ANANDABHAIRAVI

A famous movie is named after this ragam “Anandabhairavi”. Anandabhairavi is a janyaragam of 20th melakartha natabhairavi. But it is not restricted to a janya ragam in terms of its expansiveness.

Aarohana and avarohana krama of anandabhairavi is as below:
Aa: S G2 R2 G2 M1 P D1 P S
Av: S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S (or S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 G2 S)

Aarohanam has a vakra sancharam and avarohanam is simple and complete.
Though the aarohanam and avarohanam use Shuddha daivatham claiming its Natabhairavi’s janyam, the usage of this ragam in compositions and manodharma sangeetham reflects more of Chatusruthi daivatham. This makes some musicians group Anandabhairavi to Kharaharapriya family than to Natabhairavi.

For reference, the aarohana and avarohana kramam of Natabhairavi and Kharaharapriya are given below:

20th melakartha ragam  Natabhairavi
S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S
S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S

22nd melakartha ragam Kharaharapriya
S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S
S N2 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

Anandabhairavi is a typical South Indian ragam, most suited for our folk music. We find many “naatu-purapaadal”(tamizh), “janapada geethe”(kannada), lullaby, marriage songs, Utsava sampradaya kritis  in this ragam.
Dheerga gathi compositions exploit this ragam to the fullest like the “Thyagaraja yoga vaibhavam”, “Mari vere gathi evva”.

As spoken in our earlier article on Reethigowla, “Pa” is an anchor swara in Anandabhairavi as “Ma” is to Reethigowla. Aanandabhairavi exploits “G3”, “D2” and occasionally “N3” as anya swaras. As such it qualifies to be a Bhashanga ragam.

Famous compositions in Anandabhairavi:

•    Kamalamba samrakshathu mam – Dikshitar
•    Thyagarajayogavaibhavam – Dikshitar
•    Pahi sri girirajasuthe – Shyama shastry
•    Kshirasagara vihara – Thyagaraja
•    Manasa Guruguha – Dikshitar
•    Marivere gathiyavva – Shyama shastry
•    Paluke bangaramayina – Ramadasa

Emotion:

Anandabhairavi elicits moods of celebration, love, togetherness, belonging etc. This ragam can be seen to have risen from folk tunes or our folk tones have imbibed this ragam (I wouldn’t wish to debate on which came first) and lot of us would have grown up with these tunes in our subconscious, the familiarity to which makes the ragam closer to heart.

Usages:

• P N2 D2 P M1, M1 G2 M1 P M1 G2 R2 G2…

• N2 S G2 R2 G2 M1

• P D2 P S- S N2 G2 R2 S

• N2 S- N2 D2 P, M1 P- M1 G2 R2, N2 S G2 M1

• P D2 P M1 G2 M1 , M1 P M1 G2 R2 G2

• P D1 P P- M1 G3 G3 M1

To the faith of those in music therapy (mark it the placebo effect or musical medicine), Anandabhairavi ragam is suggested for Hypertension.

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.