mA pA dA nI sa ri ga ma pa da ni Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa

represents notation from ma of lower octave (Mandhra Sthaayi) to Pa of upper octave (Thaara Sthaayi)

Other symbols used in these files: The symbols < and > increase or decrease the note pitch by fraction of 81/80 (a comma). The symbols \ and / increase the transit duration from note to note by 50 milliseconds (the normal transit time is 50 milliseconds). For version 4 files the symbol $ toggles the auto thalam. The symbol {M } with a number after M indicates change of melam from that point (used for ragamalika) and the symbol {T } with a number after T indicates new tempo from that point.

To download all the files listed below as a single .zip file click gkafiles.zip (25 kb)

Songs included in the zip file above:

1. "Natha Jana Paalini" in Raagam Nalinakaanthi by Thanjavoor Sankara Iyer, a living Vaakgeyakaara. This song is not published so far but often sung by some leading Vidwans. There are not many songs in Nalinakaanthi (apart from Thyagaraajaa's Manaviyaalakim there is GNB's Nee Paadhame and a varnam by Lalgudi Jayaraman). Free translation has been included at the end of the notation.

If you do not have Gaayaka you can listen to Nathajana Paalini as rendered in Gaayaka in Flute with Auto thaalam.

2. "Manadirkkugandadhu" in Raagam Sindhubhairavi by Thanjavoor Sankara Iyer. The krithi has some unusual phrases of Sindhubhairavi

3. "Arunaachala Naatham" in Raagam Saaranga by Muthuswamy Dheekshithar. This is one of the 5 Pancha bhootha linga krithis that Dheekshithar has composed on the 5 Kshetharas representing the five elements - Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Space. This Krithi is on Arunaachaleswara at Thiruvannamalai, representing fire, light or energy.

4. "Naanoru vilayaattu bommaya" in Raagam Navarasakannada by Paapanaasam Sivan. An example of how the same ragam may generate a plaintive mood (as in this song) and a lively and fast mood as in Ninnuvina of Thyaagaraja.

5. Thillana in Brindhaavana Saaranga by Baalamuralikrishna. A fast piece with more prominence to Kaakali Nishaadham than in most krithis in this raagam.

6. Kalyani Varnam ("Vanajakshi") in Aadhi Thaalam by Ramanad Srinivasa Iyengar (This has been included in Ver 1.5)

7."Lalithambikam" - Krithi by Muthuswami Dheekshithar in Suddha Saaveri

8."Mahadeva Siva" - Krithi by Thanjavoor Sankara Iyer in Revathi

9.Navaraagamaalika Varnam (composer Pattanam Subramania Iyer) - Varnam in 9 Raagams

10."Saraswathi vidhi yuvathi" Krithi by Muthuswamy Dheekshithar in Hindholam

11. "Enna Thavam Seidhanai" in Kaapi Raagam and Aadhi Thaalam composed by Paapanaasam Sivan. (Included in ver 1.4 and later) It uses quite a bit of Anthara Gaandhaaram and Kaakali Nishaadham (which are shown by the usual symbol " * "). The lyric is beautiful (and very similar to the sentiments expressed by Purandhara Dhaasa in Jagadooddhaarana) and the melody apt. (Free translation included at the end of the notation).

12. "Raama kathaa sudhaarasa" in Raagam Madhyamaavathi by Thyaagarajar - one of the most beautiful pieces in this Raagam. A short aalapana has been given before the krithi. This file has been included in version 1.4 and later

You can play the song directly in Gaayaka. The files can be played both in the older versions of Gaayaka and the latest version (1.4). In the latest version, if you want auto-thaalam, it has to be set through the thaalam dialog box. If you do not have Gaayaka, you can use any text editor to view the file. The 2 numbers - a seven digit number and a 3 digit number in the beginning represent the melam and tempo for Gaayaka. You can ignore them. You have to interpret the notation as explained earlier.

I have also given one of the songs (Natha Jana Paalini) as generated by Gaayaka, in Real Audio format. I will add a few more of Thanjavoor Sankara Iyer's compositions both as Gaayaka file and as Real Audio file converted from Gaayaka generated .wav file. I will add more songs in due course - some unpublished ones also. Suggestions welcome to manianms@yahoo.com