charkravakam raga

This is the 16th Mela raga which is said to be a "sarva kalika "mela with scope for sancharas in all the 3 sthayis. The equivalent raga in the Hindusthani music is called rag 'Ahirbhairav'. A very popular raga used for singing songs, evoking karuna rasa as well as pathos. Some of the popular kritis in this raga are;
Sugunamule jeppukOnti & Etula brotuvo teliya of Sri. ThyagarajaGajananayutam ganeswaram of Sri. DikshitarPara devataye of Sri. Papanasam SivanOru pozhudu mirucharana nEsa & Apakara Nindaipattu...Thirupukazh Pibhare Ramarasam rasane - Sri. Sadasiva Brahmendral (this song is sung in the rag Ahirbhairav a Hindusthani raga)
It is heard that, Sri. Maha Vaidhyanatha Iyer was an expert to sing this raga . He got the title "maha" after singing this raga, when he was just 12 years old boy.
Rag Vegavahini is the name given for this raga by Sri. Dikshitar and in the arohana alone it has the vakra swara (srgmpdnds). It is also believed that rag Vegavahini existed earlier than rag Chakravakom. The song "Kailasanadam" is composed in the raga Vegavahini by Sri. Dikshitar.
Ragam Chakravakom is also a murchana mela. When the notes MA and Ni are taken as Shadjam for sruti bedam, you get the ragas Sarasangi and Dharmavathi, respectively. This raga evokes lot of emotions out of Bhakti and may be the reason lot of Bhajan songs are sung in this raga. The popular Abhang "Teertha Vittala Kshetra Vittala" is an example.
This raga has been often used widely in the Film music, especially in olden days by our well known music directors. The song "Ezhu malai Andavane" in the film 'Kalyanam panni par' and the song "Ullattil nalla ullam urangadenpadu" in the film 'Karnan' and the song "Daivattin pereduttu" in the film 'Pattum Bharatamum' are examples for popularity of this rag in films. I give below a link where you can listen to a detailed demonstration of this raga by Madurai Sri. G.S.Mani Iyer.
1. Download Link: Click here to download filehttp://rapidshare.com/files/171397224/C … m.mp3.html