rAga mAlika, literally a garland of rAgas, is a very popular form of composition in Carnatic music. These are delightful compositions, where the various segments are set to different rAgas, with a smooth and melodious flow of music during the transition from one rAga to the next. The choice of rAgas, as well as the order in which they appear in a rAga mAlika, are based solely on aesthetic considerations. The main point is that a feeling of abruptness or a gap should be avoided when shifting between rAgas and the flow of music should be very smooth. Also, closely allied rAgas do not generally appear in the same composition. Ideally, consecutive rAgas should possess distinct melodic character.
In medieval period, this musical form was known as rAga kadambakam, kadamba being a garland of different flowers. rAga mAlikas have been employed not only in strict kriti formats, but they also appear in numerous other types of compositions, including Varnams, Swarajatis, Jatiswarams, Slokas, Viruttams, Tillanas and the concluding Mangalam pieces.
(source: carnatica.net)
###
Listen to compositions in rAga mAlika rendered by Dhanya Subramanian on this site:
vandE mAtaram – Subramanya Bharathi
###
Film: Apoorva Raagangal
Language: Tamil
Singer: Vani Jayaram
Music Director: M.S.Viswanathan
Year: 1975
Ragas used: Pantuvarali, Ranjani, Sindhu Bhairavi, Kambhoji
Film: Manamagal
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): M.L.Vasanthakumari (Lalitha), P.Leela (Teacher)
Music Director: C.R.Subbaraman
Year: 1957
Ragas used: Simhendra Madhyamam, Mohanam, Hindolam, Darbar
Film: Apoorva Raagangal
Language: Tamil
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: M.S.Viswanathan
Year: 1975
Ragas used: Mahathi, Vasantha, Bhairavi
Film: Kamaladalam
Language: Malayalam
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: M.Raveendran
Year: 1992
Ragas used: Hamsadwani, Abhogi, Saramathi, Panthuvarali, Madhyamavathi
Film: Thiruvilaiyaadal
Language: Tamil
Singer: M.Balamuralikrishna
Music Director: K.V.Mahadevan
Year: 1965
Ragas used: Mand, Thodi, Darbar, Mohanam, Kanada
Film: Apoorva Raagangal
Language: Tamil
Singer: Vani Jayaram
Music Director: M.S.Viswanathan
Year: 1975
Ragas used: Darbari Kanada, Amrutha Varshini, Madhyamaavathi
Film: Bandhanam
Language: Malayalam
Singer: S.Jayachandran
Music Director: M.B.Sreenivasan
Year: 1978
Ragas used: Sree Ragam, Hamsadhwani, Vasantha, Malayamarutham
Film: Kamaladalam
Language: Malayalam
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: M.Raveendran
Year: 1992
Ragas used: Bilahari, Hindolam, Durbari Kanada, Sankarabharanam
Film: Sivakavi
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): M.K.Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, S.Jayalakshmi
Composer: Papanasam Sivan
Music Director: G.Ramanathan
Year: 1943
Ragas used: Vasantha, Kuntala Varali, Yadukula Kambodhi, Surutti
Film: Suvarna Sundari
Language: Telugu
Singer: Ghantasala, Jikki
Music Director: P.Adinarayana Rao
Year: 1957
Ragas used: Hamsanandhi (Sohini), Kaanada (Bahar), Jonpuri (Jivanpuri), Yaman Kalyani (Yaman)
Film: Unnal Mudiyum Thambi
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): S.P.Balasubramanyam, K.S.Chitra
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1988
Ragas used: Kalyani, Vasantha, Mohanam, Madhyamavathi
Film: His Highness Abdullah
Language: Malayalam
Singer(s): K.J.Yesudas (Mohanlal), M.Raveendran (Kaithapram), Sujith (Nedumudi Venu)
Music Director: M.Raveendran
Year: 1990
Ragas used: Hindolam, Thodi, Panthuvarali, Abhogi, Mohanam, Kalyani, Chakravakam, Shankarabharanam, Revati
Film: Manalane Mangaiyin Bhagyam
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): Ghantasala, P.Susheela
Music Director: P.Adinarayana Rao
Year: 1957
Ragas used: Hamsanandhi (Sohini), Kaanada (Bahar), Jonpuri (Jivanpuri), Yaman Kalyani (Yaman)
Film: Sampoorna Ramayanam
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): Tiruchi Loganathan, Chidambaram S. Jayaraman
Music Director: K.V.Mahadevan
Year: 1958
Ragas used: Mohanam, Ataana, Bhoopalam, Saranga, Vasantha, Nilambari, Dhanyasi, Gambhira Naattai, Shankarabharanam, Thodi, Kalyani, Kambodhi
Film: Vilakku Vangiya Veena
Language: Malayalam
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: V.Dakshinamoorthy
Year: 1971
Ragas used: Kambhoji, Shanmukha Priya, Manolayam
Film: Ponmudi
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): G.Ramanathan, T.V.Ratnam
Music Director: G.Ramanathan
Year: 1950
Ragas used: Sahana, Kalyani, Desh
Film: Nandanar
Language: Tamil
Singer: M.M.Dandapani Desikar
Composer: Papanasam Sivan
Music Director: G.Ramanathan
Year: 1942
Ragas used: Punnaga Varali, Nadha Naama Kriya, Brindavana Saranga, Senjuruti
Film: Suvarna Sundari
Language: Hindi
Singer(s): Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
Music Director: P.Adinarayana Rao
Year: 1958
Ragas used: Sohini, Bahar, Jivanpuri, Yaman
