There are not many compositions available in this raga, Mahuri, which can be considered as one of the rarest of the rare raga. The only known composition is “Mamava Raghuveera” by Muthuswami Dikshithar. Ragam Mahuri is a janya of Mela ragam (28) Harikambhoji, a shadava sampoorna raga with zig zag (vakra) notes in both arohanam and avarohanam. Arohanam : S R2 M1 G3 R2 G3 P D2 S Avarohanam: S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S R2 G3 R2 S
Subbarama Dikshithar in SSP gives the following structure:
SRMGRMPDS // SNDPMGRSRGRS
Ragapravaham by D.Pattammal places it under mela (25) Mararanjani,
SRGRMPN // DPMGRS
Under mela (28) Harikambhoji, under the name, Mahurin
SRMGRMPDS // SNDPMGRSGRS
SRMGRPDS // SNDPMGRSRGRS
Under mela (29) Sankarabharanam under Maahuri, as:
SRGRMPN // DPMGRS
SMGMRGMPDNS // SNDPMRGMS
SRMGPN // DPMGRS
SRGMPDS // SDPMGRS
Also, under the name Mahurim, under mela (29) Sankarabharanam
SMGMRGMPDNS // SDPMRGMS
As many of the vakra ragas, Mahuri is also a pleasing ragam; still why other composers did not use this is quite unknown.
pallavi mAmava raghuvIra martyAvatAra mAdhava dhIra anupallavi tvAmAhurISAdayastattvamiti karuNA nidhE dInam caraNam mAmaka hRdaya nivAsa SrI nivAsa mAruti prabhRti dAsa viSvAsa bhUmijA saha-vAsa iha-para bhukti mukti vitaraNa vilAsa (madhyama kAla sAhityam) kAma janaka kanakAmbara dhara tAmarasAksha vadana pada kara pAmara paNDita pAvana-kara - nAmadhEya guru guha nuta vara (The ragamudra is incorporated as “tvA’mAhurI’Sadayastattvamiti” in the anupallavi).
This composition is on the Navapashanam, Devipatnam. A coastal village located around 80 km away from Rameshwaram and around 15 km away from Ramnad, Devipatnam is also a popular shrine to visit during Rameshwaram tour. Devipatnam is one among the three prominent shrines of South Coast Tamil Nadu. Devipatnam, along with Rameshwaram and Thiruppullani are associated with the Hindu sacred epic Ramayana. Also known as Navapashanam, this holy town is famous for the Navagraha Temple, which is visited by almost every devotee. Devipatnam temple is associated with Lord Rama. There are many legends related to this ancient temple. According to the legends, Lord Rama when going for war so as to kill Demon Ravana who had kidnapped Goddess Sita, had worshipped Lord Shiva along with Lord Ganesha, Goddess Parvati and Adi Jagannatha Perumal. Lord Rama also offered his prayers to navagrahas by installing nine different stones, each symbolizing the nine celestial bodies. He had then conducted the navagraha pooja here. It is said that since then, 9 navagraha stones are located in the sea, at a distance of about 100 meters from the sea shore. These can be seen in morning when the level of sea water is low; however in evenings when the tides are high and the level of sea water is also high, most of the navagraha stones lie submerged in the water. There is one more legend associated with Devipatnam. According to this, Devipatnam is the place where Goddess Parvathi had put an end to the atrocities of demon Mahishasura. Some of the shrines that are located nearby are Kadaladaitta Perumal, Tilakeswarar and Lokanayaki.
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