50 Articles for 2019 Number 02
Caveat : Vasudevan VR has asked me to fill the gap till he writes. So members to indulge
Topic : What Raga is it !
Am sure we have always grappled with this question when listening to a piece and try to stretch it even to cinema music wherein its a mix and match and none including the composer could agree with fidelity
Lets take Kalyani which has 7 swaras (Sampoorna) on the way Up and Down. Lets see how a non musical profession person can remember the raga
1. Learn as a student the theory and have a eidetic memory. Aw easier said than done since eidteic memory fades as you grow old and more information is stored in your brain.
2. Mug the Arohana and Avarohana of Kalyani. But remember mugging is half the job since you have to match your knowledge when the singer sings, assuming he sings correctly.
3. Mugging is half the job since Shankarabarana has the same Arohana and Avarohana with the sthanas of some Swaras slightly varied. How much ever you read , listening only helps you distinguish between both. If you can switch between the Arohanas of Kalyani and Shankarabarana like this... S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S and S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S respectively then please inbox me for i should also like to learn the technique.
3. Keep listening to kalyani based songs many times over
4. As a matter of discipline when a song is listened to, find the raga then and there and form connects. Example...if its Bhajare Chitha...by MD it flashes in your mind it is Kalyani or Unnai Allal by Papanasam Sivan...am sure rasikas can choose what suits them.
5. Remember smaller unique sancharas and cluster of swaras unique to Kalyani and try to mirror them in your minds eye when you listen.
6. Giving you some signature phrases of Kalyani...GmpdnS’ – s’ndPmgr – gmpdnDPm – pdnS’ – s’nD – dndg’r’s’nD – dns’r’s’ndPmgr – gmgnDpm – ddpmGr – nrgmPm gg rr S – ndrS.. Where which could occur ? Its anyones guess but over time you should be able to spot instantly and even find errors if any.
Why the above are required ?
Imagine the portion of your brain where music as a language is stored. As you keep listening to Kalyani a part of your brain makes a template and stores it. Days or years later when you hear Kalyani,, if the template in your brain and the music you hear match then you get the high of having identified Kalyani and from then on the association becomes little easier.
Tough part is , this has to be done for almost every Raga
Lovely part is its ecstacy every time you identify correctly and give yourself a medal of appreciation
Am fully aware the above is rudimentary. But my promise was to post what me and a few others felt were some opinions on CM which would help in maximising enjoyment

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