Abstract

The rāga Dhanyāśi has been in vogue in the Karṇāṭak music tradition for a long period of time. This rāga offers ample scope for development in terms of Manōdharma Saṅgīta as well as with respect to Kalpita Saṅgīta. The lakṣaṇa of this rāga is available in the early treatises as well as the treatises from the early 1900s, suggesting that this rāga is quite old. Dhanyāśi has been in vogue in the Hindustāni tradition as well and this can be interpreted from the availability of the description of this rāga in the North Indian treatises. This article aims at tracing the historical evolution of the rāga Dhanyāśi in order to study and understand the changes in the lakṣaṇa of the rāga over different centuries. The descriptions of this rāga as given in the treatises belonging to different time periods have been taken up as references for the purpose of tracing the developments in the lakṣaṇa of this rāga.

Key words: Raga, Laksana, Treatises, Laksana grantha, Dhanyasi, Aroha, Avaroha.

Introduction:

            The rāga Dhanyāśi is considered to be a janya of the 8^th mēḷakarta Tōḍi in the present day. It is an auḍava-sampūrṇa rāga, where ṛṣabha and dhaivata are varjya or absent in the ārōha. In the avarōha, all the seven svara-s are present. The svara-s occurring in this rāga are: Ṣaḍja, śuddha ṛṣabha, sādhāraṇa gāndhāra, śuddha madhyama, pañcama, śuddha dhaivata and kaiśiki niṣāda. The ārōha and avarōha of Dhanyāśi are as follows:

S G2 M1 P N2 Ṡ – Ṡ N2 D1 P M1 G2 R1 S[i]

            Dhanyāśi can be referred to as a gamaka-oriented rāga, where the specific gamaka-s prescribed for the different svara-s determine the lakṣaṇa of the rāga. For instance, in Saṅgīta Sampradāya Pradarśiṇi (SSP) of Subbarāma Dīkṣita, kampita gamaka has been given for gāndhāra and niṣāda in the ascent, suggesting that these notes should be shaken while rendering certain phrases. Similarly, different gamaka-s have been prescribed for the rendering of various svara-s in this rāga. This, in turn, would determine the identity or the lakṣaṇa of this rāga.

With this brief introduction of the present day lakṣaṇa of the rāga Dhanyāśi, the historical evolution of this rāga is being taken up for study.

History of Dhanyāśi:

            There are 24 treatises dealing with the history and development of the various aspects of Indian Classical Music, belonging to a period known as the Mēḷa period, which is said to range from that of Svaramēḷakalānidhi of Rāmāmātya to the period of Saṅgītasampradāyapradarśiṇi of Subbarāma Dīkṣita.[ii] The lakṣaṇa of Dhanyāśi can been seen in Svaramēḷakalānidhi of Rāmāmātya (SMK), written during 1550 AD. In this treatise, this rāga has been described as a janya of the mēḷa Śrīrāga[iii], which would correspond to the 22^nd mēḷa of the present day, Kharaharapriya. Rāmāmātya classifies Dhanyāśi as an Uttama rāga, where the svara-s ṛṣabha and dhaivata are omitted altogether. The resultant rāga would correspond to Śuddhadhanyāśi of the present day. Rāgatāḷacintāmaṇi of Pōlūri Gōvindakavi (RTC), a treatise written during the 17^th century, follows the description of this rāga given in SMK. The descriptions of this rāga in Ṣadrāgacandrōdaya and Rāgamāla of Paṇḍarīkaviṭṭhala are also similar to that of the description available in SMK. Saṅgīta Sudha of Gōvinda Dīkṣita (SS) and Caturdaṇḍīprakāśika of Vēṅkaṭamakhi (CDP), which predominantly deal with the South Indian rāga-s, also follow the description given in the earlier treatises and classify Dhanyāśi as a janya of Śrīrāga.

            The North Indian treatises like Rasakaumudi of Śrīkaṇṭha (RKau), Rāgavibōdha of Sōmanātha (RV), Saṅgīta Pārijāta of Ahōbala (SP) and Rāgatattvavibōdha of Śrīnivāsa (RTV) describe this rāga as a janya of Śrīrāga mēḷa. While the first two treatises mention the omission of ṛṣabha and dhaivata in both the ārōha and the avarōha, the next two treatises suggest the omission of the two svara-s only in the ārōha and the presence of all the seven svara-s in the avarōha. This would result in the correspondence of this rāga to that of Karṇāṭaka Dēvagāndhāri of the present day. The auḍava-sampūrṇa nature of this rāga is historically seen for the first time in these two treatises. SP and RTV given the nomenclature Dhanāśrī (Sampūrṇa Dhanāśrī) for this rāga, which can also be seen in the earlier treatises. The two treatises also mention the presence of two more varieties of this rāga namely, Ṣāḍava and Auḍava Dhanāśri.

            Rāgalakṣaṇamu of Śāhaji (RL-S) gives the description for two different rāga-s namely, Dhanyāsi and Dhanāsi. The former is classified as a janya of Śrīrāga, where ṛṣabha and dhaivata are absent in both ārōha and avarōha. Śāhaji, while listing the janya-s of the mēḷa Śrīrāga, mentions this rāga as Śuddhadhanyāsi. Dhanāsi is a janya of the mēḷa Bhairavi, which has the following svara-s: Ṣaḍja, catuśruti ṛṣabha, sādhāraṇa gāndhāra, śuddha madhyama, pañcama, śuddha dhaivata and kaiśiki niṣāda. This rāga is said to be a sampūrṇa rāga, however, in the illustrative phrases given in this treatise, ṛṣabha and dhaivata seem to be absent in the ārōha. While Dhanyāsi has not been classified under the categories of Ghana, Naya and Dēśi rāga-s, Dhanāsi has been described as a Dēśi rāga[iv].

            Rāgalakṣaṇa of Muddu Vēṅkaṭamakhi (RL-MV) classifies Dhanyāśi as a janya of the 20^th rāgāṅga rāga or mēḷa Nārīrītigauḷa[v]. The description of this rāga in this treatise is similar to that of the rāga Dhanāsi given in RL-S. However, RL-MV explicitly mentions the omission of ṛṣabha and dhaivata in the ārōha while describing the rāga. It is a bhāṣāṅga rāga. It is a Rakti rāga.

            Saṅgraha Cūḍāmaṇi of Gōvinda (SCūḍ) describes this rāga as a janya of the mēḷa Hanumatōḍi. The diminution in both dhaivata and ṛṣabha is seen for the first time in this treatise. The svara-s ṛṣabha and dhaivata are omitted in the ārōha. SCūḍ is the first treatise to give the lakṣaṇa of Dhanyāśi as it is seen in the present day. The later treatises like Saṅgītasārasaṅgrahamu of Tiruvēṅkaṭakavi (SSS), Mahābharatacūḍāmaṇi (MBC) and Rāgalakṣaṇa (RL) follow the description given in SCūḍ.

            Saṅgītasampradāyapradarśiṇi (SSP – 1904) describes this rāga as a janya of the 20^th rāgāṅga rāga Nārīrītigauḷa. While Subbarāma Dīkṣita himself follows the description given in RL-MV, he refers to the classification of this rāga under Rītigauḷa by Muddu Vēṅkaṭamakhi and states that the ṛsabha in this rāga is śuddha ṛsabha and not catuśruti ṛṣabha. This rāga is a bhāṣāṅga rāga. It is a Rakti rāga. A Rakti rāga is also known as Naya rāga or Mārga rāga. They are such rāga-s that provide rañjana or evoke a feeling of pleasantness in the listeners (Subbarāma Dīkṣita, 1904). Dhanyāśi is sampūrṇa and has the svara ṣaḍja as graha. The svara-s ṛṣabha and dhaivata are varjya in the ārōha. Subbarāma Dīkṣita further states that gāndhāra and niṣāda are the jīva and nyāsa svara-s in this rāga which provide rañjana. The ārōha and the avarōha of this rāga in SSP are as follows:

Ṇ2 S G2 M1 P N2 Ṡ – N2 D1 P M1 G2 R1 S

            The twentieth century works like Tyāgarāja Hṛdayam of K V Srinivasa Iyengar (TH) and Kṛtimaṇimālai of Rangaramanuja Iyengar (KMM) also give the description of the rāga Dhanyāśi. In TH, Dhanyāśi has been described as a janya of the 8^th mēḷa Hanumatōḍi, where in the ārōha, ṛṣabha and dhaivata are varjya. In the avarōha, all the seven svara-s occur. The author states that the svara-s sādhāraṇa gāndhāra and kaiśiki niṣāda are the chāya svara-s. He further refers to the classification of this rāga under the 20^th mēḷa by Muddu Vēṅkaṭamakhi and wonders as to why such a classification has been made by him when in reality, catuśruti ṛṣabha does not occur even in a single phrase in this rāga. He even goes on to raise another question as to whether catuśruti ṛṣabha occurs in the phrase ‘grg,’ and answers the same by stating that the occurrence of such a phrase is impossible in this rāga[vi]. The ārōha and the avarōha of the rāga as given in TH are as follows: SGMPNṠ-ṠNDPMGRS. The author further gives the following phrases as rāgarañjaka phrases occurring in Dhanyāśi: ‘MG,RS-SG,M,-NSG,-MGRS-PN,S,NDPMGRS’ and ‘NSG,MGRS.’

            In KMM, the author describes this rāga as a jaya of Hanumatōḍi[vii], which belongs to the the 2^nd cakra, Nētra. It is a bhāṣāṅga rāga, however, there is no reference to the existence of an anya svara. The ārōha and the avarōha of the rāga Dhanyāśi are: SGMPNṠ-ṠNDPMGRS.

Developments in the lakṣaṇa of Dhanyāśi:

            As seen in the historical evolution of this rāga, Dhanyāśi has been an auḍava rāga in the early North Indian treatises from SMK to RV, having the svara combinations of that of the rāga Śuddhadhanyāśi of the present day. In the treatises SP and RTV, this rāga has been described as an auḍava-sampūrṇa rāga for the first time. However, the svara-s taken by this rāga would result in the correspondence of Dhanyāśi to that of the rāga Karṇāṭaka-Dēvagāndhāri of the present day. In RL-MV, for the first time, Muddu Vēṅkaṭamakhi classifies this rāga under the mēḷa Rītigauḷa with the prefix ‘Nārī’ for the purpose of Kaṭapayādi, which would correspond to the 20^th mēḷa of the present day. The diminution in dhaivata can be seen here but, this classification has been questioned by the later scholars and musicologists because of the general absence of catuśruti ṛṣabha in Dhanyāśi. The classification in RL-MV would mean that Dhanyāśi had the svara-s śuddha dhaivata and catuśruti ṛṣabha. And while it is true that Subbarāma Dīkṣita, who belonged to a period later to that of Muddu Vēṅkaṭamakhi, seemingly questions this classification, he does not reclassify Dhanyāśi rightfully under the 8^th mēḷa/rāgāṅga rāga Tōḍi in accordance with the oral tradition. He simply observes that even though Dhanyāśi is a janya of the 20^th mēḷa, catuśruti ṛsabha does not occur in this rāga and instead, only śuddha ṛṣabha occurs in the oral tradition. It is in the later works like SCūḍ, MBC, TH, KMM and so on that we see Dhanyāśi as a janya of the 8^th mēḷa Tōḍi.

Dhanyāśi in Oral tradition:

            The rāga Dhanyāśi has always been a janya of Tōḍi in the oral tradition of the South Indian Music system. This is a rāga that has been handled by the musical trinity, namely Tyāgarāja, Muttusvāmi Dīkṣita and Śyāma Śāstri. Tyāgarāja has handled this rāga in the following compositions:

1. Dhyānamē varamaina – Ādi
   1. Endu bhāya – Rūpaka
   1. Nī cittamu – Miśra Cāpu
   1. Rāmābhirāma – Ādi
   1. Śyāma Sundarāṅga – Rūpaka
   1. Saṅgīta ñyānamu – Ādi
   1. Śrī Rāma dāsa dāsōham – Miśra Cāpu (Divya nāma kṛti)
   1. Jānakī nayaka nīku jaya maṅgaḷam – Ādi (Utsava sampradaya – Maṅgaḷa kṛti[viii])

In SSP, only one composition of Muttusvāmi Dīkṣita is available with notation, namely Maṅgaḷadēvatayā, set to Rūpaka tāḷa[ix]. A lakṣaṇa gīta of Vēṅkaṭamakhi set to Tripuṭa tāḷa and a sañcāri of Subbarāma Dīkṣita set to Maṭhya tāḷa are also available in this rāga.

Mīnalōcana, is a relatively well-known composition of Śyāma Śāstri in the rāga Dhanyāśi set to Miśra cāpu tāḷa. Subbarāya Śāstri, who comes under the lineage of Śyāma Śāstri, has also handled this rāga in his composition Dalacinavāru, set to Ādi tāḷa.

Mysore Sadāśiva Rao has composed a varṇa, Ēmaguva bōdhiñcara and a kṛti, Namāmi śrī satyavijaya in the rāga Dhanyāśi, both set to Ādi tāḷa. The notation for the latter can be found in the book ‘Songs of Mysore Sadasiva Rao.’ The preface of this book also mentions the availability of another kṛti of Sadāśiva Rao in the rāga Dhanyāśi, namely, Samayamidē nannu brōva set to Ādi tāḷa[x].

In concerts today, Dhanyāśi offers wide scope for extemporization in terms of exploring various aspects of manōdharma saṅgīta such as, rāga ālāpana, tāna, niraval and kalpana svara singing.

Conclusion:

• The rāga Dhanyāśi is an older rāga which has been in vogue in both the North Indian and the South Indian Music traditions respectively for a long time.
• This rāga has undergone various significant changes in terms of lakṣaṇa, right from the period of the earlier treatises like SMK, RTC, CDP and so on to the 20^th century works.
• While the early North Indian treatises classify this rāga as a janya of Śrīrāga, corresponding to the 22^nd mēḷa of the present day, RL-MV, which is believed to have belonged to the later part of the 18^th century, classifies this rāga as a janya of the 20^th rāgāṅga rāga Nārīrītigauḷa for the first time.
• It is only in the works of the latter part of the 19^th and the 20^th centuries that one can find Dhanyāśi being classified as a janya of the 8^th mēḷa Tōḍi, which is closer to its form of the present day.
• The rāga Dhanyāśi offers ample scope for extemporization in the concert platforms in terms of Kalpita saṅgīta as well as Manōdharma saṅgīta, as different aspects of the latter like Ālāpana, Niraval, Tāna and Kalpana Svara-s can be demonstrated in this rāga.
• The musical sources provide an insight into the nature or characteristics of rāga-s, tāḷa-s and many other musical elements which in turn, helps trace and understand their journey throughout many centuries. In this case, the historical evolution of the rāga Dhanyāśi has been traced in order to study the developments in the rāga with respect to its lakṣaṇa of the present day.

Endnotes:

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[i] Sambamoorthy P, South Indian Music Book III, The Indian Music Publishing House, Madras, 1973.

[ii] Hema Ramanathan, Rāgalakṣaṇasaṅgraha: Collection of Rāga Descriptions from Treatises on Music of the Mēla Period with translation and notes, publisher N Ramanathan, Chennai, 2004.

[iii] Ed. M. S. Ramaswami Aiyar, Rāmāmātya’s Svaramēlakalānidhi (A work on Music), Annamalai University, 1932.

[iv] Ed. Seetha S, Rāga Lakṣaṇamu of Śāha Mahārāja, Brhaddhvani, Madras, 1990.

[v] Ed. S. Subrahmanya Sastri, T. V. Subba Rao & T. L. Venkatarama Aiyar, Rāgalakṣaṇam of Muddu Vēṅkaṭamakhi – printed as an Appendix to The Chaturdaṇḍi Prakāśika of S ri Venkatamakhin of Tanjore, The Music Academy, Madras, 1934. 

[vi] Śrīnivāsa Ayyaṅgār K V, Tyāgarāja Hṛdayam, Part 1, M Adi and Company, Chandra Press, 1924.

[vii] Raṅgarāmānuja Ayyaṅgār, Śrī Kṛtimaṇimālai Part 1, Sabarmathi, Egmore, Chennai, 1947.

[viii] Parthasarathy T S, Sri Tyagaraja Svami Kirttanaigal – Edition 8, The Karnatic Music Book Centre, Chennai, July 2001.

[ix] Subbarāma Dīkṣita, Saṅgītasampradāyapradarśiṇi, Vidya Vilāsini Press, Eṭṭaiyapuram Samasthānam, Eṭṭaiyapuram, 1905.

[x] Ed. Vasudevacharyar K, Songs of Mysore Sadasiva Rao, The Music Academy, 1947.