Nagumomu!

I grew up listening to carnatic classical songs.. My mom, her 2 sisters, my uncle all have learnt carnatic singing. Every morning my uncle would play devotional songs in our tape recorder. We have a good collection of classical songs of M S subbalakshmi, Balamuralikrishna, Yesudas, Bombay sisters and many others.

I had learnt so many songs by heart just by listening to them everyday. Even now when ever I listen to any classical song in radio or TV and I stop and listen to it. I just love it. I wish I had continued my music classes.


My mom sings on auspicious days in our house. Although we are not Brahmins we celebrate almost all Hindu festivals with pujas, homas, bhajan (which is the best part) and of course “yummy feast”. You should come to my house during Ganesh chaturthi or Dusserah and you can see how we celebrate it. (we love to have guests drop by.. so u r always welcome)

During festivals, the house is crowded with all family members, relatives and few neighbours (sometimes). We all sit together and do bhajans and sing songs.

There are songs which all of sing together and there are some which only my mom can sing. She has a very powerful base voice like that of Shubha Mudgal so even if I am singing along nobody can hear me. My mom would intentionally stop in between so that my voice is heard and that’s when I get so embarrassed in front of all.

One of our distant relative was home during one of these occasions. She is a very strong woman. She and her husband were in military so u can imagine what I mean when I say she is a strong lady. She had lost her husband sometime back due to massive heart attack. She is lady of principles, highly mannered and a bit sophisticated. She asked if my mom knows the krithi “nagumomu” as she and her husband love that song a lot. She requested my mom to sing that song once for her. Mom sung it as graciously as ever and all of us were in a totally different world listening to the melodious song. It is a very beautiful carnatic krithi composed by Saint Thyagaraja in Telugu. Every singer has their own style, and I thoroughly enjoy individual interpretations of the same song. My mom has a different style of singing this song.

After she finished singing it, aunty had a big smile on her face and at the same times tears were flowing down her eyes. She was so emotional and couldn’t speak for a long time after that. She just wanted to remain silent. We have never seen her like that before and all of us were in a state of shock.

If you want to listen to this song and if you are not really into carnatic music then I would suggest you listen to the version sung by Sheela raman. They way she has interpreted Nagumomu in jazz is totally amazing. But you can only enjoy it if u can follow the meaning.

I am trying to look for the meaning in google as I am really bad at translating. I will surely add the lyrics and the meaning soon.

As promised.. Here is the lyrics and the meaning of the song:

nagumOmu ganalEni nAjAli telisi nanu brOvaga rAdA shrI raghuvara nI

nagarAjadhara nIdu paraivAra lella ogibOdhana jEsE vAralu gArE yiTu luNDudure

khagarAju nI yAnati vini vEga canalEdO gaganAni kilaku bahu dUrambaninAdO
jagamEle paramAtma evaritO moraliDudu vaga jUpaku tALanu nannElukOra tyAgarAjanuta nI

In translation:

O Rama! Supreme among Raghus! Missing your charming smile-lit face I languish here. Knowing my mental plight, cant you come and protect me?

O One who holds Govardhana hill! Members of your retinue who have the duty of reminding you of your daily engagements cannot fail in their duty.

Does not Garuda execute your commands expeditiously? Could he have excused himself saying that he was staying far from the earth in Vaikunta, your heavenly abode ? Exalted Lord! Ruler of the Universe! Whom else can I appeal to? Please shun disregard. I cant bear it. Take me into your fold.