Raagamalika - Choosing the raagams

Dilettante · Post by **Dilettante** » 22 Jan 2007, 04:45

Apologies in advance for a couple of basic questions from a layperson to this field.

1. When did the practice of finishing an RTP with a raagamalika originate and is there a method to the selection of the raagams that the performer chooses?

2. It does seem like we have a talent surfeit in the Carnatic field over the last 10 years. It also appears that the talent in the field is focused on the aesthetics as much as the bhakti bhavam (Sanjay comes to mind).

Do you think that forms like padam will form part of mainstream concerts in this "aesthetic renaissance" (if indeed it exists)?

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 22 Jan 2007, 05:34

Dilettante wrote:1. When did the practice of finishing an RTP with a raagamalika originate and is there a method to the selection of the raagams that the performer chooses?

Not sure the origins of the ragamalika swaram. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Madurai Mani Iyer, Alathur Bros et al used to include them but don't know if they were there in the times of Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan (born in 1844) or earlier.

The choice of ragas for the ragamalika swaram is usually just the personal preference of the artiste. The ragas are usually chosen to appeal to the audience. Ideally the ragas sung adjacent to each other should not be too similar.

Lately, I have noticed there is a trend to include ragas with a Hindustani touch such as Hamsanandi, or Sindhu Bhairavi. TN Seshagopalan is the master of ragamalika swaram and sometimes sings more than 20 ragas (just one or two avartanas long) in his garland.

rasam · Post by **rasam** » 26 Jan 2007, 04:47

Ah, one of my pet peeves! Personally, including a ragamalika swara section in an RTP is a big turn off for me. While the practice has always been around, I think its just done a lot more these days. What is inexplicable is that it dominates a large portion of the pallavi swaras, so much so that the original raga is just given a perfunctory few avarthanams! And the audience somehow always claps after each ragam 'round' as if it were difficult to sing a few avartanams in ragas like shivaranjani, bowli, hindolam etc., after an exhaustive ragam, thanam and pallavi in say, thodi or something. Many rasikas just sit through the RTP and wait for the ragamalika section when they can indulge in their favorite task of raga-identification.