Locked down with the notes: Kalyani

A favourite among learners, teachers and performers, and easily recognisable in both its Carnatic and Hindustani forms, Kalyani (in Carnatic), or Yaman, (in Hindustani) is a prolific raga in which every Indian who loves music must know of a song or two.

Straightforward, yet teeming with gamakas, and easy to learn but challenging to learn well, this raga is introduced in great detail to the Carnatic student through the two exquisite varnams that form an integral part of the pedagogy. Then there are those gems of kritis such as "yetavunnara", "nidhi chala sukhama" and "kamalambam bhajare".

Equally alluring are the numerous semi-classical compositions that carry the label "Yaman Kalyani" alluding to the Hindustani counterpart of the raga, usually because of the frequent presence of the Ni-Ri-Ga construction. A very popular piece in this form of the raga is Purandara Dasa's "Krishna nee begane baro", loved by singers and dancers alike. Here is Hari-Les' trend-setting fusion version of the song that the generation that went to college with me is unlikely to forget.

There is a profusion of film songs in the raga. Of the top of my head, I can recall the unforgettable "beeti na bitayi raina" from Parichay and the more recent "gaana mere bas ki baat nahi" from Astitva.

To conclude, a masterful Jugalbandi between the two towering flautists, Hariprasad Chaurasia and N. Ramani.

A raga for an auspicious day

It's Rama Navami, so I will let the composition lead me to the raga of the day. The Carnatic repertory has innumerable pieces dedicated to this anthropomorphic God, mostly by his ardent devotee, Saint Tyagaraja. Here is Sikkil Gurucharan rendering the glory of Sri Rama's life story 'Rama Katha Sudharasa' in Madhyamavati.

Popular kritis in this raga include "palinchu kamakshi" by Syama Shastri, "Adadu asangadu" by Oothukadu and "Bhagyada Lakshmi baramma" by Purandara Dasa.

Madhyamavati is an alluring pentatonic scale that can be sung as elaborately as any sampurna raga. The lingering gamakas around the notes Ri and Ni guide the imagination to build a measured gamut of phrases. Although the cadences of the raga are too characteristically Carnatic to afford any close parallel in Hindustani music, the notes themselves closely resemble Raga Megh, which finds a place alongside Madhyamavati in jugalbandhis.

Madhyavamati is culturally associated with auspiciousness. Which is why the "mangalam" at the end of a concert is sung in this raga. Speaking of culture and turning back to the gods, this devotional piece immortalised in Yesudas' voice has become iconic in Ayyappa worship.

Locked down with the notes: Khamas

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From one of the most 'performable' pieces eager beginners learn ("Saamba shivaya nave") to the controlled mastery of a pada varna like "Mate malaya dhvaja pandya sanjate'', the splendid notes of Khamas dance their way through several kritis known to the average Carnatic connoisseur.

Preferred particularly by Thumri singers, Khamaj as it is known in the Hindustani tradition has also attracted many music directors in Indian cinema.

With its characteristic inclusion of two Nishads, its sparing use of the Rishabh and some unmistakable phrases, the raga has not surprisingly often inspired the image of a dancing Krishna or Nataraja in familiar compositions that are as appealing for their poetry as they are for the melodious music they encapsulate.


I never tire of listening to the delightful swara kalpana in Sanjay Subramanian's concise rendition of ''Santana gopalakrishnam".

And as a refreshing contrast, here is a sprig from the evergreen bouquet of songs in the classic Hindi film, Amar Prem.

And of course, the Hindu's archives give us Charulatha Mani's quick sketch of the raga and its riches.