Aditya Madhavan: Ragam Ramakali

Muthuswami Dikshitar has composed in rare exotic ‘Hindustani’ ragas like Maruva, Yaman, Navaroj - Ramakali is one of them. This composition, "Rama Rama Kali Kalusha" is taken from the "Sangeeta Sampradaya Pradarshini" - (the prolific encyclopedia of the Muthuswami Dikshitar style of music, written by his grandson Subbarama Dikshitar) and is rarely heard on the concert stage. The unique aspect of Dikshitar’s Hindustani raga kritis is how he intersperses the Hindustani raga framework within a Carnatic aesthetic with such seamlessness.

[@forestswaras]

This is the old form of Ramkali, which had no madhyama and no nishada in its aarohanam (srgpds) but all seven swaras in the avarohanam (sndpmgrs). Pandit Bhatkhande, one of the important modernisers of Hindustani music, has also described it in his works. Incidentally, a large part of Pt. Bhatkhande's knowledge of Carnatic music came from his close interaction with Subbarama Dikshithar in 1904 or 1905. Modern Hindustani Ramkali has all seven swaras in both directions, and often (but not always) drops rishabh in the aaroh (commonly uses the phrase nsgmp). It also uses both madhyamas and both nishadas. The teevra ma (prati ma) and komal ni (kaishiki ni) come together in a special phrase, mpdndp (म॑ प ध॒ नि॒ ध॒ प in Hindustani notation, or M2 P D1 N2 D1 P in Carnatic notation). But both these swaras appear separately in other places too.

[@rushabhkadam3163]

Beautiful.. very pleasant..

[@forestswaras]

Beautifully sung! There's so much sweetness at "dharabhrllalama", and I love how you return to the first line after it.

[@palanaa]

Amazing