In this episode we feature the raaga Punnagavarali. Vidya shares with us the probable origins of this traditional raaga in the music of snake charmers as well as its scale and structure. We discuss how this raaga offers limited improvisational scope, and yet has been used by all three of the trinity composers. Vidya also elaborates on the concept of Madhayama Sruti, which involves a shifting up the fundamental note to the original Ma (4th note from the fundamental).
In this concluding episode of our sub-series featuring compositions on the temple town of Kanchipuram, we feature a Shyama Shastri composition: Kanakashaila Viharini in the raaga Punnagavarali. Vidya shares with us the meaning of this song, and uses the three segments of this composition, i.e. Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam to show us a glimpse of the form and flow of this raaga.