‘Music is a therapy. It is a communication far more powerful than words, far more immediate, more efficient”

- Yehudi Menuhin

SUNADA

Music, Therapy and More...

Volume IX, September, 2017

From the Editor’s Desk…

In this issue… In this issue continuing the series of

Alpha . Now we will talk of Music for me……………………………..2 Mohana Ragam to show its uniqueness as an alpha despite having all major notes. Our endeavour is to Mohana- A Sweet & Playful Raga….... 3 spread awareness about how has the special ability,quality Mohana-As an Alpha Raga …………...4 and pliability depending on the Mood as well as the situation. It appeals to What you Think…………………………7 one and all in its

light and classical form. It is therefore very suitable for use in Music Therapy.

Editor & Founder

KSVasanthaLakshmi

MUSIC FOR ME….

Deepalakshmi.S

Chartered Accountant

Consultant/Analyst, London, UK

Music gives me a sense of peace out to be classical based. To me, and calmness and relaxes my it’s important I like the lyrics of mind when it’s agitated. I use it the song and not just the tune. It a retreat from the rigors of could be a couple of hours on everyday life without travelling some days or “None” on hectic anywhere. – I have a natural days. The same genre of music fondness for this probably can tire me sometimes, in which because this is the music I have case I switch between different been exposed to (and learnt) types of songs. I experience since childhood. I learnt the varied feelings depending on Classical Vocal music but I don’t each song and my mood – practice it regularly now. But I Largely melody numbers soothe also enjoy Classical string music me and fast numbers energise and lullabies. Film Music – Am me. particularly fond of melody *** numbers and many of them turn

Mohana – A Sweet and Playful through these years. Being a Raga Krishna lover (less of a devotee) I see and experience By Swetha Sundar, him in its truest form - love, Analytics Manager, Bangalore laughter and all embracing. The ragam to me is a flurry f activity where one runs in happiness and excitement while remaining fixated on the fundamentals of the swaras, there is naughtiness in the way the Sangatis are sung, improvisations are made which again represents Although only a learner and Krishna to me. There is Bhakti a beginner in music, I do not filled with free-flowing know in detail the background love and equality with the or context of how and why almighty than fear or each Raga was composed. surrender. However, there are some which are so close to my heart that it embodies the divinity I seek out in music. The love and explainable closeness I have for Mohana Ragam remained unchanged ***

MOHANA-As an Alpha Raga

By

KS Lakshmi,

MA, MT, TM Trained

(Penta Note i.e., five notes) which means it has only an equal number of five notes in ascending and descending order.

The swaras with their exact frequencies for Mohana/Bhopali are as given below:

Sa - 100

Ri - 111.1

Ga - 125

In Carnatic Music there are 72 Pa – 150 (Always stays constant in Ragas with all the seven whatever pitch) notes in the ascent and descent and Dha – 166.66 each one of them with a capacity to produce about 34348 combinations. Despite the fact that all these are There are innumerable musical major notes, this Raga seems to have sounds as individual frequencies or the immense power and pliability to “Swaras” within two Octaves (i.e, suit any mood. All the songs or tunes Shadja or Saptak). A Raga or a Mode played to symbolize Krishna are is a combination of these notes. mostly set to Mohana Raga. It may There are 22 notes universally and well be the reason for the Murali or these selected notes are used for the the Magic Flute is also frequently purpose of creating a Raga. Mohana referred to as Mohan Murali and Raga is known as an Audava Ragam Krishna himself is called Mohana

Vamshi because the meaning of Satyabhama “Meerajala galadaa” Sanskrit word Mohana is enamour, albeit with slight deviations in the enchanting or charming in English. Raga. There are umpteen examples of its I have composed a Raga Lakshana lighter compositions right from vocal Geetika “Mohana Murali Swaramula excercises like “Varaveena”, the sarali” in Telugu to feature all the , “Ninnukori” the first special qualities of this Raga which that students learn to the very tough make it easy for a student to instantly and expansive Keertana like “Rara recall the notational phrases of the Rajeeva Lochana” and lots of smaller Raga as also the major compositions by Thyagaraja. by skillfully weaving some of the When sung in the traditional and swaras from the Mohana Varnam. (It serious rendition style, it is vocally a can be heard on the Youtube). very demanding raga, as the notes When it is used for music therapy, have big gaps in terms of frequency the therapist can produce varied needing the singer/instrumentalist to effects in the listener. When used on be totally accurate and not get pitchy a person needing therapy, but has anywhere. It is at once serious, some awareness of classical music, difficult and easy and pleasing to the the mind is instantly drawn into ear. details and intricacies like style of Other than these in the film song rendition, assessment of accuracy genre, we have Chandana Charchita, and the composition chosen by the the Sanskrit Ashtapadi from the musician. This is mostly useful in Self Telugu film “Tenalai Rama”, “Jyoti Therapy and advocated for the Kalsh Chalke” from the Hindi film slightly elite client who has some “Bhabhi ki Chudiyan” by awareness. Latamangeshkar which are great For the not so musically educated examples of the lighter rendition of clients, film songs like the ones this Raga which adhere to the purity mentioned above or simply some of the Raga to the tee. It would be instrumental music preferably Flute, criminal not to mention the famous is often found to be very effective in Kuchipudi Bhamakalapam song by

relieving stress, insomnia and simply providing relaxation.

It is just not possible to enumerate the effects of this Raga in a nut shell, but I strongly advocate people to listen to this Raga in its myriad varieties of compositions, both in Indian and Western style and enjoy the benefits.

Team Sunada would appreciate any feedback on this subject.

***

WHAT YOU THINK

Congrats ! Well-done!! Dr. K.V.N Rao, Gurugram, India Dr. Trimurthy Sairam, *** New Delhi, India Thank you very much for *** keeping me "upgraded".

Congratulations. Thomas Luchinger The exposition of alpha ragas Switzerland is very good. ***

What you think: [email protected]

For online Music Therapy contact: [email protected]

THE JOY OF SINGING TOGETHER ….

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© 2012 K.S. Vasantha Lakshmi, Sunada Vinodini Music Gurukulam, Gurgaon, Haryana, India. Please note that any reproduction of any or all of the content of this material for any reason, without the prior written approval of the

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