TWO GREAT TREATS OF SEVEN letter RHYTHM

Ms. Nitya Mahadevan sang in the program 'Nada nirajanam' at SVBC TTD channel of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, on 17.04.2011.

The main item performed in the concert was 'Evaruraa ninu vinaa' a composition of Tyagaraja in the Raga Mohana and tala Misra Chapu.

The mood of raaga Mohana (Raag bhoopali in Hindustani music) is worthy of its name, mesmerising and captivating. It was not difficult for the established singer Ms. Nitya Mahadevan to create the mesmerising environment on that evening.

Misra caapu is a seven beat rhythm unlike aadi taal`a which is a 4-8-16 beat rhythm. The Aadi taal`a (called tiin taal in Hindustani music) is the most popular rhythm in both the forms of music.

Less of mis`ra caapu seven-letter (3+2+2 or 2+2+3 combination) beat rhythm, we hear on stage. Hence, this delight.

This delight has been compounded when I heard the mis`ra caapu on the All India Radio, Visakhapatnam, from Ms. Juttu Radhika on the 17th April 2011, Sunday morning session.

This is also a composition of Tyagaraja in the raaga s`ubhapamtuvaraal`i , 'ennallu urake umduvo cuddaamuraa'. The Hindustani rag equivalent of subhapamtuvarali is 'Hindustani todi'.

Subhapamtuvarali appeals the most, when the intention is to depict a mood of melancholy and misery. The Hindustani todi is mostly a morning raga and is not, therefore, popular in evening stage concerts. Subhapamtuvarali is an all-time raga in Carnatic music.

Subhapamtu varali is difficult to sing or play. An accomplished player can take the listeners to great heights. I regard Ms. Radhika as one such singer, based on her rendering of the subhapamtuvarali.


Both the compositions have been addressed to Rama.