Though there are many raagas that I like very much (In fact, there is nothing like a raaga that I don’t like), nothing gives me as much pleasure as listening to Sahana. I can say without any doubt that nobody can stop themselves from falling in love with Sahana. It’s such a beautiful raaga!
Sample this:
(The song ‘Indha Veenaikku’ from K.Balachandar’s old TV serial ‘Rayil Sneham’)

I remembered this song all of a sudden a couple of days back and what better site than youtube to search for it. You think of some song and you are sure to find it in youtube most of the times. By the way, I later searched for ‘Indha Veenaikku’ in Google and found that many bloggers had written about this one and Sahana in 2005/06. I don’t know how I missed reading those at that time.

Coming back to Sahana, incidentally Sanjay Subrahmanyan too has said in his interviews that Sahana is his favourite raaga. No wonder then, that he sings Sahana in many of his concerts, if not an entire song atleast a Viruttam or when singing a ragamalika in Raagam-Taanam-Pallavi. The same is the case with T.M.Krishna. Of course, I haven’t heard him say anywhere that Sahana is his favourite. But, he too sings Sahana in most of his concerts.
Even A.R.Rahman spoke at the Carnatic Chills audio release about an absolutely amazing Sahana played by Ganesh & Kumaresh that he listened to somewhere. I heard them play Sri Vathapi Ganapathi recently. Amazing of course, it was!

Some Carnatic songs in Sahana that are my favourites:
Chittam Irangadha by Sanjay Subrahmanyan – You can listen to it here:
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_vocal/s/
album.2322/artist.107/
Ee Vasudha by Sanjay or T.M.Krishna (I have heard them both sing it in concerts) - You can listen to this song played by Guitar Prasanna here:
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_instrumental/s/
album.113/artist.184/
Rama Ika Nannu – You can find it here sung by Sanjay:
http://www.sangeethapriya.org/Downloads/sanjay/toronto/
sanjaytoronto.html
Tillai Ambalatthaanai - Sanjay has sung this song in his album titled ‘Tillai’. A 21-minute song in Sahana! Pure bliss! I especially love the fast-paced swarams that he sings at around 17.oo minutes in this song.
Oho Kaalame by Sanjay – This composition by Vedanayakam Pillai is the one that Sanjay Subrahmanyan is, I should say, promoting nowadays.
Then, there are the songs Sri Vathapi Ganapathi, Vandanamu and Giripai.

Talking about film songs in Sahana, nothing can beat the old song, Paartthaen Siritthaen. All the lines end with words ending with ‘thaen’ in this song. Lovely!

Then, there is one of Rahman’s best compositions, ‘Azhage Sugama’ from Paarthaale Paravasam. I thought this one is in Sahana. But, someone told me that it is in Dwijavanti. Can someone please tell me if this one is in Sahana/Dwijavanti?

P.S.: Even if you are someone who doesn’t listen to classical music, I want you to listen to atleast one song that I have listed here. I am sure you will like it. After all, though it helps to have knowledge of Carnatic music to appreciate it, it is not a must that you should know it to enjoy it that too when listening to a raaga like Sahana.