Gauḷāntya Rāga-s with special reference to the Rāgāńga rāga - Nārirītigauḷa in the Nīlōtpalāmba Vībhakti Series of Śrῑ Muddusvāmi Dῑkṣitar

Several types of rāga classifications have been illustrated and vocalised in various texts. One such classification is that of the mitra rāga-s. Gauḷāntya rāga-s come under the classification of mitra rāga-s. All these rāga-s have “gauḷa” as the suffix in their names. It is interesting to note that Śrῑ Muddusvāmi Dῑkṣitar has composed a set of kṛti-s exclusively in gauḷāntya rāga-s. The paper aims to make an in depth analysis of the Rāgāńga rāga namely Nārirītigauḷa with reference to the two ķrti-s composed in the set of Nīlōtpalāmba Vibhakti series. There is a great hidden secret in Dīkṣitar’s choice of rāga-s is the final observation made which is all the rāga-s chosen for the Nīlōtpalāmbā Vibhakti series are niṣada graha which also have ‘gauḷa’ in their names. The Kathā-pātra is Nīlōtpalāmbā, whose name starts with the syllable ‘Ni’. Hence, importance was given to rāga-s which are Niṣāda graha, where the starting svara of the dhātu of the ķrti and sāhitya akṣara is ‘ni’. This is just one of the several examples that constitute the genius called Muddusvāmi Dīkṣītar.