SreeRagam 23
Balakanakamaya Chela…..an invigorating Tyagarajakriti popularised among all Telugu households from the movie Sagarasangamam is set in Atana raga.
Tyagaraja elucidates the reason for the birth of Lord Rama in this kriti. “Sujana Paripala”, to protect ‘sujana’, the righteous people.
Also read: Adigo Alladigo Sri Harivasamu
Balakanakamaya chela sujanaparipala sriramalolavidratasarajala
Ela nidayaradu….
Raradevadi deva, raramahanubhava, rararajeevanetra….
Tyagaraja extolls and questions Lord Rama for not bestowing his grace upon him. The lyrical beauty of the Telugu language, the usage of ‘raara’, repeatedly in the anupallavi sets an authoritative tone and adds an aesthetic appeal to the composition. It is believed that Tyagaraja visualised Lord Sri Rama and composed this kriti.
Also read: Sadinchene O Manasa….
It is interesting to note that this is a kriti which starts with the anupalllavi, Balakanakamaya…
Ela Ni Dayaradu is the Pallavi
Mood
Atana raga is a vibrant, uplifting raga. It creates a mood of cheerfulness and brightens up the ambience. It is a raga that depicts veera and bhakti rasas.Atana is most suitable for dance dramas and ballets. It was used extensively in Harikathas.
Also read: Nagumomuganaleni…
Atana raga works magically to enliven even a dull concert.
Structure
Atana is a janya raga of the 29thMelakarta Dheera Sankarabharanam. It is a bhashanga raga (the arohana and avarohana are not in an order)
Arohana S R₂ M₁ P N₃ Ṡ
Avarohaṇa : Ṡ N₃ D₂ P M₁ P G₃ R₂ S
chatushrutirishabham, antaragandharam, shuddhamadhyamam, chatushrutidaivatam and kakalinishadam are the swaras. SadharanaGandharam and KaisikiNishadam are the anyaswaras (other swaras apart from the featured swaras of the raga)
Also read: Kaddanuvariki……
Compositions
There are several immortal compositions in Atana. Tyagarajacomposed kritis like ‘attabalukadu’, Naradaganalola, iilalopranatarti, ammadharmasamvardhini, anupamagunambudi.
Deekshitar’s kritis like Brihaspatetara pate, srivaidyanathambhajami, Herambaya Namaste in Atana
Swati Tirunal composed several kritis in Malayalam, Telugu and Sanskrit languages in Atana raga: SumaranaKar, Sarasayatalochana, Sadhu jane, Sri kumara nagaralaya, Sarasijanabha
Also read: Tulasidalamulache……
Annamacharya’s popular composition Kulukaganadavarokommalala is in Atana raga
Purandar Dasa Sankeertana Sakalagraha, Papanasam Sivan’s Amba nee iranga are other memorable compositions in Atana
Film Music
Telugu
A few of the popular film songs based on Atana raga
JoharuSikhipinchamouli
Ananda Tandavamade
Cheluvaramomuna
Taraliradatanevasantam
Also read: Samaja Varagamana
Excellent