Gowrimanohari

A royal carpet by the film industry - call it Gowrimanohari or its Hindustani equivalent Pathdeep.

The scintillating, energy packed ragam – “Gowrimanohari” is the 23rd ragam, i.e., 5th in 4th chakram - Veda.

It has the following aarohana and avarohana:

S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N3 S

S N3 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

- a sampurna ragam with Shadjamam, Chathusruthi Rishabham,Sadharana Gandharam, Shuddha Madhyamam, Panchamam, Chathusruthi Dhaivatham and Kakali nishadham. Gowrivelaavali is its asampoona mela equivalent.

Lower gandharam sets apart Gowrimanohari from Shankarabharanam. Though the uttaranga (P D2 N3 S) is the same in both ragams, the gamakas for Daivatham and Nishadham in Gowrimanohari are given from the next ascending swaram as if Dha is given a gamakam from Ni , i.e., as though Da is pulled up to Ni (“Da-Ni-Da-Ni”) and Ni is given a gamakam from Sa (Ni -> Ni-Sa-Ni-Sa).

The prati madhyamam equivalent of this ragam is Dharmavati.

Gowrimanohari is engaged to embrace a contour of emotions varying from an essence of Bhakthi, to portray pride, to instill sympathy, a cry of crave and oodles more.

Saint Thyagaraja’s Guruleka etuvanti – a krithi in praise of Guru paints a canvas of Bhakthi and compassion.

Another good example to Gowrimanohari’s compassionate facade is Karur Dhakshinamurthy's composition “Brovasamayamide Ramayya”.

A vibrant and fully swinging version of the swaras of this ragam is employed in the Tamil film song “Paatum Nane Bhaavamum Nane” in the movie Tiruvilayadal, an old melody cherished till date.

Jayadeva’s Ashtapadi “Anila tharala” has been sung in Pathdeep by Unnikrishnan which portrays a sympathetic strain, an emotion of “viraha”, of separation.

Usages: “PD2N3SN3D2PM1…”, “PD2N3D2PM1…G2R2..”,

“D2N3SR2G2.R2SN3D2PM1…….”, “S.R2.G2.R2.S….N3SN3D2PM1…PD2..N3..”

The oscillating impede at Madhyama gives the effervescence that this ragam demands.

The highlight of the Madhyama usage can be seen in Mysore Vasudevachar’s “Varalakshmi namosthuthe” in the Charanam: “Vasudeva vinuthirathe”…

,M1,,M1  M1,M1  M1G2R2S R2G2M1,

Vaasu      Deva    Vi      nu   Thirathe

Gowrimanohari has a host of janya ragas which are less known in both the film and in Classical music industries. Some of the janya ragas seen in seldom use (mostly in film music) are:

Gowrishankar :S R2 G2 M1 P N3 S , S N3 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

Hruthkamali :S R2 M1 D2 N3 S , S N3 D2 M1 R2 S

Lavanthika :S R2 M1 P N3 S , S N3 P M1 R2 S

Sundaramanohari :S R2 M1 P N3 S , S N3 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

Amba Manohari :S R2 G2 M1 D2 N3 S ,S N3 D2 M1 G2 R2 S

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.