Hamsavinodini is a comparatively popular name; there are enough compositions also; still it is not heard much in concerts, as also most of the compositions in this raga are never seem to be sung. None of the trinities seem to have set their hands in this raga; the mostly heard krithis seem to be compositions of the Mysore Maharaja and Narayana Theertha. Many of the later composers have written krithis in this raga; it is said that the raga was popularized by Dr. M.Balamuraleekrishna.
There are few ragas like Bhavabharanam, Dhaujenkaram, Jhankarasheela, Languli, Sandarshini etc, all these having the same ragaswaroopa of Hamsavinodini. But since there are no compositions in these ragas, it is likely that the raga might be known in these names also.
Hamsavinodini is a Panchama-varja janyam of mela (29) Sankarabharanam ragam; shadava in nature, represented as:
S R2 G3 M1 D2 N3 S // S N3 D2 M1 G3 R2 S
(it has another vakra avarohanam also, as : S N3 D2 N3 D2 M1 G3 R2 S, the D2 and N3 appearing again in vakra).
Ragapravaham also confirms this scale, though there is one more with Panchamam is seen:
S R G M D N S // S N D N D M G R S
S R G M D P S // S N D M G R S
(It is seen in some internet sites, the avarohanam is given same as Sankarabharanam notes, which is wrong).
Compositions:
Achara vinan arivili - Arunagirinathar (tp)
Chandrashekhara pahi - Bangalore S.Mukund
Gokulavana bhaktaloka - Pallavur Mani Iyer
Govinda govinda - Purandaradasar
Gurunu smarimpumu - Balamuraleekrishna
Inai adi undanai nan - Kovai Subri
Innamum oru sthalam - Marimutta Pillai
Marakatha mayil - Arindarkkiniyanar
Nanda krishna - Bangalore S.Mukund
Omkara porule - Punatashri
Parashambhavi amba - Ashok Madhav
Sami un sannidhi - N.S.Chidambaram
Sandarshananga - Bangalore S.Mukund
Sarasvatim bhagavatim - Jayachamaraja Wadiar
Sharanam bhava karunamamayi - Narayana Theertha
Valapu lelane vinta - Balamuraleekrishna
Dhim tanana dhim dhim (tillana) - Vinai Shesha Iyer
Tillana - B.Sasikumar (chandrapothar)
Engum nirai deivame (V) - Lalgudi Jayaraman
We have come to the discussion part; let us take the H.H.Jayachamaraja Wodeyar composition in this raga, “Saraswatheem Bhagavatheem”. Here is the lyrics:
“P: sarasvatIm bhagavatIm namAmyaham sammOhinIm paramahamsa vinOdinIm
A: sarasIruhAsana priya yuvatIm shrImatIm saraLa svabhAva sumatIm sannuta kIrtIm
sarasa gAnalOla vAgIshvarIm sampradAyika gAyakAnugrahakarIm
C: mUka vakpradAna vikhyAtam sucaritram shuka sanakAdi vanditAm karuNAnvitAm
pAka shAsanAdi sura pUjitAm shuka pustaka su-shObhitAm shrI vidyA tOSitAm”
It is a composition on vakdevi, Goddess Saraswathi, addressing Her and praising Her; the raga-mudra is intelligently incorporated as ‘parama”hamsa vinOdinI”m’.
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