Venugaana Kedaragowla Rupaka Tyagaraja

Venugaana Kedaragowla is a Carnatic music composition in rupaka tala (a rhythmic cycle of three beats) set to the raga Kedaragowla. The piece originates from the repertoire of saint-composer Tyagaraja (1767–1847) and belongs to the broader tradition of kritis (devotional songs) dedicated to Lord Rama.

Flautist Dr. N. Ramani (1934–2015) performed this composition as the second track on his album Master of the Flute. The recording features Ramani on the bamboo flute, accompanied by traditional Carnatic instrumentation, though specific accompanying artists for this track remain undocumented in available sources. The album released on May 2001 under an unspecified label in CD format.

The track spans 4 minutes and 45 seconds. Ramani’s interpretation adheres to the classical structure of neraval (improvisational elaboration) and kalpana swaram (spontaneous melodic variations), characteristic of Tyagaraja’s compositions. The rendition emphasizes the raga’s gamaka-rich (ornamented) phrases, particularly in the lower and middle octaves, while maintaining the rupaka tala’s symmetrical cadence.

The album Master of the Flute compiles Ramani’s live and studio recordings, showcasing his contributions to 20th-century Carnatic flute performance. No further details exist regarding the recording location, production team, or additional tracks’ thematic connections. The release date aligns with Ramani’s later career phase, during which he mentored subsequent generations of flautists and received national recognition, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1985).