This raga seems to be used in composing for the first time by Thyagarja Swamikal, in his krithi, “Janaki ramana”. There are many compositions created thereafter; but it seems that these did not get a chance to get into the main stream and lacked their renditions in concerts. Hence the Thyagaraja krithi has not yet lost its status of Eka-raga krithi. This raga is a janya of mela (8) ragam Hanumathodi (Janathodi in Dikshithar system); it is a shadava janya ragam, losing N2 from the janaka ragam. (It can also be obtained from melas (7) Senavathi and (9) Dhenuka also, by dropping the Nishadam). The ragaswaroopa can be found as:
S R1 G2 M1 P D1 S // S D1 P M1 G2 R1 S
Only that it has lost the Nishadam, Suddha Seemanthini gives the Thodi feel too much; may be because of which more prominent compositions did not see light.
Ragapravaham by D.Pattammal gives two ragas under the same mela (8) Thodi, under two similar names – ‘Suddha Seemanthi’ and Suddha Samantham’; the latter does not seem to have any relation with the raga maunder discussion. Suddha Seemanthi is listed with two specifications:
S R G M P D S // S D P M G R S
S G M N D S // S D P M G R S
Compositions:
Are re dasharatha (lng) - Govindacharya
Ati kopama - Muthuswami Kavi
Ayam vandeham - Bangalore S.Mukund
Deva deva maheshvara (tv) - Pattamadai Krishna Iyer
Enda velaiyum kandavelaiye (tv) - K.Muttukumarasvami Varaghoor
Janaki ramana bhakta parijata - Thyagaraja
Jaya jaya bhasmoddhalita – Dr.Muthaiah Bhagavathar
Mahadeva paramashiva - Papanasham Sivan
Mudam dehi devi sharade - Bangalore S.Mukund
Mukhana suruchera - Anantakrishna Sharma
Nenje kalpaka annai irukka - Papanasham Sivan
Shirappu inum shelvamum (tv) - Tiruvalluvar
In the krithi, Saint Thyagaraja praises the Lord as:
O Consort of jAnakI! O Wish Tree of devotees! O Refuge of entire Worlds!
O Enjoyer of Music! O Dark blue hued like (bark of) tamAla (neTTilinga pachilai maram) tree! O Ocean of Compassion! O Virtuous by nature!
O Red Lotus petal Eyed! O King! O Lustrous Faced! O Lord with mirror like cheeks! For arrogant elephants called devotion-less people, You are like Lord Siva! O Nourisher of this tyAgarAja!
Please protect me.
We shall listen to a very nice rendition of this krithi by Sri. Puthucode Krishnamurthi.
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