Not all ragas give you pleasure when you pronounce their name. Sahana is one such raga and is also a pleasure to listen. I can confidently say that a person who has no knowledge of carnatic music will fall in love with Sahana when he hears it for the first time. If asked for a list of 10 ragas that i like, Sahana would top the list.
"Vandhanamu Raghunandana" is one of the famous Krithis written by Thyagaraja in Sahana. "Chitham Irangadha" by Papanasam Sivam is another Sahana based carnatic song. Apart from this you have Rama Ika Nannu, Ee Vasudha and others in Sahana but the first two are my favourites. Especially listening to Chitham irangadha by Sanjay Subramanyam takes me to a different world. I have given the link to this song below.
Talking about film songs in Sahana, nothing can beat the old song, Paarthaen Sirithaen from the movie "Veera Abhimanyu". Apart from this, "Sahana" from the movie Sivaji, Azhage Sugama from Paarthale Paravasam, Thenkizhakku Chemmaiyile from Kizhakku Chemmaiyile are all set in Sahana ragam. I am not sure but guess Rukku Rukku from Avvai Shanmugi and Enn Mel Vizhuntha Mazhaithuliye from May Madham are also based on Sahana.
A discussion about film songs in Sahana cannot end without mentioning director K.Balachander since Sahana is KB's favourite raaga. Yes, most of his films will have a song based on Sahana. In fact, he directed a tele serial named Sahana(which was a sequel to Sindhu Bhairavi) whose title song was set in Sahana ragam. Similarly, his first tele serial Rail Sneham's title song "Indha Veenaiku Theriyadhu" is set to Sahana. As mentioned above, A.R.Rahman used Sahana for "Azhage Sugama" in the movie "Paarthale Paravasam" which was directed by Balachander.
Chittam Irangadha by Sanjay Subrahmanyan – You can listen to it here:
Chitham Irangadha
