REETHIGOWLA

Reethigowla is probably one of the most South Indian hued ragas. With a beautiful vakra sancharam, no matter whoever sings or performs on any instrument, Reethigowla would get the listeners hooked.

An insight into the raga’s details:

Aa: S G2 R2 G2 M1 N2 D2 M1 N2 N2 S

Av: S N2 D2 M1 G2 M1 P M1 G2 R2 S

or Av: S N2 D2 M1 G2 R2 G2 M1 P M1 G2 R2 S

The swaras employed are chathushruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, panchamam, chathushruthi daivatham and kaishiki Nishadham.

As we see from the above, the swaras take a meandering pattern in both the ascending and descending scales.

Reethigowla is a janya raga of 22nd melakartha raga kharaharapriya. The variant of Reethigowla in asampoorna paddhathi is with a shuddha daivatham. We term this loosely as Reethigowla, however, originally this was christened naarireethigowla in asampoorna paddhathi and employed creatively by Sri Mutthuswamy Dikshithar.

Reethigowla has a close resemblance to anandabhairavi and sriranjini, but the blueprint N2 N2 S gives it a unique personality, the movements of which are very characteristic, and identifiable.

Associated ragas:

    * “Ma” is an anchor swara in Reethigowla as “Pa” is to Anandabhairavi.
    * One can easily whiff off to Sriranjini by carefully avoiding “Pa” and the “N2 N2 S” sancharams of Reethigowla. Dhaivatham plays a decisive role in distinguishing the two ragas.
    * Purnashadjam is yet another raga bearing good similitude to Reethigowla with its “M2 N2 S” sancharam.

Essence of the raga:

Subbaraya Shastry’s Janani ninnuvina portrays complete yield to Mother Supreme. As the etymology claims, the raga has a power to direct. The raga gives direction, depth, an inward focus. Thyagaraja has used this essence of surrender in “nannuvidachikadalaku” portraying athma nivedhana(one of the navavidha bhakthis) 

Usages:

N2 S G2 G2 M1 ......G2 M1 N2 D2 M1 …G2 M N2 N2 S (mid octave)

N2 S G2 R2 N2 S G2 R2 N2 R2 S (high octave)

N2 N2 S, N2 D M, M, G2 R S S, N2 P(mid octave)

N2 P N2 N2 S S (lower octave)
 

Compositions:

    * Thyagaraja:     Nannu vidachi kadhalaku raa
                + Bale baalendhu bhooshini
                + Dwaithamu sukhama
                + Raga rathna maalikache
                + Chera rAvademi raa
    * Subbaraya Shastry: Janani ninnuvina
    * Papanasam Shivan: Tatvam ariya tarama
    * Swathi Thirunal: Paripaalaya maam
    * Ambujam Krishnan: Guruvaryoorappane appan
    * Mutthuswamy Dikshithar: Sri neelothpala nayike


Mood:

The tone of Reethigowla engaged in many of the samples above listed is a pleading one. When used creatively, it can leave mind with full of delight and satisfaction as in the latest strike Tamil song “Kangal irandal” from the movie Subrahmaniapuram. Reethigowla also has a folk appeal.

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.