AMRITHAVARSHINI

Even People who are scarcely related to music are familiar with the ragas Amrithavarshini and Deepak for the numerous legends that have spoken about the miracles of these ragas- Amrithavarshini as the raga of rain and Deepak as the raga of fire. One such is narrated in the epic Ramayana - Ravana played Amrithavarshini to appease the rain God to save Lanka when Hanuman set the place on fire.

Etymology has its say that the raga Amrithavarshini is framed out of the words “Amritha” and “Varshini” ~ Pour of nectar. 
Amrithavarshini is an audava-audava ragam, meaning it uses 5 swaras in arohana and avarohana.

The arohana and avarohana patterns are as follows:
Aa: S G3 M2 P N3 S
Av: S N3 P M2 G3 S

Shadja, antara gandhara, prathi madhyama, panchama and kakali nishada are the swaras that embellish this ragam. Rishabha and Daivatha do not show their presence in Amrithavarshini.

Amrithavarshini is a janya raga of 66th melakartha raga chithrambari. With rishabha and daivatha varjya, amrithavarshini can be derived from any of the following melas:
Mechakalyani, gamanashrama, rasikapriya and chitrambari. Some sources refer to this raga by the name “Seelangi” and consider it to be a derivative of raga gamanashrama.

A little on the swara superfluities:
•    Nishadha gets a gamakam from Shadja
•    Gandhara is either held straight or gets a gamakam from Madhyama
•    Madhyama gets a gamakam from panchama

Associated raga/s:
Its Hindustani equivalent ragam is Malhar. Ragam Hamsanadha is a single swara different from Amrithavarshini, but has a striking difference in melody and appeal.

Known compositions:
•    Anandamrithakarshini amrithavarshini: Muttuswami Dikshithar 
•    Sudhamayi: Muttayya Bhagavathar
•    Dhyaname tarume : Ambujam Krishna
•    Popular Film Score 'Thoongada vizhigal rendu' : Ilayaraja

The raga is mostly handled as a filler with not much elaboration on aalapana or the krithi in concerts. A brisk krithi followed by vigorous swarakalpanas leave the concert stage well appealing.

Prayogas:

Madhyasthayi:

N3SN3SN3, - PN3PN3P, - M2PM2PM2, - G3M2G3G3,S

N3SG3SN3, - SG3SSN3, - PN3SN3PM2, - PSN3PM2G3,

M2G3, - SS,M2 -..M2..- G3M2PM2 G3M2G3SN3-,

SG3,N3S, - PN3,M2P, - SG3,N3S,

M2G3SN3P - G3SN3PM2 - SG3M2PN3

G3M2PM2 - G3M2G3S - G3SN3,,,S,,, 

Tarasthayi:

N3, - N3, - N3, - N3SSS - SN3SG3G3SN3, - SG3SN3 N3SG3… G3M2G3G3, M2G3SN3

N3SG3M2, PM2PSPM2P, G3PM2P, G3M2G3SN3

Rasa and healing effect:
Ganapathi Sacchchidananda Swami has specially added Amrithavarshini to the set of healing ragas.

Anecdote:
Musical Guru Muttuswamy Dikshitar composed “Anandamrithakarshini amritavarshini” in this raga to conciliate the rain God and brought rains to a drought village in TamilNadu by singing “Salilam varshaya varshaya” –“Pour ‘O’ rain”. It is said that he had to compose another canto “salilam sthambaya sthambaya” to stop the eddying rain. Such is the power of the raga as quoted by musicians and musicologists.

By

Revathi S.
revathi.sridharan@gmail.com
The Author is a practicing vocalist in Carnatic music, currently receiving training and guidance from Sri.D.V.Nagarajan. Music has been more than just passion to her. She has consistently been giving vocal performances over the years. She is also a Graduate in Music Therapy from the prestigious “Nada Academy for Music”, Chennai.
On the professional front, she is currently a Lead Engineer in an MNC in Bangalore.