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.
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