Thillana - Raaga Dhanasri - Sri Swati Tirunaal

Like adding a twist in a tale, carnatic musicians add twists in concerts by singing varieties like the abhang, javali, ugaabhoga, or even a thillana. Although the Thillaanas are pre-dominantly used for dance performances, they are purely enjoyable in music concerts simply because of their coalescence with rhythm (taala).

A common thillana rendered by famous musicians including M.S.S is Geethadhunikuthaka in raga Dhanasri, a hindi composition of Sri Swati Tirunaal, the well known connoisseur of music, post trinity period. Bowing humbly to this great musician, here is a little write up.

Sri Swati Tirunaal

It is known to everyone that Sri Swati Tirunal was a linguist well versed in 13 languages. Adding to his brilliance was his sound knowledge of both Hindustani and Carnatic music which is seen in his wide variety of compositions that includes:

• Thappas, dhrupads, abhangs, thumris – the classic Hindustani / north Indian variety
  
• Keerthanes, swarajathis, javalis, padams – the typical flavours of Carnatic south Indian music.

A great devotee of Lord Vishnu, most of his krithis ended with ‘Padmanabha’. He flourished Hindustani ragas like Behaag, Kaapi, Hameer Kalyani, and plenty more in his krithis.

Raga Dhanasri

Dhanasri is a Hindustani Raaga. It is an afternoon raga sung between 1 and 4 PM. The time is specific here since Hindustani music strictly follows the time theory – that a particular raga should be sung at a particular time only, although in Carnatic we don’t follow this strictly now.

The scale of Dhanasri is:

Sa Ga Ma Pa Ni Sa
Sa Ni Dha (very rarely used) Pa Ma Ga Ri Sa

This may seem very close to Abheri in Carnatic (20th Melakarta) except that in Dhanasri, Daivatha ‘Dha’ is seldom used and that is the main difference between the two ragas. Else the notes are very similar. Dhanasri in Hindustani belongs to the 10th Thaat.

Going back to 13th century period, where ragas were considered as males – husbands, and related ragas as raginis or wives, called the popular Raaga – Raagini system of music, Dhanasri is considered as ragini of Malkauns, a Hindustani raga. This is a raga of longing for love, typically depicted by a woman missing her lover.

Thillana Geethadhuniku Thaka

The song talks about a woman performing dance recital. The words, “Naach Rahe Gori, Tha Dhi Thai, Thom Dhi Thai” in the Pallavi means that.

The Anu Pallavi has 2 verses.

Verse 1 – “Baaje Payal Kaho, Jhanan Jhanan” – giving you the feel of the sound of paayal (anklets/ghungroo/gejje) through words like “Jhanan Jhanan”. Simply beautiful.

Verse 2 – “Thaan Gaave Thaka Tha Thai Tha Thai” is full of rhythm.

The Charana - “Padmanaabha Tumhaari Leela, kya kahoon main, saawaro, thaap sankat haranayo, soha mhaaro tumaharo” – lovely flow of words by Sri Swati Tirunal. He is talking about the greatness of Lord Padmanabha, and requesting him to take away all the pains, and confessing that Padmanabha is the ultimate happiness. This is followed by the Jathi – Tha Dheem Tha Dheem Dhirana…..

Geethadhuniku is bliss. So next time please listen more carefully.

Pls feel free to add on any other explicit information you come across on the krithi or the composer or the raga. Will be glad to accept your comments.

Pls do not misuse this information anywhere else since this purely belongs to me and only me.

Happy Weekend!