My Favourite Raga
RAINING RAGAS: Sriram Gangadharan.
My all-time favourites are the big Five — Thodi, Kalyani, Bhairavi, Sankarabharanam and Khambodi. In terms of sheer weightiness, depth and majesty and the boundless capacity to assume ever-new emotive hues, they have no equal.
“Among them, I gravitate towards Kalyani. It lends itself to a vast spectrum of moods and its pliancy ensures myriad shades of viewing – heavy, light or with varja phrasing. There are so many film songs set to Kalyani that have become great hits.
Awesome impact
“Then there are times when one particular raga appears out of the blue to capture my imagination. The first time this happened was when I heard GNB’s alapana of Aandolika, in my mid-teens. It had such an awesome impact on me that I lived and breathed Aandolika for months afterwards. Gradually it settled into my soul and even today, anytime I relive the raga, it is a part of my psyche.
“Sama is yet another source of inspiration. It emits a special vibe. In recent times, the raga Sruthi Ranjani (a janya of Kanthamani) caught my attention when I heard a song by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna. Raga Bhavani is the current favourite. These episodes happen unexpectedly. I don’t consciously look for new ragas, just encounter them by chance.”
LALITHAA KRISHNAN
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