Published by Aparna on 23 Feb 2008 at 10:20 pm
On Jambupate & My Favourite Raagams
There are some raagams that have always made me forget everything else and lose myself in its beauty completely. 
To name a few, here they are:
Dwijavanti, Nalinakanti, Sahana, Surutti, Reetigowlai, Kedaragowlai, Ananda Bhairavi, Begada, Nilambari, Behag, Poornachandrika, Andholika, Janaranjani, Hamsanadam, Khamas, Nattakurunji, Atana, Hamirkalyani, Yamun Kalyani, Shree, Madhyamavati, Manirangu, Kedaram, Desh, Kuntalavarali, Aarabhi, Abheri, Bhageshri (This raagam got added to the list after Sanjay’s Bhageshri RTP this season 
)
I thought I will list out only a few, but as I started typing the list, I remembered the whole lot of raagams and couldn’t resist typing everything here. 
I am sure I might have missed some more. Listening to any of these raagams is enough to transport me into a state of indescribable bliss. I have mentioned just my favourite raagams that are joyous. Of course, I love the Kambhoji, Bhairavi, Saramati, Charukesi, etc. (the list is too long too! ) but those wouldn’t come under this joyous category. This week, I have been by listening to songs and Raagam Taanam Pallavis (RTPs) in some of these raagams only. Here are some of those (Click on the hyper links to listen to the song. Songs courtesy: musicindiaonline and sangeethapriya):
- Sahana - RTP by T.N.Seshagopalan
- Bhageshri - RTP by T.N.Seshagopalan
- Janaranjani - Vidajaladura by T.M.Krishna
- Poornachandrika - Shankachakra by T.M.Krishna (from Kshetra Tirupati CD)
- Ananda Bhairavi - Kamalamba Samrakshatu by D.K.Jayaraman
- Andholika - Raaga Sudha Rasa by T.M.Krishna (from some old CD)
- Behag - Irakkam varamal by T.M.Krishna
- Kedaragowlai - Alapana by Sanjay Subrahmanyan from some old recording
- Surutti - Surutti alapana & swarams by Sanjay in a concert last week (Dikshitar’s Balasubrahmanyam was the kriti)
- Kedaram - Ananda natana prakasham by Sanjay Subrahmanyan
- Khamas - Brocheva by Mandolin Srinivas
- Nalinakanti - RTP by Gayathri Venkataraghavan, a beautiful Nalinakanti alapana by Sowmya that was telecast on Raj TV, the awesome fast-paced swarams at the end of manavyala that Sanjay sang in last week’s concert (I am yet to stop humming the S G R M R P manavyala that he sung )
- Yamun Kalyani - Jambupate by D.K.Jayaraman and Bombay Jayashree
I did listen to so many songs/RTPs last week but there is only one song that had me completely mesmerized - Dikshitar’s Jambupate sung by DKJ. About a year or so back only, I became a fan of Dikshitar’s songs rendered by DKJ. In the case of many songs, once I listen to a song sung by him, nobody else’s rendition seems to appeal to me as much as his. Coming back to Jambupate, for the past three days, I have been listening to this song in a loop. The first thing that I did on going crazy over this song, was to learn the meaning of this kriti from this page. After that I started enjoying it even more. anirvacanIya nAda bindO (He is the indescribable Nadabindu) - I am hooked to this line in the song. Can’t have enough of it! Since I visited the akilAnDESwarI/JambukESwarar temple at Tiruvaanaikkaval only recently, I am even more fascinated by this kriti.
The whole of this week has been a great one with me immersing myself in the divine Carnatic music. Even A.R.Rahman’s music has taken a backseat this week! :O The moment I started listening to any of these, I seemed to forget my boredom immediately. I have been experiencing such a state of bliss whenever I listen to these raagams that I couldn’t resist writing a post on it. Expect a lot of lengthy posts from me next week. C ya all soon. Have a great Sunday!
Sriram on 24 Feb 2008 at 1:52 am #
i’d add a chembai belting out an ada tala varnam or ms’s saroja dalanetri in un, kambhoji & sankarabharanam resp, any piece in navarasa kaanada (esp flute)& my fav thillana in dhanashri - & if ur wondering if i’m still in BC mode its just that my late 1st guru forbade me from listening t o any of the new artistes and tho he’s been dead for a decade im ye t to explore the new ones except for the occasional live concert. maybe ur list will bring me back to AD - but i’m so frickin glad to see arr FINALLY in the backseat - so welcome back!! oh forgot dinamani vamsha in harikambhodi & nada thanumanisham(once again lyrics are a must check out category) - i guess this is an endless list..
Adiya on 24 Feb 2008 at 6:50 am #
abherirasika on 25 Feb 2008 at 9:45 am #
A very good list of rAgams and songs. I like most of the rAgams in the list above, and I would also add the following as my favourites: kAnadA, Durbari kAnadA, Nata Bhairavi, PunAgavarAli, Hindolam and BrindAvana SArangA
Aparna on 25 Feb 2008 at 10:40 pm #
Sriram,
In my case, I am yet to fully explore the music of all those legends. I guess I am right now in between BC and AD.
That was just a temporary phase. So you needn’t feel very happy about it 
The moment I start listening to ARR’s music, carnatic might take a backseat!
I don’t think most of the BC people like you come back to AD
>but i’m so frickin glad to see arr FINALLY in the backseat - so welcome back!!
May I know what you have against Rahman?
Adiya,
Abherirasika,
It included Abheri too 
>A very good list of rAgams and songs.
Kanada, Durbari Kanada, and Brindavana Saranga are my favs in the list that you have mentioned.
Arunk on 26 Feb 2008 at 11:33 pm #
Good list. Almost matches mine. For me, I would actually even filter this into a “creme de la creme”, and has only a handful (sahana, rItigowla, nAtakurinji etc.).
Some of northern ones like Desh, durbAri kAnaDa, Yamunakalyani, Bhageshri etc., which you have not my cup of tea. But among those, Dwijavantii, and Hamir-Kalyani - I do love. BTW, there are a couple of renditions of cEtaSri (with kalpanaswarams) by SSI which are excellent.
Some other ragas which you may like: husEni, Saranga (you have HamirKalyani, and so you ought to like Saranga), Kannada, Kanada.
Sriram on 28 Feb 2008 at 2:14 pm #
Suddenly my favorites are Jhonpuri (again after Sanjay’s RTP), Shanmugapriya, Chandrajyoti, Shubhapantuvarali, Bageshri : ), Surutti, Saveri.
Niveditha on 28 Feb 2008 at 5:48 pm #
Bhageshri is seriously such a trippy ragam!Apart from Sanjay,about a month or so I heard Gayathri sing ‘Sagara Shayana Vibho’ - oh wow.
Music,music,music.
What I’ve listened to most recently but liked hugely (though i have an awful recording of it) is Dikshitar’s Palayamam Parameswari.
Aparna on 01 Mar 2008 at 11:17 am #
Arun,
If I too start filtering this list further, Sahana, reetigowlai & nattakurunji will be there in that. I have listened to that chetasri too.
>>husEni, Saranga (you have HamirKalyani, and so you ought to like Saranga), Kannada, Kanada.
You are right about those raagas. Except Huseni, which I haven’t listened to much, all others are my favourites indeed.
Sriram,
That’s an interesting list - a mix of melancholic & happy raagas.
Niveditha,
I love music lists too 
Just now found that it’s there in sangeethamshare sung by Sanjay. Will listen to it soon.
Hi!
Sagara sayana vibho is a lovely song!
I have not listened to that song at all
venkat on 09 May 2008 at 11:47 am #
Aparna,
Are you exposed to Bhajana sampradayam(Jayadeva’s ashtapadis, Narayana Theertha’s Krishna leela tarangini,Abhangs etc…)?They also have depth in music and also very rich in bhava ..
Aparna on 12 May 2008 at 8:29 am #
Venkat,
Yes I have listened to some of those.
Rajesh on 04 Sep 2008 at 7:30 pm #
Nice list. I like a lot of grim melas as well, especially when played on guitar or veena. Stuff like Keeravani, Simhendramadhyamam and also melodious ones like Natabhairavi, Hindolam, Hamsadhwani, Kalyani, Harikambhoji and Kharaharapriya. Add profound mela/janya ragas like Natakapriya, Chakravakam, Sindhu bhairavi, Todi, Ranjani, Shivaranjani, Pantuvarali to the list. Sahana, Nattai, Chalanattai, Reetigowla, Abhogi, Neelambari are in this list too.
Aparna on 05 Sep 2008 at 11:05 am #
Rajesh,
Except Natakapriya (which I am not sure if I have heard) and Hindolam, all other raagas that you have mentioned are my favs too 
I love Carnatic on guitar