maNirangu and pushpalatika (pushpalathika)

[ragam-talam]

maNirangu and pushpalatika are very closely allied ragas.
The key difference between them is the inclusion of gandharam in the aarohanam in pushpalatika.
However, I find it quite difficult to distinguish between them when just alapanam or kriti is sung. Any tips on how to disambiguate between the two? It would be helpful if someone can indicate the key prayogas/phrases that bring out the distinction between the two ragas clearly. Thanks.

maNirangu
22 kharaharapriya janya
Aa: S R2 M1 P N2 S
Av: S N2 P M1 G2 R2 S

pushpalatika
22 kharaharapriya janya
Aa: S R2 G2 M1 P N2 S
Av: S N2 P M1 G2 R2 S

[gobilalitha]

what about some audios? gobilalitha

[srinivasrgvn]

Well, please don't mistake me but when I hear 'ikanaina' in pushpalathikA and 'mAmava pattAbhirAmA' in manirangu together, I don't seem to notice any resemblance howsoever! My ears are odd!
In fact, both the songs I heard were sung by Smt.M.S.S . But 'ikanaina' was extremely speedy and 'mAmava' was in moderate speed! But as you say, they are identical ragas. Maybe to get that feel, one has to listen to some other compositions in these ragas. Why don't you please suggest some compositions?

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Srinivasaraghavan: You are right about both Ikanaina and Mamava Pattabhirama do not resemble each other at all and hence the closeness between Pushpalathika and Manirangu may be deemed imaginary!!
However if you hear Eanniayum Varacchonnaro(Arunachala Kavi's Rama Natakam song in Manirangu tuned by Ariyakudi) the opening of both songs Ikanaina and Ennaiyum would be close enough not to be able to make the distinction.Likewise Emani Pogaduthura in Veeravasantham sung by GNB would also skirt Maniranagu in some spots except that the Dhaivata in Veeravasantham is elongated and takes the place of suddha nishadam and hence the distinction becomes clear--Note that neither Pushpalathika nor veeravasantham have enough Kritis for one to understand the swaroopam rendering Alapana difficult.

Another thought: Take Kapinarayani-- it is relatively asymmetrical in terms of the ascent and descent compared to manirangu or Pushpalathika--there are not many kritis(that I know of other than Sarasasamadhana). So one is hard put to find proper phrases to illuminate the raga. Yet GNB could sketch the raga beautifully exploiting the Sa, Ri, Ma,Pa, Dha,Ni,Pa Da Ni Ni phrase and the Pa Ma Ga Ri Ga Ri in the descent. Also in the swaraprastharam he will use the Ri Ma Ga Sa , generously. Listen to one of the concerts floating around with Lalgudi and GNB outduelling each other in the swaraprastharam of this song. Despite the fact that there are hardly any krithis other than the Sarasasamadhana,GNB exploited the swaras layout thro his rich imagination(TNS could match this although I have not heard him sing this song--atleast not in the few concerts I have attended!!)
My own take is that different composers or the ones who tune them may approach how a raga is handled differently in their compositions--but unless there are enough krithis in a raga alapana is difficult and if attempted may sound monotonous because it will be strings of notes without much freedom to deviate even slightly!!
I also have a complte opposite view to the one that I just expressed about rare rags.

Take Navarasakannada-- T has 2 krithis--Ninuvina Namadendhu and Paluka Kantachakkara- MD and Syama Sastry do not seem to have any compostions that are popular if at all there are any!!
However, Poochi Iyengar(Neepadamulegathiyanee), the third generation disciple of T,and Vasudevachar(fourth generation disciple) --the song escapes me--heard it in one of M.S.Sheela's cassettes as also Swathi Thirunal(Vande Sada Padmanabham) and recently Sivan(Nan Oru Vilayattu Bommaya)--have all been inspired by this raga to compose and YET for Alapana this does not lend itself easily--so there seems to be a contradiction here-even after several compositions have been made in this raga by different composers in different times ,the "alapana riddle" remains unsolved.
Comments welcome!!!

[keerthi]

The apparent semblance of the rAga lakshana, may be caused by taking only one krti per rAga into consideration..

1. Ikanaina starts in an uncharacteristic r-m-pa-n-saa for i-ka-nai-na-rA; which doesn't conform to the (given) scale of the rAga.

1a. maNirangu is traditionally incorporated with more dirgha gandhAra-s than other kindred rAga-s. rmGaareesa is often a signature motif in AlApanas.

Manirangu uses sgrs sgrns rgrs and other such phrases, which pushpalata [pushpalatika] generally eschews.

the tyAgarAja krti in manirangu - rAnidih rAdu demonstrates the avaroha-bias of the raga in a telling fashion; and the swati tirunal piece begins with a useful signature phrase - rmgrSnpnS - jayajaya padmanAbhAnujEsha; which is often used to begin AlApa-s.

2. vAsudevAcarya-s piece in puSpalatika - devakItanaya illustrates an interesting facet of the raga - the carana gives us a glimpse of the shuddha dhanyAsi chAya - m,mm p,pp n,nn s,ss srsn-pnpm-gmgr-Sgrn,,s

2a. There is an ancient varnam in puSpalatika that begins 'valaci' composed by Kalahasti Venkatasami rAju, which Dr.S.Ramanathan and his disciples knew/know; which may help in getting a better grasp of the rAga-s.

[srinivasrgvn]

Mr.Ramasubramaniam, what a lot of interesting insights you have provided! It is indeed a pleasure to read your posts, filled with such a lot of interesting information!

I am downloading 'ennaiyum varachchonArO'(a rendition of KVN ). I have never heard this kriti before. I will definitely listen to it and tell you.

After you said that 'Emani' would skirt manirangu, I immediately heard MLV's rendition of 'Emani'. And surprisingly, I noticed, as you said, that it does give a manirangu image in certain places. But, MLV's light-speed rendition just erases those manirangu shades as fast as you can hear them! As you have said, the elongation of the dhaivatham prevents one from believing it to be manirangu!

I will definitely listen to GNB's 'sarasasAmadAna'. I have not heard that either! But, I feel that GNB has his own brilliant ways of analysis and any Alapana by him will give a complete image of authenticity and purity, although his exploration of ragas are completely new and fresh, each time!

My own take is that different composers or the ones who tune them may approach how a raga is handled differently in their compositions--but unless there are enough krithis in a raga alapana is difficult and if attempted may sound monotonous because it will be strings of notes without much freedom to deviate even slightly!!

I absolutely agree.

Take Navarasakannada-- T has 2 krithis--Ninuvina Namadendhu and Paluka Kantachakkara- MD and Syama Sastry do not seem to have any compostions that are popular if at all there are any!!
However, Poochi Iyengar(Neepadamulegathiyanee), the third generation disciple of T,and Vasudevachar(fourth generation disciple) --the song escapes me--heard it in one of M.S.Sheela's cassettes as also Swathi Thirunal(Vande Sada Padmanabham) and recently Sivan(Nan Oru Vilayattu Bommaya)--have all been inspired by this raga to compose and YET for Alapana this does not lend itself easily--so there seems to be a contradiction here-even after several compositions have been made in this raga by different composers in different times ,the "alapana riddle" remains unsolved.

What an interesting observation. I never looked at navarasakannada in this perception! Your observations force me to analyze this raga once again deeply. I will do so!

Thank you for enlightening us all!

[ragam-talam]

keerthi, thanks for the details about the two ragas.

2a. There is an ancient varnam in puSpalatika that begins 'valaci' composed by Kalahasti Venkatasami rAju, which Dr.S.Ramanathan and his disciples knew/know; which may help in getting a better grasp of the rAga-s.

Sounds very interesting. Is there a recording available of this varnam?

[narayan]

The apparent semblance of the rAga lakshana, may be caused by taking only one krti per rAga into consideration..

1. Ikanaina starts in an uncharacteristic r-m-pa-n-saa for i-ka-nai-na-rA; which doesn't conform to the (given) scale of the rAga.

In the MSS Ikanaina (U.N. concert?), it is r-gm-pa-n-saa (the ga is very much there, to my ear, at least!).

[ksrimech]

In the MSS Ikanaina (U.N. concert?), it is r-gm-pa-n-saa (the ga is very much there, to my ear, at least!).

It is the Carnegie Hall Concert (1977). She did not sing ikanaina nA in 1966 UN Concert.

Keerti, I too think the song starts R2 G2 M P.. N2 S and not R2 M P.. N2 S. With the second one, there seems to be a lapse of on swara or one beat (oru viral taTTu) between ika and nA Sabdas, how ever you call it.

Is there a recording of vAsudEvAchAriAr's dEvaki tanaya?

[keerthi]

Sounds very interesting. Is there a recording available of this varnam?

i know of the existence of a recording, but alas, don't have one.

Is there a recording of vAsudEvAchAriAr's dEvaki tanaya?

S.Shankar sings this one often, and sings it very well. I heard him sing it today morning; and will try and find a recording.

I still feel that the various versions of ikanaina that I have heard - DKJ, MLV and MSS, have either a R-M-P,-N-S.. or a G-M-P,-N-S.. with a nokku on the first swara. I am not too sure of a clear R-gm-P..-n, S.. will have to listen to them again before i comment further.

The mysore connection is interesting. VasudevAcarya has another song - '(sad)gurukRpa lEka srI hari-kRpa galgunO ?' in which he attributes Arjuna's victory and karNa's defeat to gurvanugraha, and guru-shApa respectively.

Muthiah bhAgavatar has a couple of songs, and one can be found in sangeethapriya.

Both these composers have used the name puSpalata, in their books.

[ganeshkant]

Mr.Ramasubramaniam,

Will it be O.K to club "Rudrapriya" in this group ? Just a thought !

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Ganeshkany: Astute observation-I have never looked at Rudrapriya(or Purna Shadjam) in that angle!! The three songs that I know of --Gananayakam(MD most often sung by DKJ),LavanyaRama(Thy--sung by RK),Sree Manini(Thy sung by RK),Amba Paradevathe( I think Muthiah Bhagavathar's--sung by Alathur.

These are all good examples to bring out the distinction-but still not enough in my opinion to attempt elaborate raga alapana--perhaps a brief sketch may be appropriate.

[fduddy]

Ganeshkany: Astute observation-I have never looked at Rudrapriya(or Purna Shadjam) in that angle!! The three songs that I know of --Gananayakam(MD most often sung by DKJ),LavanyaRama(Thy--sung by RK),Sree Manini(Thy sung by RK),Amba Paradevathe( I think Muthiah Bhagavathar's--sung by Alathur.

These are all good examples to bring out the distinction-but still not enough in my opinion to attempt elaborate raga alapana--perhaps a brief sketch may be appropriate.

Amba paradevathe is by krishnasami Aiyya (I am not sure if it is spelt the right way !)

[balajij]

The notations for the Pushpalathika varnam is available at https://carnaticnotations.blogspot.com/ ... hpalathika