Muthuswami Dikshitar is one of the musical trinity of Karnatak Music. He was a saint, poet, composer and musician of Bhakti tradition. As a vaaggeyakara, he has penned vast number of kritis, which are widely sung in music concerts. His kritis on various Hindu Gods describe them in detail with the richness of Sanskrit language and the essence of musical mastery and brilliance of a divine poet.

His compositions are known for capturing the aesthetics of the respective ragas. Most of the kritis are composed in a slower speed giving thrust to the imaginations in the lyrics and are considered as challenge to musicians to render. Dikshitar left for divine abode on Deepavali Amavasya in the year 1835.

Sri Tyagaraja Sangeetha Sabha Charitable Trust, Mysuru, celebrated Dikshitar Day for the second year. They had organised the programme on 7th of this month at Sri Vidyabharathi Prarthana Mandira, Sri Chandramoulishwara Temple premises, Vani Vilas Mohalla.

Senior musicians of the city offered their respect to the great personality by rendering his kritis on this occasion, which was followed by the Goshti Gayana.

The significance of this year’s celebration was singing a few ‘Navavarana’ kritis of Dikshitar, through ‘Goshti Gayana.’ These are the kritis in praise of Goddess Kamalamba, enshrined in Tiruvaruru of Tanjavur district. She is referred to as the supreme consciousness or the Divine Mother of the universe. These elaborate kritis are treated as valuable treasures of Karnatak music for their masterly composition, splendid capturing of the moods of the different ragas used therein. The lyrics refer to the nine layers of Sri Chakra Puja, a tantric mode of Devi worship.

Senior musicians of the city, Vidwans T.P. Vaidyanathan, Dr. N.R. Parashuram, N.R. Prashanth, N. Shrinath & Manasa Nayana and Vidushis Dr. Sukanya Prabhakar, Dr. R.N. Shrilatha, G.S. Rajalakshmi, Koviladi Kala, Neeraja Achyutha Rao and others participated in the Goshti Gayana.

The Goshti Gayana began with the kriti “Sri Mahaganapatim” (Gowla, Trisra Triputa). Further, the musicians rendered ‘Balasubrahmanyam bhajeham’ (Suruti, Adi), ‘Budhamashrayami’ (Vara Kruti-Natakuranji, Mishra Jhampe), ‘Kamalambam bhajare’ (Kalyani, Adi), Kamalamba Samrakshathu (Ananda Bhairavi, Misra Chapu)  and ‘Shree Kamalambike’ (Sri, Khanda Eka).

Vid H.K. Narasimhamurthy, Vid. H.N. Bhaskar, Vidu. Dr. M.A. Jyothi, Vid. Chethan, Vid. M.S. Tyagarajan and Prthvi Bhaskar accompanied on violin, while mridanga support was provided by Vid. G.S. Ramanujam, Vid. Saishivu Lakshmi Keshav, Vid. Mysore L. Vadiraj and Vid. A. Radhesh. Many music lovers participated in the programme, which was a befitting tribute to the great composer.

—A. Keshava Saralaya