya
Kanavachche gade- -Annamacharya
Kandamu vindamu- -Annamacharya
Karuna dechchuka- -Annamacharya
Kuru yadunandana chandana (ap 24) Chapu -Jayadeva
Ma dehiki ninkamu- -Annamacharya
Mammu judanela- -Annamacharya
Manasuku manase marmamugaka vinikivale-Adi-Annamacharya
Mangala chindu-Adi-Nilakantha Shivan
Mangalam om shri ramaya Adi-C.S.Shivaramakrishna Bhagavatar
Mokke levayya- -Annamacharya
Muttitene muyai- -Annamacharya
Namo hiranya tejomaya hara namo hiranyareto-Adi-Muttiah Bhagavatar
Nanda gopan shonna vartaiyin nadukkam mighavum-K/Eka-D.Pattammal
Nementa mudulamaina- -Annamacharya
Nijagada sa yadunandane kridati (ap 24)-Adi-Jayadeva
Nivane nammina- -Annamacharya
Prematoda nanu vilichi-Adi-Tiruvettiyur Tyagayya
Re re shri ramabhadra bhaddragajadi (lkg)-Dhruva-Venkatamakhi
Saredura jalanu chalamula kopanu cheriti ma-T/Ek-Annamacharya
Sarvanubhuti siddha-M/Laghu-Upanishad Brahmayogin
Shata valipadaigal oru pattukoti (r)-Adi-Arunachalakavirayar
Shibikayil ezhunnarulitannu shri sarasa (p)-Rupaka-Svati Tirunal
Shri bhargavi bhadram me dishatu shrinagadhamesjva-M/Eka-Muttusvami Dikshitar
Shri maha vishnur aham-Adi-Upanishad Brahmayogin
Svavidyamoha-Adi-Upanishad Brahmayogin
Taga veraga vada tamakinchi chanakevu-Triputa-Annamacharya
Tali mokkari kanna vadda o cheliye (p)-Triputa-Kshetragna
Tannumbasi neninta dantanata i vennela-Triputa-Annamacharya
It is to be noted that with all the big list of compositions available, the only composition commonly heard is the Dikshithar krithi; that also only very rare and not heard in concerts. Also, Sri. KVN has sung the Swathi composition; so also Prince Rama Varma, the Thyagaraja krithi (there is a difference of opinion that the composition ‘jaya jaya sree Raghu Rama’ was written by Dr. BMK).
We shall now see the Dikshithar krithi in detail. This composition is included in the ‘Varalakshmi krithis’ of Dikshithar; the composer is addressing the Goddess of Srirangam (Thaayaar) as Bhargavi (daughter of Bhrigu), soubhagya Lakshmi, madana guru maanini, parama purusha pranayini etc. The krithi is in first Vibhakthi. Sri. Dikshithar, like in many of his compositions, uses very long compound usage of words “pada nayana-Anana kara nalinI parama purusha hari praNayinI” for the one whose feet, eyes, face and hands are all like lotuses and the beloved of the Supreme Lord Vishnu. Also, “vadana kamala guruguha dharaNIvaranuta ranganAtharamaNI” refers to dEvi (mahAlAkSmi) as the wife of the Lord Ranganatha who is worshipped by the husband of the lady who gave birth to Guruguha, who has a lotus like face. The raga-mudra is is woven in very intelligently as “madhu-kara vijaya mangaLa kaiSikA”, meaning the one who has lovely dark tresses that vanquish the bumble-bee (in colour and lustre).