Hamsanandi is one of the most beautiful ragas in Carnatic music. When I first heard the song Paahi jagat janani, I resolved to learn as many pieces as I could in this raga. Paahi jagat janani, a composition of the Travancore king Swati Tirunal describes several virtues of the mother Goddess. Paavana guru pavana pura, a composition of Lalitha dasar which describes Lord Krishna was made popular by singer Jesudas in all his concerts. Other compositions in raga Hamsanandi include Srinivasa tiruvenkata mudaya, a Tamil piece by Papanasam Sivan and Needu mahima pogadana, composed by Muthiah Bhagavathar after he heard the raga (Hindustani version) for the first time during a visit to Benares.
Enjoy Papanasam Sivan’s Srinivasa venkata mudaya sung by Ranjana and Gayatri.
Hamsanandi corresponds to the Hindustani raag Sohini which is usually sung in the evening. Listen to an alaap of Raag Sohini by Ustad Rashid Khan.
When I saw the Tamil movie Salangai Oli years back, the song “Vedam Anuvilum oru naadham” (composed by Ilayaraja in raga Hamsanandi) sung by SP Balasubramanyam made a tremendous impact.
The epic Hindi movie Mughal-e-Azam with music score by Naushad had a great song in raag Sohini sung by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. The music is the background for a tender love scene.
For those who want details, Hamsanandi is a derivative of the Melakartha raga Gamanashrama (53). It has six symmetrical notes in the ascent and descent and this is the scale – SR1G3M2D2N3 SN3D2M2G3R1S
Chitra Srikrishna 
You havent comented on the similarity between Hindolam and Hamsanandhi It is very hard for some one like me who has not learned carnatic music it is difficult to identify the difference. Vedam Anuvilun iru nadam will show the emotion of sadness very well. I was wondering why Raja didn’t use Subapantuvarali here
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