I have a question for the learned Vidvanas and Vidushis. S.Matangi has sung a song composed by S.Kalyanaraman here:
https://www.sangeethamshare.org/tvg/UPL ... _Mathangi/
It is my understanding that the notes Ma and Pa are not used in this raga. If so, please explain how the pallavi line is kani mozhiye? Thanks
A question about Niroshta raga
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Ranganayaki
- Posts: 1763
- Joined: 02 Jan 2011, 06:23
Re: A question about Niroshta raga
I’m not sure why you feel this cannot be, Lakshman ji. This is a raga like any other. Yes, there is a composition called Raja raja Radhite which, in keeping with the unusual feature and the name of this raga, does not use ma, pa or any other type of labials as syllables : Ba, Va, pha, bha, none of these. But it’s just a fancy device, there is no rule to sahitya composing in any raga. For example if Mohanam has no Ma or Ni, the compositions can certainly contain those 2 syllables. It’s just a “fun feature” of the raga Niroshta, and they have named the raga based on that feature. Otherwise it’s just a raga like any other.
Also we can have so many Niroshtas with other Ri, Ga, Dha, Ni combinations. They can’t all sport the name Niroshta. I’m sure you would not have expected the compositions in all those hypothetical ragas to also be “Niroshtic!”
PS: Helloes to all, was just stopping by and saw this.
And Oops, I’m no Vidwan. Took the Liberty to answer without noticing to whom it was addressed.
Also we can have so many Niroshtas with other Ri, Ga, Dha, Ni combinations. They can’t all sport the name Niroshta. I’m sure you would not have expected the compositions in all those hypothetical ragas to also be “Niroshtic!”
PS: Helloes to all, was just stopping by and saw this.
And Oops, I’m no Vidwan. Took the Liberty to answer without noticing to whom it was addressed.
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ajaysimha
- Posts: 834
- Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 18:16
Re: A question about Niroshta raga
Niroshta Raga
1. Niroshta is a samskrta word made up of 2 words—Nir and Oshta. Meaning pronounced without the help of lips.
2. To give a background, in the samskrta varna mala there are 2 varieties of consonants (vyanjanas)—the grouped (vargiya) and the ungrouped (avargiya). The grouped ones are as follows:
Ka (क) Varga is guttural (kaṇṭhya), sounded in the throat using the back of the tongue.
Ca (च) Varga is palatal (tālavya), sounded with the tongue held down and the tip of the tongue at the base of the lower row of front teeth.
Ṭa (ट) Varga is retroflex (mūrdhanya), sounded with the tip of the tongue at the front roof of the mouth.
Ta (त) Varga is dental (dantya), sounded with the tip of the tongue at the back of the front teeth.
And,
Pa (प) Varga is labial (oṣṭhya), sounded at the lips, with no action of the tongue.
3. Now, among the saptha svaras—SA, RI, GA, MA, PA, DHA and NI.
SA and RI are avargiya vyanjanas.
GA is Kanthya
MA and PA are oshtya
DHA and NI are dantya.
4. In order for a raga to be Niroshta, it must omit the Oshtya group of consonants; it must not include the Pa varga, i.e., MA and PA svaras/ notes in the scale.
5. The aroha and avaroha of a Niroshta becomes - Sa Ri Ga Dha Ni SA - SA Ni Dha Ga Ri Sa. The absence of madhyama and panchama makes it a very challenging raga, as there would be no middle point to land on, unlike the other ragas.
6. Considering the 72 melakartha ragas, with the absence of MA and PA svaras, we can derive 36 niroshta ragas assigned as janyas to the first 36 Melas as per the janya janaka assignment rule. So any raga without the svaras MA and PA in the scale makes it a Niroshta Raga.
7. Basically, the niroshta raga is the name given to these 36 auvdava ragas, which do not have the notes MA and PA in their scale, which are janya of the first 36 melas.
8. Mutthaiha Bhagavathar, AFAIK, is the first person to have sung in a challenging raga or raga with notes that could be sung with out the help of lips. (There is also a hearsay anecdote that goes like - Once while maharaja of mysore had some wound in lips, as he could not sing or talk. Bhagavathar created a composition/ Raga masterpiece like this for the relief of the king. No supporting evidence to this story is recorded, further research needed)
9. Now, Mutthaiha Bhagavathar's composition Raja RajAradhite is composed in the Niroshta raga, which is the janya of the Shankarabharana Mela, which is supposed to be called putrika, Putrika - S R2 G3 D2 N3 S - S N3 D2 G3 R2 S.
10. Bhagavathar's mastery over music and language has made this composition even more special—the notes do not contain ma and pa, while the sahitya too avoids the oshtya group/ Pa Varga consonants in the lyrics. Such a legendary vision! Both Sahitya and Sangita are Niroshta.
pallavi
rAja rAjArAdhitE nAdanidhE shAradE
(rAja)
anupallavi
tEjAshrtE shrI lalitE shrI Isha sahajAtE
(rAja)
caraNam
nInE harikEsha rAgjni nInE nitya kalyANi nInE shrI krSNEndrana rakSaNashaNE jaya janani
(rAja)
11. This shankarabharana janya niroshta raga, or scale, which is called putrika, is not widely known outside, but is just being called niroshta.
12. Interested people can compute all 36 scales of niroshta ragas of the first 36 melas and try to find their actual names from any Laskshna or Raga granthas. If names are not available, then they are yet to be named!!
Regards,
Ajay Simha M V
1. Niroshta is a samskrta word made up of 2 words—Nir and Oshta. Meaning pronounced without the help of lips.
2. To give a background, in the samskrta varna mala there are 2 varieties of consonants (vyanjanas)—the grouped (vargiya) and the ungrouped (avargiya). The grouped ones are as follows:
Ka (क) Varga is guttural (kaṇṭhya), sounded in the throat using the back of the tongue.
Ca (च) Varga is palatal (tālavya), sounded with the tongue held down and the tip of the tongue at the base of the lower row of front teeth.
Ṭa (ट) Varga is retroflex (mūrdhanya), sounded with the tip of the tongue at the front roof of the mouth.
Ta (त) Varga is dental (dantya), sounded with the tip of the tongue at the back of the front teeth.
And,
Pa (प) Varga is labial (oṣṭhya), sounded at the lips, with no action of the tongue.
3. Now, among the saptha svaras—SA, RI, GA, MA, PA, DHA and NI.
SA and RI are avargiya vyanjanas.
GA is Kanthya
MA and PA are oshtya
DHA and NI are dantya.
4. In order for a raga to be Niroshta, it must omit the Oshtya group of consonants; it must not include the Pa varga, i.e., MA and PA svaras/ notes in the scale.
5. The aroha and avaroha of a Niroshta becomes - Sa Ri Ga Dha Ni SA - SA Ni Dha Ga Ri Sa. The absence of madhyama and panchama makes it a very challenging raga, as there would be no middle point to land on, unlike the other ragas.
6. Considering the 72 melakartha ragas, with the absence of MA and PA svaras, we can derive 36 niroshta ragas assigned as janyas to the first 36 Melas as per the janya janaka assignment rule. So any raga without the svaras MA and PA in the scale makes it a Niroshta Raga.
7. Basically, the niroshta raga is the name given to these 36 auvdava ragas, which do not have the notes MA and PA in their scale, which are janya of the first 36 melas.
8. Mutthaiha Bhagavathar, AFAIK, is the first person to have sung in a challenging raga or raga with notes that could be sung with out the help of lips. (There is also a hearsay anecdote that goes like - Once while maharaja of mysore had some wound in lips, as he could not sing or talk. Bhagavathar created a composition/ Raga masterpiece like this for the relief of the king. No supporting evidence to this story is recorded, further research needed)
9. Now, Mutthaiha Bhagavathar's composition Raja RajAradhite is composed in the Niroshta raga, which is the janya of the Shankarabharana Mela, which is supposed to be called putrika, Putrika - S R2 G3 D2 N3 S - S N3 D2 G3 R2 S.
10. Bhagavathar's mastery over music and language has made this composition even more special—the notes do not contain ma and pa, while the sahitya too avoids the oshtya group/ Pa Varga consonants in the lyrics. Such a legendary vision! Both Sahitya and Sangita are Niroshta.
pallavi
rAja rAjArAdhitE nAdanidhE shAradE
(rAja)
anupallavi
tEjAshrtE shrI lalitE shrI Isha sahajAtE
(rAja)
caraNam
nInE harikEsha rAgjni nInE nitya kalyANi nInE shrI krSNEndrana rakSaNashaNE jaya janani
(rAja)
11. This shankarabharana janya niroshta raga, or scale, which is called putrika, is not widely known outside, but is just being called niroshta.
12. Interested people can compute all 36 scales of niroshta ragas of the first 36 melas and try to find their actual names from any Laskshna or Raga granthas. If names are not available, then they are yet to be named!!
Regards,
Ajay Simha M V
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Lakshman
- Posts: 14165
- Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52
Re: A question about Niroshta raga
Ajay: Very nice analysis of nirOSTa rAgA. Thanks.
Here is the list of rAgAs, from the shuddhamadhyama mELakartAa, that omit the notes ma and pa.
01-auSadIshapriyA
30-barvidhvaja
20-bhAgIrati
21-bhAnupriyA
25-bhArgapriyA
33-bharmAngi
20-bhavakEsari
31-biDAjapriyA
06-dharaNipriyA
07-dhIrgikA
10-janabOdhini
04-jnAnadAyaki
05-jnOtnapriyA
06-karuNipriyA
02-kumbhini
28-madhurAlApA
32-maghOni
22-makuTadhAriNi
27-mattakAshini
34-mAyAvinOdini
35-mrgEndra
35-mrgEndramadhyam
26-mrDAni
24-mukurakapOla
18-nakSatramAlA
08-navamAlikA
o8-navasUTikA
22-niroSTa
29-nirOSTa
Here is the list of rAgAs, from the shuddhamadhyama mELakartAa, that omit the notes ma and pa.
01-auSadIshapriyA
30-barvidhvaja
20-bhAgIrati
21-bhAnupriyA
25-bhArgapriyA
33-bharmAngi
20-bhavakEsari
31-biDAjapriyA
06-dharaNipriyA
07-dhIrgikA
10-janabOdhini
04-jnAnadAyaki
05-jnOtnapriyA
06-karuNipriyA
02-kumbhini
28-madhurAlApA
32-maghOni
22-makuTadhAriNi
27-mattakAshini
34-mAyAvinOdini
35-mrgEndra
35-mrgEndramadhyam
26-mrDAni
24-mukurakapOla
18-nakSatramAlA
08-navamAlikA
o8-navasUTikA
22-niroSTa
29-nirOSTa