Treasure trove 'of music
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Raganidhi has over 100 hours of lessons in vocal music
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Carnatic Music is roping in more and more adherents into its fold. Befitting the response, there are any number of websites and music forums for music enthusiasts.
BlueLotus Informatics Private Limited, a knowledge-based multimedia company, feeds into this enormous appetite for music. Under the leadership of Dr. Prasada Rao Gandlur, the company developed a software, The Beauty of Karnatic Music, it's first volume. This computer-based tutor software useful for learning at home, begins from sarale varase to geethams, varnams, krithis, keerthanas and even the stylistically more advanced musical forms. Taking advantage of the emerging technology in the field of IT, Dr. Prasada Rao has compressed 40 hours of music lessons in two CDROMs, in their current project.
Right now, Dr. Prasada Rao is actively promoting his latest product Raganidhi. D.V. Mohanakrishna, disciple of Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna is the invisible voice behind all the musical renditions. He, with utmost interest, has lent his depth of knowledge of ragams to make this project unique and beautiful.
Raganidhi, an encyclopaedic compendium of ragas of Carnatic music, comprises 100 hours of vocal lessons in a set of three CDROMs. Dr. Prasada Rao has selected about 400 ragas which have got at least one composition by famous vaggeyakaras such as Thyagaraja, Dikshitar, Purandaradasa, Muththaiah Bhagavathar, Shyamasasthri, Swathi Thirunal etc. Characteristics of all these ragas are described giving details of the scales (arohana-avarohana), jeeva, graha, nyasa swaras, and other special features such as usage of anyaswaras if any. Alapanas with swara notation are presented for almost all popular ragas, numbering to about 170.
Over 150 compositions (70 of them with swara notation) are presented to demonstrate the structure of these ragas.
Dr. Rao has even incorporated word-by-word meaning of all these compositions in English. A database of over 2,500 ragas with an advanced search facility is available for help to researchers to explore the various ragas and their swara combinations. The concept of Melakarthas and all the theoretical background of formation of ragams has been made simple. There is a virtual music keyboard for learners to practice the notes. In his unique and innovative style, Dr. Rao has incorporated interactive quizzes and games such as Music Maze, Music Snakes and Ladders and Guess the Scale to make music learning an enjoyable experience.
A medical doctor and a vaccinologist by profession, Dr. Prasada Rao has gone out of his way to make the Carnatic music popular. "There is certainly a divine guidance, or else it would have been impossible to even attempt such a gigantic project. This software is intended to supplement a teacher and be a good source of reference."
The product is being marketed internationally by AnushaBlueLotus Enterprises, Bangalore. For details and an online demo visit www.bluelotusinfo.com or contact info@bluelotus.com or bluelotusinfo@yahoo.com. Phone: 080-32906596 / 9343748099 / 9448915453 / 9341927145 / 98453 16609
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