Different schools of music place the origin of this raga under different melas. One school places
have any resemblance to the 39th mela. There are no compositions in this type of Amritavarshini.
The present day Amritavarshini could be placed as the janya of the 65th mela Mechakalyani. Or the 66th mela Chitrambari. It can be fitted to either of these melas as the raga does not have a Dhaivata. As the note Dhaivata is the only difference between Mechakalyani and Chitrambari, in the absence of that note, it could belong to either of these melas.
But the practice is to choose the earlier of the two ragas in case of such a dilemma.
Amritavarshini as it is sung today has the following Aarohana and Avarohana:
S G3 M2 P N3 SS N3 P M2 G3 S
The swaras used are Antara Gandharam, Prati Madhyamam and Kakali Nishadam.
It is an Audava raga and is very melodious. It does not give scope for treatment as a major raga in a concert. One reason could be the absence of major compositions in the raga.
The very popular and frequently heard ones are Muthuswamy Dikshitar's 'Anandamritakarshini' in Adi Tala and Muthiaha Bhagavatar's 'Sudhamayee' in Rupaka Tala.
The prayogas such as P M2 G3 M2 ¸G3, Saa Gaa; G M P N M aa, P N S' G'aa etc enhance the beauty of the raga.
The notes G and N with elongated karvais sound beautiful and help to bring out the raga bhava.
This raga makes an impact if sung briefly. Any overstretched aalapana makes this raga lose its charm and effectiveness.
The raga is a hot favorite for ragamalika swara singing in ragam-taanam-pallavi.
There is a popular anecdote about this raga. It is said that while visiting Ettayapuram, a small village in Tamil Nadu, the great composer Muthuswamy Dikshitar was anguished to see the drought-hit arid land and people facing severe water shortage. Moved by their plight, Dikshitar looked up to the sky and burst forth in praise of the goddess in this raga. He beseeched Devi to bring rain and alleviate the plight of the drought-hit people.
He addressed the Devi as 'Anandamritakarshini, Amritavarshini'. When he sang 'Salilam Varshaya Varshaya', meaning 'let the rain pour', it is said the sky opened up. There was such a torrential rain that the place got flooded. He had then to plead 'Sthambhaya Sthambhaya', meaning 'stop, stop'.
This incident has given rise to the practice of musicians gathering together to sing this composition when there rains fail.
One hears of similar anecdotes in North India about ragas Meghamalhar and Megh.
Amritavarshini resembles the Hindustani raga Malashree. There is no raga called Amritavarshini in Hindustani music.
© Seetha Narayanan., all rights reserved.Literally, the meaning is 'one who showers amrit, the elixir of immortality.' It is a combination of two words: amrit and varshini.
Different schools of music place the origin of this raga under different melas. One school places this raga as the janya of the 39th mela Jhalavarali. But the present day Amritavarshini does not have any resemblance to the 39th mela. There are no compositions in this type of Amritavarshini.
The present day Amritavarshini could be placed as the janya of the 65th mela Mechakalyani. Or the 66th mela Chitrambari. It can be fitted to either of these melas as the raga does not have a Dhaivata. As the note Dhaivata is the only difference between Mechakalyani and Chitrambari, in the absence of that note, it could belong to either of these melas.
But the practice is to choose the earlier of the two ragas in case of such a dilemma.
Amritavarshini as it is sung today has the following Aarohana and Avarohana:
S G3 M2 P N3 SS N3 P M2 G3 S
The swaras used are Antara Gandharam, Prati Madhyamam and Kakali Nishadam.
It is an Audava raga and is very melodious. It does not give scope for treatment as a major raga in a concert. One reason could be the absence of major compositions in the raga.
The very popular and frequently heard ones are Muthuswamy Dikshitar's 'Anandamritakarshini' in Adi Tala and Muthiaha Bhagavatar's 'Sudhamayee' in Rupaka Tala.
The prayogas such as P M2 G3 M2 ¸G3, Saa Gaa; G M P N M aa, P N S' G'aa etc enhance the beauty of the raga.
The notes G and N with elongated karvais sound beautiful and help to bring out the raga bhava.
This raga makes an impact if sung briefly. Any overstretched aalapana makes this raga lose its charm and effectiveness.
The raga is a hot favorite for ragamalika swara singing in ragam-taanam-pallavi.
There is a popular anecdote about this raga. It is said that while visiting Ettayapuram, a small village in Tamil Nadu, the great composer Muthuswamy Dikshitar was anguished to see the drought-hit arid land and people facing severe water shortage. Moved by their plight, Dikshitar looked up to the sky and burst forth in praise of the goddess in this raga. He beseeched Devi to bring rain and alleviate the plight of the drought-hit people.
He addressed the Devi as 'Anandamritakarshini, Amritavarshini'. When he sang 'Salilam Varshaya Varshaya', meaning 'let the rain pour', it is said the sky opened up. There was such a torrential rain that the place got flooded. He had then to plead 'Sthambhaya Sthambhaya', meaning 'stop, stop'.
This incident has given rise to the practice of musicians gathering together to sing this composition when there rains fail.
One hears of similar anecdotes in North India about ragas Meghamalhar and Megh.
Amritavarshini resembles the Hindustani raga Malashree. There is no raga called Amritavarshini in Hindustani music.
© Seetha Narayanan., all rights reserved.
Courtesy: seetha-Narayanan.sulekha.com
- http://www.mediafire.com/?9z0d2bnx0mo Aanandhaamrutha - Radha Jayalakshmi
- http://www.mediafire.com/?zvja21tmhiz Gajamukha - Nithyashree
- http://www.mediafire.com/?rcxyjiulgjj RTP - Madurai Somu
- http://www.mediafire.com/?cicd5oznys1 Sudhamayee - Chithra
- http://www.mediafire.com/?mudvj5f0xst Aananadhaamrutha - Bombay Jayashri
- http://www.mediafire.com/?wt4itzejgte Aanandaamrutha - M. L. Vasanthakumari
- http://www.mediafire.com/?ohczmzyndn4 Dhyaaname - P. Unnikrishnan
- http://www.mediafire.com/?tew0gtebmjg Sri raama paadhamaa - Balamuralikrishna
- http://www.mediafire.com/?xbgnozwawo4 Aanandaamrutha - Sowmya
- http://www.mediafire.com/?u0j11jhfmgm Aanandaamrutha - Nithyashree
- http://www.mediafire.com/?gpn25xmmnkp Aanandaamrutha - Aruna Sairam
- http://www.mediafire.com/?ypo3muytgdj Aanadaamrutha - Balamuralikrishna
- http://www.mediafire.com/?hj0qkydm3pn Agaramumaagi - P. Unnikrishnan
- http://www.mediafire.com/?mtzf9z3vdctAanandaamrutha - Sudha Raghunathan
- http://www.mediafire.com/?oodx2tgxhh9 Enai nee maravaadhe - Sowmya
- http://www.mediafire.com/?zj1u5apmzxt Mere tho giridhar - O. S. Arun
- http://www.mediafire.com/?rl4y30jyjjc Enai nee maravaadhe - Nithyashree
- http://www.mediafire.com/?wxtkwxkm2wd Varnam - Aabaala gopaala - Balamuralikrishna
- http://www.mediafire.com/?utjxzk30h7o Sudhaamayee - Bombay Jayashri
- http://www.mediafire.com/?1vumg2yz77g Sudhamayee - Radha Jayalakshmi
- http://www.mediafire.com/?zsxq3duak4u Thaamarai malar - K. J. Yesudoss
