Geethams, as we all know, belong to the sphere of Kalpitha Sangeetham. It belongs to the group of Abhyasa Gana like the varisais, alankaras, swarajathis etc. By the time a student reaches the stage of singing Geethams, after thoroughy learning the swara exercises and alankaras(in Trikalas), he/she is expected to have gained fair degree of faculties in the concept of Sruthi, Swara and Tala, capable of producing precise swarasthanas with proper intonation and rhythmic grip. After this stage, Geethams are introudced with a new addition named Sahitya Aksharas. This is the first musical composition a student learns with a specific raga and tala mentioned by the composer. As we all know, Sree Gananatha in Raga Malahari is introduced first with a limited portryal of raga. These Geethams referred by various terms like Sanchari/Samaanya/ Sadhaarana/Pillari or Lakshya Geethams are generally in praise of a diety or bhakthi oriented.
Another category of Geethams are called as Lakshana Geethams, which is the title of this blog post. Lakshana geethams occupy a distinct place in our system of music and is unique in character. Just like varnams, they are highly technical and teach us the Raga Structure. They provide an authentic version of the character of a raga and the Sāhityam provides salient features of that particular raga couched in aesthetic music. But there is a marked difference in the words or text of the composition. The sahityam may partially contain an invocation of a particular diety while the other parts deal with the description of the salient features of the raga in which it is composed. It contains a glossary of technical terms in music like graha, amsa, nyasa, aroha, avaroha, varjitha, suddha, chatusruthi etc. A lakshana geetham composed in a janya raga like Saraswathi or Abheri may not have different sections.
A lakshana geetham composed in a janaka raga, has three sections such as Sutra Khanda, Upanga Khanda and Bhashanga Khanda. Sutra Khanda mentions the swaras taken by the Janaka Raga. It specifies the name of the chakra and gives clue to the swara nomenclature. In the Upanga and Bhashanga Khanda, the ragas derived from the janaka raga is mentioned.
Lakshya and Lakshana Geethams are composed not only in popular and major ragas, but in rare and minor ragas like Gowlipantu. Paidala Gurumurthy Sastri can be considered as the architect of Lakshana Geethams. Apart from Gurumurthy Sastri, Muddu Venkatamakhin and Govindacharya have also composed many Lakshana Geethams. Subbarama Dikshitar’s Sangeeetha Sampradaya Pradarshini lists quite a few lakshana geethams which are worth learning.
Featured Lakshana Geetham Garuda Gamana – Raga Abheri
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Today let us learn a Lakshana Geetham in Raga Abheri composed by Govindāchārya, the author of Sangraha Choodamani. Abheri is an audava sampoorna janya raga and in the present days it is treated as being derived from the 22nd Mela Kharaharapriya. Earlier Classic Texts / Lakshana Granthas mention Abheri as derived from Natabhairavi with the note Suddha Dhaivatham instead of Chatusruthi Dhaivatham as it is handled today. (Muthuswami Dikshitar’s Veenabheri uses Suddha Dhaivatham). This Lakshana Geetham in Abheri mentions that it is a derivative of Natabhairavi(mentioned as Narabhairavi in the Geetham). The occasional usage of Suddha Dhaivatham in the phrase PDP term it as a Bhashanga Ragam. Present day Abheri takes the following notes in its scale. Shadjam, Chat.R, Sadharana Gandharam, Suddha Madhyamam, Panchamam and Cha D and Kaishiki Nishadam. Swaras N and R are ragachaya swaras.
Notation – Garuda Gamana – Raga Abheri – Lakshana Geetham
YouTube Lesson -Garuda Gamana – Raga Abheri – Lakshana Geetham
Notation of Saraswathi Un Isaivadivazhagai – Raga Saraswathy – Lakshana Geetham
YouTube Lesson – Saraswathy – Lakshana Geetham
Click here to learn other Classic and Rare Geethams and Lakshana Geethams !!
Happy Learning ! 😍
ANURADHA MAHESH 