As mentioned earlier, shuddha riShabha and shuddha daivata are placed exactly at dvishruti positions. It is a common experience that catushruti riShabha is brought in explicitly as a takeoff point for sAdhAraNa gAndhAra, but technically it is not very difficult to replace it with R1 (r1m1G~,,) though traditionally the presence of R2 is acknowledged by most practitioners. And that the same catushruti position of riShabha is indeed the finishing point for the kampita gAndhAra, could be understood if observed carefully. This is simply because the oscillation for gAndhAra kampita is between R2 & M1. Hence many a time R1 acts as an anusvara at the finishing point in prayOgas with gAndhAra nyAsa. As a variation, one can also come across a mild oscillation of the gAndhAra, between the R2 and G2 positions, and this stylish gamaka does enhance the ranjakatva of
tODi.
Sometimes G even occupies the shruti of M, when it glides down from M to R1 touching upon R2 (as in mG^\R1). Thus gAndhAra assumes a unique role in tODi’s classic structure. One can find such interesting variations in the exquisite ciTTasvara of Kumara Ettendra’s kriti “gajavadana”, where there is a play of gAndhAra, in combination with various svaras. The various ways gAndhAra is intoned in tODi can be understood from this ciTTasvara. This ciTTasvara also has some delightful pancama varjya and ShaDja varjya phrases. The gamaka types like jarus, Ahata and pratyAhata come in handy in such pancama varjya and ShaDja varjya jaNTa svara combinations…
G’G’M’G’,R’ND G’G’R’N DMGR-GGMMDDNNR’R’ND NDNR’….is a part of the above mentioned ciTTasvara. The Adi tALa varNam “ErAnApai” of Patnam Subramanya Iyer, the cauka varNam “ rUpamu jUci” of Dikshitar and Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar’s tillAna are a few other compositions that thrive on pancama varjya and ShaDja varjya prayOgas. We also have enticing pancama varjya phrases in the svara-sAhitya of Shyama Shastri’s “ninnE namminAnu” as well as in Pallavi Gopalyyar’s aTa tALa varnam “kanakAngi”. Thus tODi is one of the very few mELas wherein S and P varjya prayOgas could be used with great effect, kalyANi being the other example.
The kampita dhaivata is another beautiful note and essentially a jIva svara, and this is highlighted in the jatisvaram “ S’,,,,,S’,N,D,P,M,G,,,,,” attributed to Sri Swati Tirunal Maharaja. Dhaivata also enjoys the gamaka type called sphurita in niShAda varjya prayOgas like SD,, -RSD,, etc. M,N,D, is a common rakti prayOga in tODi, and the embellished dhaivata here reverberates with life.
Madhyama does not admit of any kampita, but is often embellished by a nOkku, as in the phrase M,^(md\g)R1. It is a good nyAsa svara, other than ShaDja and pancama. In fact, all the svaras can function as nyAsa svaras, but dhaivata and riShabha sound appropriate as nyAsa svaras only in the descending phrases. Other than S and P, madhyama is a good amsa svara, i.e., a resting note.
shaDja, gAndhAra, madhyama, pancama and dhaivata function as graha svaras, but the most common ones are S and G. “shrI subrahmaNyO” of Dikshitar has a charming, plain gAndhAra
eDuppu.
varNams like rUpamu jUci and kanakAngi (Pallavi Gopalayyar), and also Swati Tirunal’s jatisvaram provide good samples of jaNTa svara and dhATu
svara combinations, and it is easier to get a good grasp of the basic melodic build up of the rAga by learning such compositions.
hanumatODi is a mUrchanAkAraka mELa. All the svaras excepting pancama, give rise to mELas like kalyANi (from R), harikAmbhOji (G), naThabhairavI (M), shankarAbharaNam (D) and kharaharapriya (N) by grahabEdham. Being a major fghana rAga, it not only enjoys the pride of place in the concert scenario, but also offers space for any kind of creation.
As mentioned earlier, shuddha riShabha and shuddha daivata are placed exactly at dvishruti positions. It is a common experience that catushruti riShabha is brought in explicitly as a takeoff point for sAdhAraNa gAndhAra, but technically it is not very difficult to replace it with R1 (r1m1G~,,) though traditionally the presence of R2 is acknowledged by most practitioners. And that the same catushruti position of riShabha is indeed the finishing point for the kampita gAndhAra, could be understood if observed carefully. This is simply because the oscillation for gAndhAra kampita is between R2 & M1. Hence many a time R1 acts as an anusvara at the finishing point in prayOgas with gAndhAra nyAsa. As a variation, one can also come across a mild oscillation of the gAndhAra, between the R2 and G2 positions, and this stylish gamaka does enhance the ranjakatva of
tODi.
G’G’M’G’,R’ND G’G’R’N DMGR-GGMMDDNNR’R’ND NDNR’….is a part of the above mentioned ciTTasvara. The Adi tALa varNam “ErAnApai” of Patnam Subramanya Iyer, the cauka varNam “ rUpamu jUci” of Dikshitar and Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar’s tillAna are a few other compositions that thrive on pancama varjya and ShaDja varjya prayOgas. We also have enticing pancama varjya phrases in the svara-sAhitya of Shyama Shastri’s “ninnE namminAnu” as well as in Pallavi Gopalyyar’s aTa tALa varnam “kanakAngi”. Thus tODi is one of the very few mELas wherein S and P varjya prayOgas could be used with great effect, kalyANi being the other example.
Madhyama does not admit of any kampita, but is often embellished by a nOkku, as in the phrase M,^(md\g)R1. It is a good nyAsa svara, other than ShaDja and pancama. In fact, all the svaras can function as nyAsa svaras, but dhaivata and riShabha sound appropriate as nyAsa svaras only in the descending phrases. Other than S and P, madhyama is a good amsa svara, i.e., a resting note.
