cAmunDi (or Chamundi)

[Sreeni Rajarao]

A vocal rendition of Veena Raja Rao's composition in rAga cAmunDi.

Artistes : Nagamani Srinath and Uma Kumar

http://www.archive.org/details/RagaCamundi

cAmunDi

scale :
s g3 r2 m2 p n3 d1 S
S d n p m g r s

Composer : Veena Raja Rao (1909- 1979)

(p)
kApADavE mAyA nannu
kApADave mAyA nannu
kApADave mAyA nannu
nA pApamu dIrcave

(ap)
kAtyAyani kalyANi
kAtyAyani kalyANi
satyamuga ninnE nammiyunnAnu

(c)
puruShOttama sahajAte
varade sRI cAmunDike

sarvArtha sAdhike ambike
sarievvarammA nIku canDike


I am not aware of any other composition in this rAga. I had checked with Sri. Lakshman Ragde about a year back and found that even in Lakshmanji’s impressive database, there was no other composition in this rAga.

I hope this thread initiates a good discussion on rAga cAmunDi during this navarAtri season!

This kRti was composed by Veena Raja Rao most likely in the1930s.
I would even surmise that a young Raja Rao had been inspired by the splendour of dasara festivities and the spirit of navarAtri in Mysore. As we all know, Mysore has a rich history of festivities and celebrations focusing on cAmunDi, the prime deity of the then ruling family, the oDeyars.

It was interesting to learn that Raja Rao has composed as many as Thirteen (13) dEvi kRtis in his earlier phase as a vAggEyakAra, including one tillAna in kamAc and one tillAna in naAtikuranji.

1. kApADavE mAya nannu (cAmunDi)
2. saraswati vanajabhava sati (saraswati)
3. kALikAmba jagadamba (mAyAmALava gowLa)
4. sRI tripura sundari (lalita)
5. kApADave kamalAyatAmbaki (lalita) – this kRti is dated Nov 15th, 1935, when Raja Rao was 26 years old
6. nA pAli daivamu (hamsAnandi)
7. mudamuna nI dhyAnamu (mOhana)
8. parara bEDenu tAye mAye ( navarasa kannaDa)
9. varamosaga samayamide amba (dhanyAsi)
10. sarasIja lOcani (mOhana)
11. Arige nAnaruhali tAye (tODi)
12. tillAna in kamAc
13. tillAna in naTikuranji ( addressing sRI cAmunDeshwari)

Items 1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 13 have been rendered by vidushi Nagamani Srinath in the two albums of Raja Rao’s compositions published by the Raja Rao Foundation.

Items 2 and 12 have been rendered on vINa by Veena Kinhal in the album released in 2009.


Sreeni Rajarao
[email protected]

[vs_manjunath]

Is this raga Chamundi, a janya of Lathangi ?? Traces of lathangi is observed while enjoying this rendition.