Sree Ragam 14
Jagadananda Karaka… Nata Raga
O Lord Rama, you are the one who bestows Ananda or happiness to the world…
It was Chennai’s Margali equivalent season of Hyderabad in Jan – Feb 2020 when Carnatic Music Lovers of twin cities throng Key’s High School to attend the annual Thyagaraja Aradhana music festival of a popular Sabha of Hyderabad. It was a Friday and the open air auditorium area was fully packed with parching souls waiting to quench their musical thirst!
Thrichur Brothers commenced their concert. Fifteen minutes into the rendering, the Trichur brothers started off Nata Raga Alapana followed by Jagadanada Karaka kriti as a tribute to Thyagaraja. The smooth flow of music gathered momentum and turned into a Tsunami in the form of Neravu! (elaboration and improvisation of a couplet or charnam of the composition by the artist) and engulfed the audience in the form of Indraneelamani Sannibhava Ghana Chandra Surya Nayenaprameya…….
It entranced the music lovers as if the Goddess of Nata Raga descended! I was surprised as that was first time I got to listen to a Neravu in a Pancharatna Kriti. The soulful rendition of Nata ragam by the talented duo created exuberance and melted the hearts of rasikas.
Jagadananda Karaka kriti is one of the Pancharatna Kritis of Tyagaraja in Sanskrit. It is an amazing composition wherein Tyagaraja eulogises Lord Rama with 108 sacred names. The Ghana raga Pancharatna kriti in Nata raga brings out the effervescence of the raga in the enchanting oscillations or gamakas of the swaras. The finest nuances of the raga depict the ardent devotion of Tyagaraja.
Also read: Maa Janaki chettabattaga….
Nata or Naata raga is the janyam of the 36th Melakarta Chalanata. An auspicious raga which instills an ambience of liveliness and vibrancy. Nata is rendered in a faster pace and it instantaneously uplifts our mood. A concert usually commences with Nata raga to set the tone of the concert. Rishabam or Ri in Nata is given lot of prominence and adds exquisiteness to the raga.
As it is considered to be an auspicious raga, several invocation compositions on Lord Ganesha are predominant in Carnatic classical music. Mallari, the first invocation item rendered on Nadaswaram during temple festivals is mostly composed in Nata raga.
Nata is also a versatile raga as it is suitable for fusion music, which has gained popularity in recent times.
Hindustani classical raga Jog is close to Nata.
Also read: Endaro Mahanubhavulu……
Structure
Arohana: S R3 G3 M1 P N3 S – sa ri ga ma pa dha ni sa
Avarohana: S N3 P M1 G3 M1 R3 S – sa ni pa ma ri sa
( Shadsruti Rishabam, Antara Gandharam, Suddha Madhyamam,Shatsruti Daivatam and Kakali Nishadam).
Compositions
Tyagaraja
Jagadanandakaraka
Ninne Bhajana
Deekshitar
Mahaganapathim
Swaminatha
Annamayya
Namo Namo Raghukulanayaka
Film Music
Dil Se Re
Chale chalo – Lagaan
Teliyani Anandam – Mangalya Balam
Chennai Chandrama – Amma, Nanna, O Tamil ammayi
Pranati pranati – Swati Kiranam
Excellent