The magic of Pancharatnas

Shri Tyagaraja is one of the trinities of Indian Classical Music and rightly so. His compositions are so rich in devotion and melody, that it enthralls the listener and creates a field of devotion and music around him. One certainly has to listen to the “pancharatnas” to know the power that music can bestow and truly feel the magic of it.The Pancharatnas the 5 most famous compositions of Shri Thyagaraja, and veritably among the most complicated ones. They are brimful, and ooze out the devotion from all sides that fills the heart of anyone with a true ear to music and creates such bliss in the being, that it is lifted up to the heavens. One has to listen to “dorakuna ituvanti seva” to feel the longing that the devotee is having for his Lord.Coming back to the Pancharatna kritis:The first one being: Jagadananda kaaraka, in Adi Taala and nattai raagaThe second one is : Dudukugala nanne dora, also in Adi Taala; Gowlai raagaThe third being: Sadhinchane O Manasa, Adi Taala; Aarabhi raagaThe fourth one is : Kana kana ruchira, Adi Taala; Varaali raagaThe fifth one is : Endaro mahaanubhavulu, Adi Taala; Sri raagaThese 5 compositions mark the pinnacle of one’s classical music knowledge. Some of the wonderful rendering of these songs are done by Shri Maharajapuram Santhanam and Shri Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer, Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi, Dr. M. Balamurali krishna and among the more recent singers, Unnikrishnan and Harini