Raga Malayamarutham

Raga Malayamarutham evokes the morning moods (pensive/meditative) similar to other ragas such as Bhoopalam, and Bowli. Malamarutham is a janya of malakarta raga Chakravaham (or Vegavahini per the Dikshitar school). The pensive nature (can come as across as plaintive for some listeners) seems to be a characteristic of ragas in this cluster (Mayamalavagowla, and Chakravaham being adjacent melakarta ragas).

Here is an older tamil song "Thendral ennai muthamittadhu" set to Malayamarutham by music maestro Illayaraja sung by relative unknowns:

I stumbled upon another Malayamarutham sung by S.Janaki and SPB called "Neela Kuyile Unnodu" also set to Malaymarutham by Illayaraja.

Turns out Malayamarutham is still in vogue: a recent R.Madhavan's movie Dum Dum Dum featured the song "Ragasiyama Ragasiyama" sung by Hariharan and Sadhana Sargam.

Of course, the classical prototype Malayamarutham is by none less than Saint Tyagaraja -- kriti "Manasa Etulo" by Carnatic Saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath.