Raag Dhanyasi can portray emotions like karuṇa (compassion) very effectively, just as it can convey the feeling of devotion or bhakti bhava. In this concert, the Malladi brothers bring an extraordinary choice of ragas. They perform a Saint Thyagaraja kriti - ‘Sangeetha Gyanamu,’ a gem of a composition in which Thyagaraja conveys that mere knowledge of music is not enough; It is one’s devotion to music that makes it the most direct form of worship to the God Almighty.

The brothers give it a spectacular spin which is hugely appreciated by the audiences. The alapana is wonderfully coordinated and the song is elaborated by sharp and crisp swarakalpanas – rapid notes that gracefully paint the devotional emotion of this raga. The musicians supporting the duo comprise of some of the most acclaimed performers from the Carnatic repertoire.

Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi on the violin, Trichy Sankaran on the mridangam and Giridhar Udupa on the ghatam bring their individual flavours making this a delightful riot of emotions. Trichy Sankaran, the veteren mridangam player, plays a resounding flourish at the onset of this song, setting it on a grand path.

Dhanyasi is an upanga janya of the 8th meḷakarta Hanumatoḍi. It is an auḍava-sampurṇa raga, that is, it uses five notes in its ascent and all seven notes in its descent. The swaras present in this raga are ṣaḍja, sadharaṇa gandhara, suddha madhyama, pachama, kaisiki niṣada. Suddha dhaivata and suddha riṣabha occur in descent. Dhanyasi is a rakti raga or a raga which pleases instantaneously. Gandhara, madhyama and niṣada are ragachaya swaras and nyasa swaras. G-N, M-N are vadi-samvadi svaras (consonant notes). 

Musicians
Malladi Sreeramprasad (vocal)   
Malladi Ravikumar (vocal)   
Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi (violin)   
Trichy Sankaran (mridangam)   
Giridhar Udupa (ghatam)   
Priya Sharma & Srutti Suresan (tanpuras)  

Raag Dhanyasi, Composition by Saint Thyagaraja (1767-1847) in Adi talam