Melsthayi varisai
Raga:
Mayamalavagowla (15th Melakartha Ragam)
Arohana: S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S
Avarohana: S N3 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S
Talam: Adi
Notation
Courtesy: Rani, www.karnatic.com and Chitraveena Ravi Kiran's book
Notes
from Chitra Veena Ravi Kiran's book (with some additions):
Musical
Phrases:
It is important to first practice karvai (long notes: see the sarali varisai
class) before the varishais. Gradually simple combinations of notes can be
tried. Teachers can introduce small musical phrases like GM , - GMP, - DDP, -
PMG, - MGR, - GMGRS- and so on. Over a few sessions, the phrases can get
perceptibly sophisticated.
Akaaram: After a few such sessions,
the same phrases can be rendered using the vowel "a" as in "America".
This is called "akaaram" and it is a very integral part of Carnatic
music, with particular reference to vocal music. Thus, exposure to akarams is
very essential at this stage, albeit in a simple form.
Varishais
- Sequences:
The
great composer Purandara Dasa, hailed as the Father of Carnatic music, created
a set of fundamental exercises nearly 500 years ago, which are followed even
today.
There
are 4 main types of varishais.
Sarali
Varishais:
These fundamental sequences enable the student to get a feel of melody with
rhythm. The logic is quite obvious here. The 1st varishai is a plain ascent and
descent of the notes of the raga. The 2nd varishai focuses on the second note
from S, namely R (in the ascent) and N (in the descent). The 3rd varishai
centers on the third note (G and D) in the ascent and descent respectively. The
fourth varishai concentrates on the fourth note M and P. This goes on upto the
7th varishai. The last 3 are general exercises. Some books have split the last
sarali varishai into 5 parts, but singing it as a single varishai is more
instructive.
Janta
Varishais:
These are forceful sequences, which facilitate the students to add weight and
majesty to their voice. They make use of a form of ornamentation called
"spuritham" which is rendering a note twice: plain the first time,
and with force from the previous note (i.e. the note just below this note in
frequency) in the raga the second time. Teachers must take care that the
concept of sphuritham is very clearly embedded in the students' minds. The
tendency to render it in a bland and insipid manner should be avoided.
Melsthayi
Varishais:
These are higher octave sequences, which increase the students' vocal or
instrumental range. Again, the logic is easy to understand. The first is the
simplest asn every subsequent exercise adds a new phrase to the previous one.
The progressively cover notes upto Pa in the higher octave.
Dhatu
Varishais:
These are zigzag sequences that increase the students' overall command of
notes.
Alankarams: These are multi-tala
sequences composed in the 35 talas. But usually 7 of these are selected and
taught to the students.
Students
should be taught to render all these exercises in at least 3-4 speeds. Once
they perfect this technique, they could practice most of them in the 3rd speed.
It is ideal to render each varishai twice, once just with the swaras, and
again, with akaaram.
Speeds
in Carnatic music: In carnatic music, speed is relative. It is measured as the number of
notes per beat of the tala, rather than the number of notes per second or
minute.
The
first speed is rendering one note per unit of the tala. The 2nd speed is
exactly double of this, i.e. two notes per unit. The 3rd speed is four notes
per unit. The 4th is eight notes per unit. The 5th is 16 notes per units and
6th speed is 32 notes per unit.
Speed
of the tala is rarely varied; only the speed of the music is. But even this is
not accomplished in an arbitrary manner. There is a mathematical precision to
it. For instance, the 2nd speed is exactly twice as fast and the third is
exactly twice as fast as the second and so forth.
Advanced
exercises:
Some
selected varishais can be repeated with:
-
Akaram, Ee-kaaram, U-kaaram
-
With Gamakas, in different speeds
-
In different sampurna ragas: Kalyani, Shankarabharanam, Kharaharapriya, Thodi
-
In selected symmetrical janya ragas (without tala): Mohana, Hamsadhwani, Sri
ranjani,
-
In selected asymmetrical janya ragas: Bilahari, Mohana Kalyani
-
In selected vivadi ragas: Ganamurthi, Chala Natai
-
In bhashanga ragas: Bhairavi
-
In different nadais: thrishram, khanda, mishra
-
Starting off-beat (eg: after 1 or 3 aksharams after beat)
(this
is particularly useful for instrumental practice)
Notation
hints: (this notation follows Rani's notes in www.karnatik.com)
s =
sa ; r = ri ; g = ga ; m = ma ; p = pa; d = dha ; n = ni ;
Capitalized
letters are in the higher octave.
Letters
with a period "." after them are in the lower octave.
===============================================================
1.
Dheergam at melsthayi "S", and touch of "R" (d n S R)
s r
g m | p d
| n S ||
S ,
, , | S ,
| , , ||
d n
S R | S n
| d p ||
S n
d p | m g
| r s ||
2.
Dheergam at melsthayi "S"
Focus at melsthayi "R" (d n S R
- S S R S - S R S n)
Some janta ( S S) and zig zag usages (S R
S n - d p m p)
s r
g m | p d
| n S ||
S ,
, , | S ,
| , , ||
d n
S R | S S
| R S ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | S n
| d p ||
S n
d p | m g
| r s ||
3.
Dheergam at melsthayi "S"
Touch of melsthayi "G" (d n S R - G R S R )
Focus at melsthayi "R" (d n S R
- S S R S - S R S n)
Some janta ( S S) and zig zag usages (S R
S n - d p m p)
s r
g m | p d
| n S ||
S ,
, , | S ,
| , , ||
d n
S R | G R
| S R ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | S S
| R S ||
S R - S n |
d p | m p
||
d n
S R | S n
| d p ||
S n
d p | m g
| r s ||
4.
Dheergam at melsthayi "S"
Touch of melsthayi "M" (d n S R - G M G R )
Focus at melsthayi "G" (d n S R - G R S R and d n S
R - G M G R)
Focus at melsthayi "R" (d n S R
- S S R S - S R S n)
Some janta ( S S) and zig zag usages (S R
S n - d p m p)
s r
g m | p d
| n S ||
S ,
, , | S ,
| , , ||
d n
S R | G M
| G R ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | G R
| S R ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | S S
| R S ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | S n
| d p ||
S n
d p | m g
| r s ||
5.
Dheergam at melsthayi "S"
Touch of melsthayi "P" (d n S R - G M P M )
Touch of melsthayi "M" (d n S R - G M G R and d n S
R - G M P M )
Focus at melsthayi "G" (d n S R - G R S R and d n S
R - G M G R
and d n S R - G M P M)
Focus at melsthayi "R" (d n S R
- S S R S - S R S n)
Some janta ( S S) and zig zag usages (S R
S n - d p m p)
s r
g m | p d
| n S ||
S ,
, , | S ,
| , , ||
d n
S R | G M
| P M ||
G R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | G M
| G R ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | G R
| S R ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | S S
| R S ||
S R - S n | d
p | m p ||
d n
S R | S n
| d p ||
S n
d p | m g
| r s ||
==============================================================