NaadhOpAsana : 72 MeLakarthA Raaga Krithis of Kaimakrya SrI Padma VeerarAghavan on Oppiliappan ( ThiruviNNagarappan) : Part II

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SrI: Dear Sangeetha RasikAs and NaadhOpAsakAs :

 

Raagam has been defined as the dhvani, which is formed by the combination of svarams and which delights the ear

and mind of the listener . When that listener happens to be the Lord Himself , the NaadhOpAsana with the Raaaga dEvatAs becomes very special .When a composer is blessed

to create samarpaNams ( Naadha NaivEdhyams) in various Raagas and offer them to the Lord , such a composer is truly blessed .These offerings by a composer can also be

recognized as Naama KusumAnjali to the Ishta Dhaivam . Saint ThyagaraajA of ThiruvAyUr has presented many

Raaga Ratna Maalikais to Lord Raamachandra . Saint AnnamayyA of TaaLappAkkam has presented such

Raaga ratna Maalikiais to the Lord of Saptha Giri .Purandara Daasa's bhakthi for Vittala of PandrApur is another legendary outpouring of NaadhOpAsanA

that flowed thru His krithis .

 

There are occasions where an AchAryan like Swamy Naatha Muni sets the divine collect to music and tALam for devotional use to celebrate the Lord's glories . An AzhwAr like ThiruppANar sings and plays His Veenai on the banks of Cauvery river .

 

 

Let us now have a brief introduction to the RaagAs here .There are 72 KartA ( MeLa KartA ) Raagams and they have in turn many , many children , Janya RaagAs .

 

The 72 MeLa Raagams arise from the three kinds of PrastArams of the five vikruthi svarams: ri ,ga, ma,dha, ni. These 72 MeLa Raagams are divided into

Suddha Madhyama MeLa KartA Raagams ( 36 in number) and Pratimadhyama Mela Karta Raagams ( another 36 in the count) .

 

These 72 MeLa Raagams can also be grouped under 12 chakrams with six of the MeLa Raagams assigned to these chakrams .

 

The 36 Suddha Madhyama MeLa rAgams fit under Indhu ( First chakram , one Moon) , nEtra ( 2nd chakram,Two eyes) Agni ( 3rd chakram representing three kinds of Agnis) , Veda (4th Chakram denoting the 4 VedAs) , BhANa( 5th chakram representing the five arrows of Manmatan) and Rutu ( 6th chakram

denoting the six seasons of the year) chakram .

 

The 36 Pratimadhyama Mela rAgams that follow the Suddha Madhyama MeLams form another six chakraks with 6 MeLa rAgams each : Rishi (7th chakram, Saptha Rishis) , Vasu ( 8th chakram ,Ashta Vasus),Brahma , DiSi (Tenth chakram,10 directions), Rudra ( 11th chakram ,EkAdasa RudrAs) , Aditya ( 12th chakram,Twelve AdityAs) chakrams .Tens of thousands

of Janya rAgams are generated from these 72 MeLa kartA rAgams .

 

Please refer for details in URL:

 

http://www.Thiruppavai.org

 

In the SrI VenkatEsa Gadhyam , we can

come across many of the names of

the 72 MeLa Raagams and Janya raagams as they bow before the Lord of

Saptha giri:

 

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/devotional/s/album.333

 

We will now enlist the names and chakrams of the 72 Mela Raaga Krithis in which the Naadha NaivEdhyam for Oppiliappan is presented :

 

36 Suddha Madhyama MeLams :

 

1) Indhu chakram( MeLams: 1-6): KanakAngi , RatnAngi , GhAnamUrthy , Vanaspathy ,

Maanavathy and Taanaroopi .

 

2) nEtra Chakram ( MeLams: 7-12): sEnAvathy , Hanuma ThODi , DhEnukA , NaaDakapriyA ,

Kokila PriyA , Roopavathy .

 

3) Agni chakram ( MeLams:13-18):

Gaayaka PriyA , VaguLAbharaNam ,

MaayAmaaLava gouLa , chakravAkam ,SooryakAntham ,

HaaDakAmbhari .

 

4) Veda Chakram (MeLams: 19-24):

JangAradhvani ,NaDa Bhairavi ,

KeeravANi ,KaraharapriyA ,

Gowree ManOhari , VaruNa PriyA .

 

5) BhANa chakram( MeLams: 25-30):

Maara Ranjani , ChArukESi ,SrasAngi ,

Hari KaambhOji , Dheera SankarAbharaNam ,

NaagA Nandhini .

 

6) Ruthu Chakram( MeLams : 31-36):

Yaaga PriyA , Raaga Vardhini ,

GaangEya BhUshaNi ,Vaagdheeswari,

Soolini and Chala Naattai .

 

The 36 Prathimadhayama MeLa Raagams

fall into another set of 6 chakrams:

 

7) Rishi Chakram( MeLams : 37-42):

ChAlakam , JalArNavam ,Jaala VarALi,

Navaneetham , Paavanee and Raghu PriyA.

 

8) Vasu Chakram ( MeLams:43-48):

GavAmbhOdhi ,Bhava PriyA ,

Subha PanthuvarALi , shadvidha MaargiNi ,SuvarNAngi and dhivya MaNi.

 

9) Brahma Chakram( MeLams: 49-54):

DhavaLAmbhari , Naama NaarAyaNi ,

Kaama Vardhini , Raama PriyA ,

GamanASrama and ViSvambhari .

 

10) Disi Chakram: ( MeLams: 55-60):

SyAmaLAngi , ShaNmukha PriyA ,

SimhEndhra Madhyamam ,Hemawathi ,

Dharmavathi and Neethimathi .

 

11) Rudhra Chakram ( MeLams: 61-66):

KaanthAmaNi ,Rishabha PriyA ,

LatAngi , Vaachaspathi , Mesa KalyANi

and ChithrAmbhari .

 

12) Adhitya Chakram ( MeLams: 67-72):

Sucharitram , JyOthi svarUpiNi ,

DhAthu Vardhini , NaasikAbhUshaNi ,

KoSalam and Rasika PriyA .

 

We will continue next with the brief

coverage of Janya Raagams ,

the children of MeLa KarthA Raagams ,

their variations into the three categories of SampoorNam ,ShADavam and OuDavam and the differences among them due to their permutations and combinations .

 

The main thrust of this series is to

enjoy the Krithis on Oppliyappan

and BhUmi Devi and their meanings.

The purpose is not for discussions on

the grammar ( lakshaNam) of Carnatic Music .

 

NamO SrI VenkatEsAya ,Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan