Vasantha (raga) explained

Vasantha (pronounced vasantā) is a raga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a janya raga of Suryakantam, the 17th Melakarta raga.^[1] According to P|Subba Rao, majority opinion is that the raga is derived from Mayamalavagowla, the 15th Melakarta raga.^[2]

Vasantha is suitable to be sung in evening and is considered an auspicious raga.

Structure

Vasantha is an asymmetric scale that does not contain panchamam. It is called a vakra audava-shadava raga, malathiga^[1] structure is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

• ārohaṇa :
• avarohaṇa :

This scale uses the notes shadjam, shuddha rishabham, antara gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kakali nishadam.

Popular compositions

Vasantha has ample scope for alapana. This scale has been used by many composers for compositions in classical music. Here are some popular compositions in Vasantha.

• Ninne kori, a popular varnam by Tecchur Singarachari
• Sitamma Mayamma by Tyagaraja
• Brihadambikayai and Ramachandram Bhavayami by Muthuswami Dikshitar
• Paramapurusha Jagadeesha by Swathi Thirunal
• Malmaruga Shanmukha by Papanasam Sivan
• Natanam Adinar by Gopalakrishna Bharathi'
• Rajeswarim Sambhavaye by Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji
• Thom Thomena and Yoganrusimha Padâmbuja Brunga by Kalyani Varadarajan
• Kodu bega Divyamathi by Purandara dasa
• Palisenna Gopalakrishna By Jagannatha Dasa
• Maadhayai nidhi ennum by Papanasamsivan
• Vade Venkatadri Meeda by Annamaacharya

Film Songs

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Vasantha Ruthu	Sivakavi	Papanasam Sivan	M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
Vandanam Vandanam	Vazhvey Maayam	Gangai Amaran	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Azhagiya Thirumugam	Brammacharigal	M. S. Viswanathan
Mani Osai Enna Sollutho	Naalum Therinthavan(1983)		S. P. Balasubrahmanyam,S. Janaki
Santhanam Poosum	Thudikkum Karangal	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Karmegam Oorgolam Pogum	Kalamellam Un Madiyil	Chandrabose
Rojaavai Thaalaattum Thendral(More Ragam Panthuvarali touches)	Ninaivellam Nithya	Illayaraja
Andhimazhai pozhigirathu	Raja Parvai
Maan Kanden	Raja Rishi		K.J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam
Nil Nil Nil pathil sol	Paattu Padava		Illayaraja, Uma Ramanan
Iravil Irandu Paravaigal(With raga Bhagyashree touches)	Soundaryame Varuga Varuga	Vijaya Bhaskar	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam, P. Susheela, Jolly Abraham
Minsara Poove	Padayappa	A. R. Rahman	Srinivas, Nithyashree Mahadevan & Palakkad Sreeram
Idhayam	Kochadaiiyaan		Srinivas, Chinmayi
Vaa Kanmani	Rasathi Varum Naal	Vijay Anand	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Unnale Nenjam Raagam	En Pottukku Sonthakkaran	Deva	Mano,K. S. Chithra
Kanden Kanden	Pirivom Santhippom	Vidyasagar	Karthik, Shweta Mohan
Thaaye Enge	Anandhapurathu Veedu	Ramesh Krishna	Balaram

Song	Movie	Composer	Singer
Sundari sundari	Aye Auto	Raveendran	M. G. Sreekumar
Parama purusha	Swathi Thirunal	M. B. Sreenivasan	K. J. Yesudas
Guruvayoor unnikannane	Aanachandam	Jaison Nair	Madhu Balakrishnan

Related ragas

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this raga.

Scale similarities

• Lalitha is a popular raga that sounds very similar to Vasantha. Lalitha uses shuddha rishabham in ārohaṇa also, while the shuddha dhaivatam is used in it, compared to chatusruti dhaivatam in Vasantha.

Notes and References

1. Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
2. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras