99th Annual Conference of The Music Academy – Day 16

In Tamil, there is a saying that the rains might have stopped but it is still drizzling. This post on the Day 16 of the lecture demonstrations is akin to that.

The final day of the season was the only day the theme of the discussions was not about Dikshitar. The first lecture of the day was by the recipient of this year’s Musicologist Award, Prof. Dr. C.A. Sreedhara. He spoke on “The evolution of the flute in Carnatic music” to commemorate the centenary of Vidwan T.R. Mahalingam. The famous flautist, affectionately called Mali was born in November 1926 and this celebration promises 2026 to be the year of the eccentric and extremely talented flautist. 

Dr. Sreedhara started by tracing the references to flute in ancient Indian texts. He explained that these references are available right from the Vedas and in other texts such as Upanishads, Bhagavatha, Mahabharata and Ramayana. He explained in the details the mention of  types of flute, playing techniques and more from Bharata’s Natyashashtra. He then took up Silappathikaram, a fifth / sixth century Tamil classic as his next source. Dr. Sreedhara explained that the book mentions materials used for making flute, structure of the flute including dimensions, playing techniques, and qualities of flautists. He was so inspired by the details that he has even made a prototype based on these details. Saranga Deva’s Sangeetha Rathnakara from the 13th century was the next treatise he referred to. In this too many details such as the types, materials, structure, playing techniques are all mentioned. 

He then went on to talk about contributions by flautists starting with Kumbakonam Sharabha Shastri, who was instrumental (pun intended) in making flute as a concert instrument from its earlier position as an accompaniment to dance, being part of an ensemble and so on. Sangita Kalanidhi Palladam Sanjeeva Rao, Shastri’s disciple was next and a recording of his playing was shared. Tiruppambaram Swaminatha Pillai was termed as innovative and a recording of his was played. And that brought up Mali. Dr. Sreedhara heaped praise on his music and played extracts from his performances. 

Dr. Sreedhara’s delivery style was very engaging. But given that this was to commemorate the centenary of Vidwan Mali, I was hoping to hear more of his playing in the demonstration part but that was not to be.

And just like that, we came to the final lecture demonstration of the season. This year’s Sangita Kala Acharya, Thanjavur R. Govindarajan, was in conversation with the well known Lalitha Ram on the Var Tavil. Very aptly, the lecture began with the traditional invocation phrases played on the tavil, followed by a Dikshitar composition, in keeping with the theme of the year. Sri Govindarajan began with an explanation of the history of the Var Tavil.

Although there is no clear historical evidence regarding its origins, he estimated this form to be over two hundred and fifty years old and suggested that it may have evolved from another percussion instrument, the Nagara. He listed several doyens of earlier generations who played the Var Tavil and specifically highlighted their felicity in accompanying Nagaswaram artists rather than showcasing individual brilliance. The instrument lent itself so naturally to accompaniment that it sounded like a third Nagaswaram, he remarked. He also observed that it was possible to identify artists by the distinctive sound of their tavil and their playing style, something that is difficult to find today.

Lalitha Ram then steered the conversation toward the physical aspects of the Var Tavil. Srinivasan, who currently possesses the knowledge required to construct these instruments, was present on stage and was introduced. The art of making the Var Tavil had been lost for a generation, and Srinivasan played a key role in recreating this tradition. The Var Tavil is constructed using bamboo frames, goat skin, and buffalo leather strips that bind the structure together. These strips are called var, which gives the instrument its name. Over time, however, the instrument evolved for reasons of convenience. The var and the frame began to be made of metal, bamboo was replaced by wood, and eventually even the wooden body was substituted with fiber. Similar changes have occurred in the mridangam as well.

Lalitha Ram shared that he had met the person who initiated the first of these changes. Apparently, that individual later remarked that had he known where these changes would eventually lead, he would never have made that initial modification. Lalitha Ram then played an archival recording, and Sri Govindarajan pointed out the distinctive sounds of the Var Tavil that simply cannot be replicated on present day tavils. In fact, a doctoral thesis has been written on the lost sounds of the Var Tavil, underscoring the magnificence of this instrument. Sri Govindarajan acknowledged the efforts of Swamimalai Saravanan and Lalitha Ram in bringing the Var Tavil back into the performance arena. He dedicated his sixty years of playing the tavil, and all the accolades he has received, to his grounding in the Var Tavil tradition.

In the true spirit of a lecture demonstration, Sri Govindarajan then played on both a contemporary tavil and a Var Tavil, allowing the audience to clearly hear the contrast between the two. Even to my untrained ears, the sound of the Var Tavil was far more mellifluous and soothing. He also demonstrated certain possibilities that are unique to the Var Tavil and not achievable on the modern instrument.

Lalitha Ram has written a far more detailed and authoritative note on the Var Tavil, the link to which I have shared. I strongly encourage readers to read that piece and to listen to this lecture. No amount of writing can truly capture the nuances of the sounds that were demonstrated.

Link to Ram's write up - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D53GCVJvt/

The Music Academy Academic Sessions – 16 December 2025 to 1 January 2026

A few years ago, if someone had told me that I would listen to thirty lectures on Karnatik music in a fortnight, I would have labelled them crazy. Yet this year, I managed to do exactly that, and also write about them. The theme of this season, Dikshitar 250, definitely helped me persist.

I have listened to lecture demonstrations delivered outside the music season, and they are typically geared towards a general audience. The lecture series at The Music Academy, however, caters largely to musicologists, performing artists, and serious students of the art. Since I have not formally learnt music, the former category of lectures served as eye openers, revealing what lies beneath the surface of the compositions we casually listen to, and helping me appreciate them more deeply. Beyond the music itself, these lectures helped me notice the prosody, the wordplay, and the melodic nuances that composers have woven into their works. The latter category, however, has always been far beyond my immediate comprehension because of the depth and density of the material presented.

Over the past few years, I have selectively chosen topics that I felt I could relate to and possibly understand better and listened to those lectures. Last year, the topics and presenters formed a more eclectic mix. I had some familiarity with a few of them, while others captivated me completely. I took the opportunity to write about some of those lectures and realised that the act of writing itself significantly improved my understanding.

Despite not knowing Sanskrit, Dikshitar’s compositions have always fascinated me. I love their sheer sound, their rhythmic structure, the use of Prasa, and the way an astonishing amount of information is woven seamlessly into the music, often revealed only after someone explains it. To me, he is the greatest composer ever. Much to my disappointment, I could not be in India when his 250th birth anniversary was celebrated, and I wanted to do something meaningful to participate in those celebrations.

Thanks to The Music Academy’s practice of uploading lecture demonstrations on YouTube the very next day, and encouraged by my experience of writing about them last year, I decided that the best I could do was to listen to every lecture and summarize them based on my own understanding. I hoped that at least a few people at my level might find these summaries useful.

At the outset, I did not fully grasp the commitment this exercise would demand. There were two lectures on most days, and each lecture, including the question and answer session, lasted about ninety minutes. Simply listening to them once took nearly three hours. I often had to listen to sections multiple times to understand them better, take notes, and frame questions to discuss with others later. I frequently paused the lectures to look up unfamiliar terminology, read about the compositions being discussed, and explore related concepts. I find it easier to understand new ideas by comparing them with something I already know, so I often used Tamil grammar and astronomy as anchor points to grasp musical concepts. Finally, I had to write and edit every day so that I could publish one day’s summary before beginning the next.

Fortunately, this series coincided with the holiday season, and I was off work, which freed up my schedule considerably. We were on vacation, and several of these articles were written in airports, on Caribbean beaches, during car rides, and in hotel rooms. I must thank my family for their patience and for letting me carry my laptop along on a holiday. Over time, my enthusiasm rubbed off on them, and they too began listening to a few of the lectures. I should especially mention that my daughter has become a fan of Dikshitar’s genius and of K. Arun Prakash. She also helped me by drawing on her knowledge of Western music while I was trying to understand the lecture on Nottuswarams.

I must admit that as I continued writing and began receiving feedback, my confidence grew. My first post was about five hundred words long, while the piece on R. K. Shriram Kumar’s Kamalamba Navavarnams ran to nearly fifteen hundred words, which is one way I measure that progress. There were questions about why my write ups were uniformly positive and lacked critical commentary. I would like to clarify that I was only attempting to summarize my understanding of each lecture, not review or critique them. I simply do not have the expertise required to do that.

There are several people I would like to thank for their help and encouragement. K. Arun Prakash, despite his busy schedule, took the time to read some of the articles, offer feedback, suggest corrections, and share additional insights that were invaluable in deepening my understanding. Lalitha Ram consistently shared his feedback as well. I even troubled my dear friend Sangita Kalanidhi T. M. Krishna with questions on his lecture and he gave me a patient hearing. Sekar Ganesan, Neela Visweswaran, Hariharan Sankaran, Geetha Prakash, and Mani Prakash read almost all the articles and supported me with their comments.

I would also like to thank V. Sriram, Secretary of The Music Academy, for reading and sharing these articles, and for his words of encouragement. In particular, he mentioned one of my articles during a question and answer session, and referred to me by name. I was thrilled and deeply honoured. Thank you, Sriram. I apologise to friends and various WhatsApp groups for repeatedly sharing article links. I hope it was not too intrusive. My thanks also go to The Music Academy for editing and uploading the lectures so promptly. The decision to display slides in a zoomed in format made them much easier to read.

Congratulations to Dr. Sumithra Vasudev and Dr. Dhinesh Kumar for winning the Best Lecture Demonstration and Outstanding Lecture Demonstration awards respectively. Finally, heartfelt congratulations to R. K. Shriram Kumar on being conferred the Sangita Kalanidhi. It is a privilege to be counted among your friends. Your knowledge, humility, and calmness continue to be a source of inspiration for me.

Some Observations

• Almost every presenter ran out of time. It may be worth considering having one lecture a day instead of two, so that topics can be discussed in greater depth without constant time pressure.

• Given that the allotted time is forty five minutes, it would help if presenters restricted the scope of their talks accordingly, planned content for about forty minutes, and practiced their delivery with that constraint in mind.

• Rather than detailed salutations mentioning several individuals by name, a simple good morning could save a few minutes. The same applies at the end of a lecture, where a brief thank you would suffice.

• Some presentations were largely lectures, while others were primarily demonstrations. It would be good to have a healthy balance of both, so that concepts discussed in the lectures can be clearly understood through demonstrations, and demonstrations can be complemented by adequate contextual and scholarly explanation.

• Several lectures encountered technical issues. A standardized and fixed setup would help, along with a request for presenters to bring their material on a thumb drive or access it from a shared Google folder.

• Those asking questions could consider getting directly to their questions rather than prefacing them with extended praise. Every lecture was described as outstanding or excellent, and while the appreciation is understandable, repeating it at length during the question session is not necessary.

• Finally, Sriram was not as strict with presenters and audience members on time as he has been in the past. I missed the disciplinarian role that he usually plays, which has always helped keep the sessions focused and on schedule.

99th Annual Conference of The Music Academy – Day 15

The first lecture of the day was by Dr. T. R. Aravindhan on the topic “Compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar in Unpublished Manuscripts”. From the earlier presentations, we already know that the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini is the primary source for Dikshitar compositions, and that many more songs have come down to us through other documentation and oral traditions. We have also heard that several compositions, including some very popular ones attributed to Dikshitar, have been shown not to be his, while others continue to have question marks around them. With this context, I was keen to understand the process by which a scholar identifies a source, validates its authenticity, and studies its contents.

Dr. Aravindhan began by defining manuscripts as unpublished notes maintained by musicians primarily for their own use. The first manuscripts he discussed were those of the Tanjore Quartet. Of the many manuscripts that exist, he was able to examine a subset. Even within these, there was a wide variety of material, including compositions of Dikshitar, compositions of the Quartet themselves, and several other musical forms. Among these, there were ninety compositions attributed to Dikshitar. Eighty five of them appear in the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini, though with differences in notation and musical treatment. The remaining five formed the scope of his lecture.

He then moved on to the manuscripts of Bharatam Natesa Iyer, Mudikondan Smt. Vijaya, Smt. Champakavalli, and one manuscript believed to belong to Ambi Dikshitar. He explained both the continuities and the divergences in these traditions. The lecture was quite academic and, at times, difficult for me to follow in detail. What I did take away was that these unpublished sources reinforce the idea that Dikshitar continually expanded the boundaries of his creativity.

One particularly interesting point that Dr. Aravindhan raised was about the existence of multiple ragas sharing the same name, each with its own distinct lakshana. He also spoke about the interchangeable use of the names Rudrapriya and Poornashadjam to refer to what appears to be the same raga in certain contexts.This served as an apt lead into the second lecture of the day. 

My professional life involves making many presentations, and I am familiar with the craft of public speaking. I consider T. M. Krishna to be one of the finest presenters and communicators I have heard. Having attended several of his lecture demonstrations in the past, I was looking forward to his presentation. The second lecture of Day 15, by TMK, was titled “Muthuswami Dikshitar’s Rudrapriya – One name, multiple identities”.

This lecture was far beyond my level of comprehension. What I understood, in very broad terms, was that within the Dikshitar tradition there are about half a dozen compositions attributed to the raga Rudrapriya, and that the melodic phrases used in each of these compositions differ significantly from one another. One of these songs, tuned by Subbarama Dikshitar, bears a resemblance to Tyagaraja’s “Sri Manini” in the raga Poornashadjam, raising the possibility that the Tyagaraja composition may have influenced the Rudrapriya kriti. The lecture involved a detailed analysis of similarities and distinctions among several ragas, including Rudrapriya, Poornashadjam, and Kapi.

There was also a discussion on whether compositions with a similar musical flavour might have been grouped together historically and assigned a common raga name. If so, what criteria would define such a grouping? Should Rudrapriya be understood as an umbrella under which several related melodic forms exist, each with its own distinct identity? If that were the case, should ragas that are currently treated as distinct, such as Manjari and Devamritavarshini, be brought under a single collective label? These were some of the thought provoking questions raised during the lecture.

I am attempting to express a highly complex academic discussion in my own lay terms. V. Sriram’s comment helped me visualise what was being discussed. Drawing from his background as a historian, he referred to the term Indo Saracenic, which is used to describe a broad category of architectural styles, even though it includes distinct sub styles such as Hindu and Islamic forms.

In my own mind, I related this to changes in planetary classification. As new discoveries were made, astronomers found the need to introduce a new category called dwarf planets. While newer discoveries such as Haumea and Makemake were added without much controversy, the reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet caused considerable debate. I imagine that the discussions surrounding that decision would have resembled this lecture and the conversations that followed it.

The lecture piqued the interest of the experts in the audience as it was followed by a lively question and answer session with many commenting that the lecture was thought provoking. I can only wish I could understand it better. 

TMK, along with his students Shalini, Vignesh, and Raghavendra, sang several compositions beautifully. Even though much of the theoretical discussion went over my head, I thoroughly enjoyed the musical demonstrations.

With this, the lecture demonstrations themed on Dikshitar and his compositions have concluded. 

99th Annual Conference of The Music Academy – Day 14

The first lecture of Day 14 was presented by Sangita Kalanidhi S. Sowmya on “Bhashanga Ragas as handled by Muthuswami Dikshitar”.

What are Bhashanga ragas? My understanding is that in the current raga classification system, we have Melakarta ragas or parent scales, and Janya ragas or derivatives. In general, Janya ragas use a subset of the notes of the parent scale and are referred to as Upanga ragas. However, when a note that does not belong to the parent scale appears in the Janya raga, it is classified as a Bhashanga raga.

One has to be cautious with the use of the word derivative. It merely indicates the position of a raga within the classification framework. There are many Janya ragas that predate the Melakarta system and are older than the parent ragas under which they are grouped. Therefore, the term does not imply that the Janya ragas evolved from the Melakarta ragas. This precedence could be one reason for the presence of what appears to be a foreign note. Another possibility is the incorporation of ragas from other musical systems, such as Hindustani music. This is my understanding, and it may not be complete.

The science student in Sowmya came to the forefront during her explanation of the terms Grama and Bhasha and their historical evolution. Her lecture felt like time travel as she took us from the fifth century to the present day. Her explanation made it clear that my initial description was a very basic interpretation of the term Bhashanga, and that the concept is far more nuanced. She classified Bhashanga ragas into three groups based on how such changes might have occurred. Throughout this discussion, the Sanskrit scholar in her was clearly on display.

When she moved to musical illustrations, the veena artist in Sowmya came to the fore. She played several examples to highlight the subtle nuances of these ragas. This was followed by a lively question and answer session. One question asked her to define a Bhashanga raga in lay terms. Her response neatly summarised the lecture and went far beyond what I had stated at the beginning.

In his summing up, Shriram praised Sowmya’s multidimensional abilities and added his own perspective to the topic. The moment when the two of them firmly held their ground on the interpretation of a particular phrase in the Brindavanasaranga composition “Soundararajam” was striking. It reflected their depth of knowledge, clarity of understanding, camaraderie, conviction, loyalty to their respective traditions, and mutual respect.

The second lecture of the day was by this year’s Nritya Kalanidhi, Vidushi Urmila Satyanarayanan. She spoke on “Setting Muthuswami Dikshitar Kritis to Dance”, with a focus on the versatility of Dikshitar. It is often said that Dikshitar’s compositions focus more on philosophy, kshetra history, and iconography, and less on overt emotion. I was therefore curious to understand what makes these compositions appealing for dance choreography.

This question was addressed at the outset. Urmila explained that Dikshitar’s compositions lend themselves well to dance. The madhyama kala sections add sparkle, and the stories embedded in the lyrics provide rich material for choreography. She began with a performance to “Sri Maha Ganapatim” in Gaulai, followed by “Anandamruthakarshini” in Amritavarshini.

The English note based nottuswaram “Rama Janardhana” was taken up next. Beginning with the swaras and then transitioning to the lyrics worked especially well for the younger dancers, and the shift to the senior dancers was seamless. Dikshitar had composed “Nee Sati Deivamu” in Sriranjani for the arangetram of his student Kamalam, and this was the next piece performed.

My personal favourite of the demonstration was “Ardhanareeshwaram” in Kumudakriya. The portrayal of the male and female energies was striking, both in the dance and in the orchestral accompaniment. The jatis were rendered with strength for the male aspect and in a gentler tone for the female aspect, adding a distinct dimension to the presentation. Shriram also highlighted this point in his summation.

The final piece was “Suryamurthe” in Sourashtram. Urmila mentioned the challenge of choreographing a composition set to Dhruva tala. It was a joy to see Dikshitar’s lyrics come alive through movement. I enjoyed the performance of the orchestra as much as that of the dancers themselves. The young performers were particularly delightful.

All in all, it was a very satisfying morning.

99th Annual Conference of The Music Academy – Day 13

We have had twelve days of lectures on various aspects of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s life and art. All of them felt like appetizers leading up to the main course that was served today. The lecture on Day 13 was by Sangita Kalanidhi designate Vidwan R.K. Shriram Kumar on “The Kamalamba Navavarana Kritis of Muthuswami Dikshitar”.

If this has not been evident so far, I am deeply drawn to lecture demonstrations in Karnatik music. It does not matter that much of what is discussed is beyond my grasp. Each lecture leaves me with a slightly better understanding than before, and I therefore make it a point to listen to as many as I can. In my experience, there is no one today more knowledgeable in this field than Shriram. He has a remarkable ability to present even the most complex ideas in a simple manner. He weaves a narrative that brings together emotion, philosophy, lyrical beauty, and musical structure in a deeply evocative way. His lectures are never about showcasing his prowess. They come straight from the heart and are free of unnecessary embellishments. I leave every one of his lectures in awe, both of what he speaks and of Shriram himself.

Shriram was, quite understandably, emotional today. At the very beginning, he thanked everyone who had helped him along his musical journey and dedicated the Sangita Kalanidhi award to his musical and spiritual gurus. He recalled that he had once stood on this very stage accompanying his guru, Sangita Kalanidhi D.K. Jayaraman. He also mentioned that Sri J. Vaidyanathan, who played the mridangam today, had shared the stage with him on that occasion as well. The simplicity and humility that Shriram displayed during this speech were striking.

I have heard Shriram speak about the Kamalamba Navavarana kritis many times before. Each time, there is something new to learn and a deeper understanding of what was said earlier. That said, these compositions are highly esoteric and steeped in mysticism. The philosophies and the tantric and mantric elements embedded in them are complex. It would be unfair for me to attempt a detailed exposition. What follows is only an outline of what Shriram spoke about, meant to offer a glimpse to those who may not have had the opportunity to hear this lecture. I may have missed important points or misunderstood certain aspects, and I strongly urge readers to listen to the lecture directly to hear it from the expert himself.

Shriram began by declaring the Kamalamba Navavarana kritis to be the magnum opus of Dikshitar’s oeuvre. Dikshitar was a Srividya upasaka who worshipped the supreme in a feminine form, a tradition that has existed across cultures for centuries. Shriram explained that the divine is essentially an abstract, formless entity, and that this abstraction is brought into form in two ways. The first is a visual representation, the yantra, which remains abstract and is created using geometric patterns known as chakras. The second is the auditory form, which is the mantra.

Thanks to my son, I have developed an interest in astronomy. When Shriram spoke about the Sri Chakra as a representation of Shiva and Shakti, and about the single dot at its centre from which all creation emerges, I was reminded of the concept of gravitational singularity, where space and time are compressed into a single point. I may be entirely off track here, but the parallel intrigued me and left me eager to read more about both these subjects.

What does Navavarana mean? In tradition, certain numbers are associated with specific manifestations of the divine. The number five is associated with Shiva. He is said to have five faces, his mantra is the Panchakshara, and there are the Panchabhuta kshetras associated with him. Shakti is associated with the number three. She is therefore called Tripura, and multiples of three also carry significance. The number nine holds a special place in Devi worship. It is considered all encompassing, much like how adding the digits of any multiple of nine always results in nine.

The worship of the Goddess through the Sri Chakra yantra is known as Navavarana pooja. Avarna means a veil. This form of worship seeks to remove nine veils that surround the soul, one at a time, guiding the practitioner inward until they become one with the Goddess herself. The Sri Chakra consists of nine sub chakras that symbolise this inward journey. Dikshitar composed the Navavarana kritis to describe this mode of worship, incorporating within them everything required to understand it. These compositions are on Kamalamba of Tiruvarur.

At this point, Shriram raised an interesting question. The form worshipped in this tradition is Lalita, whose attributes he then described. While the deity in most temples is essentially a manifestation of this form, the temple that most closely fits this description is that of Kamakshi in Kanchipuram, on whom Dikshitar has composed many other kritis. Yet, this Navavarana set is not dedicated to Kamakshi but to Kamalamba. Shriram explained the fascinating theory behind this choice.

With this context established, Shriram went on to elucidate the music, lyrics, and philosophical underpinnings of each Navavarana composition, beginning with the Dhyana shloka in Todi. Like the Guruguha Vibhakti kritis, the Navavarana kritis are also set across different vibhaktis.

The first kriti is set in Ananda Bhairavi. Instead of beginning with Sri Kamalamba, Dikshitar begins with Kamalamba, in keeping with the Kaadi parampara of Sri Vidya upasakas to which he belonged, in which the syllable Ka has great significance. The second kriti is in Kalyani and is the only one in the set that includes a chittasvara. Dikshitar composed it as a palindromic sequence to symbolise the waxing and waning of the moon in equal measure. The third kriti is set in Shankarabharanam, an apt choice given the prominence of Shiva in this chakra.

The fourth avarana is represented by fourteen triangles in the chakra and signifies Parameshwara. Dikshitar reflects this numerology by composing Sri Vishwanatham Bhajegam as a ragamalika in fourteen ragas and setting it to Ata tala, which has fourteen counts. The kriti for this avarana in this set is Kamalambikayai in Kambhoji.

The fifth avarana is symbolised by ten triangles and represents the role of the guru. As in Sri Nathadi Guruguho, Dikshitar invokes nada to establish this connection. This kriti is set in Bhairavi and uses a tala of ten beats. The sixth avarana is denoted by the ten inner triangles. The kriti Kamalambikayastava is set in Punnagavarali, a raga typically associated with shorter compositions. Dikshitar, however, has given us not one but two expansive and weighty kritis in this raga, one of which is part of the Navavarana set. 

The seventh avarana is represented by eight triangles and is associated with relief from all afflictions, including ignorance. Set in Sahana, this kriti begins with Sri Kamalambikayam. The innermost triangle corresponds to the eighth avarana, where the Goddess proclaims liberation, resonant like the sound of a bell. Dikshitar therefore sets this kriti in the raga Ghanta. In the final avarana, the practitioner becomes one with the Goddess, and Dikshitar employs all the vibhaktis. The raga chosen for this culminating kriti is Ahiri. Shriram spoke at length about the many layers embedded in this composition.

The choice of ragas, the structure of each kriti, the prosody, the placement of lyrical phrases, the seamless unison of musical and poetic beauty, the philosophical depth, and the entire Navavarana pooja process were all explained with extraordinary clarity. This lecture truly demands listening, and I have therefore limited myself to only a few highlights.

In her summing up, Sangita Kalanidhi Bombay Jayashri thanked Shriram for gently leading us from the outermost layer of the Sri Chakra to its centre, removing one veil at a time. She spoke on behalf of everyone present who had experienced this magnificent lecture. She thanked the performers on stage by pointing out that nine voices had sung as one, a detail I had not noticed until she mentioned it. Just as in Dikshitar’s compositions, Shriram too had many subtle layers hidden within the lecture, a realization that dawned on me only then.

Vidwan Ramakrishnan Murthy and Vidushis Amritha Murali, Aishwarya, Bharathi Ramasubban, Arathi, and Archana sang all the kritis beautifully alongside Shriram, with Niranjan and Nanditha providing support on the tambura. Vidwans J. Vaidyanathan and Sandeep Ramachandran accompanied them and blended seamlessly with the voices. Vidushi Aishwarya had also created paintings depicting each of the nine avaranas, which were displayed appropriately as each kriti was rendered.

The program concluded with the mangalam, Sri Kamalambike, in Sri raga, followed by a well deserved standing ovation. I felt both blissful and blessed to have listened to this lecture. Thank you, Shriram, and congratulations once again.

99th Annual Conference of The Music Academy – Day 12

If Day 11 featured three lectures, Day 12 had just one. Dr. Meenakshi (Sumathi) Krishnan presented a lecture titled “The Guruguha Vibhakti Kritis of Muthuswami Dikshitar”. She was accompanied by a team of students from the Advanced School of Carnatic Music: Ms. Snigdha Desiraju, Ms. Ragasudha, Ms. Nandhika, Sri Bharat Narayan, and Sri Sivaramakrishnan.

Dr. Meenakshi began with a brief overview of the key events in the life of Muthuswami Dikshitar. To introduce the topic of the day, she spoke about Dikshitar’s visit to Tiruttani and why it was considered an ideal place for contemplation. Dikshitar is said to have meditated there for a mandala, forty eight days, after which the Lord himself appeared before him and placed a sugar candy in his mouth, marking the beginning of his musical journey. Dr. Meenakshi drew parallels between this episode and similar stories associated with Kalamegha Pulavar, Muka Kavi, and Kalidasa, whose journeys are also said to have begun in comparable ways. I would have added Thirugnanasambandar to this list, as his poetic journey began with Goddess Parvati herself feeding him milk. Dr. Meenakshi then explained the significance of Dikshitar’s mudra, Guruguha, defining it as the unison of the teacher and the Godhead.

What is Vibhakti? In grammar, there is a concept known as declension. It refers to the variation of a noun, pronoun, or adjective to indicate grammatical case, number, and gender. I am more familiar with Tamil grammar, so I digress briefly before returning to the lecture.

விபக்தி என்பதைத் தமிழில் வேற்றுமை எனச் சொல்வார்கள். இந்த வேற்றுமையை உணர்த்தும் சேர்க்கைகளின் பெயர் வேற்றுமை உருபுகள். வடமொழியில் எட்டு வேற்றுமை உருபுகள் இருப்பதாகப் புரிந்து கொள்கிறேன். தமிழிலும் எட்டு வேற்றுமைகள் உண்டு. முதல் வேற்றுமைக்கும் கடைசி வேற்றுமைக்கும் உருபுகள் கிடையாது. மற்ற ஆறு வேற்றுமை உருபுகள் ஐ, ஆல், கு, இன், அது, கண் ஆகியவை. உதாரணமாக கந்தன் என்ற பெயரை எடுத்துக் கொண்டோமானால்,

• கந்தன் வந்தான் (பெயர் வேற்றுமை)

• கந்தனைக் கண்டேன் (ஐ) 

• கந்தனால் பிழைத்தேன் (ஆல்)

• கந்தனுக்கு அரோகரா (கு)

• கந்தனின் வேல் (இன்)

• கந்தனது அருள் (அது)

• கந்தன்கண் மனம் சென்றது (கண்)

• கந்தா வா வா (விளி வேற்றுமை)

இந்த எட்டு வேற்றுமைகளோடு ஒருவன், ஒருத்தி, பலர், ஒன்று, பல என்ற ஐம்பால்களைச் சேர்த்தோமானால் நாற்பது வேற்றுமைகள் வரும். இப்படி வேற்றுமை உருபுகளைக் கொண்டு வடமொழியில் பாடல்களைப் புனைவதை விபக்தி க்ருதிகள் என்கிறார்கள்.

Dr. Meenakshi then spoke about the possible influences that may have inspired Dikshitar to compose the Vibhakti kritis. In addition to his mudra Guruguha and the use of raga mudras, these compositions include references to his spiritual guru and repeated allusions to light in its many forms, symbolising knowledge. That these compositions form a clearly defined group is explicitly stated in the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini. Dr. Meenakshi also drew upon other sources in preparing this lecture.

She then moved on to the first Vibhakti kriti, Sri Nathadi Guruguho, set in Mayamalavagowlai, and shared several interesting details about it. One point she highlighted was that the word Jayati traditionally appears in pairs. Jayati Jayati Bharata Mata was cited as an example. This immediately reminded me of the Indian national anthem, which does one better and ends with Jaya He Jaya He Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya He.

After elaborating on the first Vibhakti kriti, Dr. Meenakshi proceeded to the second, Manasa Guruguha Rupam, set in Ananda Bhairavi. It is said that there are three paths in Sri Vidya Upasana: Dakshinamurti, Hayagriva, and Ananda Bhairava. Dikshitar is believed to have followed the last of these, making the choice of Ananda Bhairavi particularly apt. The third Vibhakti kriti is Sri Guruna Palitosmi, set in the raga Padi. Since Padi is a janya of Mayamalavagowlai, which was used earlier in the set, the care taken to differentiate the two ragas was explained clearly, along with the significance of the terms used in the lyrics.

The fourth Vibhakti kriti, Guruguhaya Bhaktanugrahaya, is set in Sama. An interesting feature of this composition is that the opening line of the pallavi and anupallavi are identical. Dr. Meenakshi offered her interpretation of why this might be so and highlighted several lyrical nuances. The fifth composition in the series is Guruguhadanyam, set in the rare raga Balahamsa. The lyrics are rich with mystical references encompassing agama, yoga, and tattvas, in keeping with the rarity of the raga itself.

The sixth Vibhakti kriti, Sri Guruguhasya Dasoham, is set in Purvi. This raga is classified as a bhashanga, desiya, and rakti raga. Dikshitar begins by describing himself as a servant of Guruguha but later speaks of himself as the embodiment of consciousness, possibly reflecting his own spiritual evolution.

The seventh composition, Guruguhaswamini, is set in another rare raga, Bhanumati, and is the only vivadi raga used in this group. There is an indirect reference to Tiruttani through the mention of Vijayavalli and Devasena as the consorts. The final composition in the set is Sri Guruguhamurte, set in the raga Udayaravichandrika. The first point discussed here was the distinction between Udayaravichandrika and Suddha Dhanyasi. This topic has been debated earlier at the Music Academy, where it was concluded that the two are distinct ragas. The Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini also clearly maintains this distinction. This composition focuses on the role of the guru in relation to the sishya.

The observation that Dikshitar began the series with Jayati Jayati and concluded it with Jaya Jaya was a graceful way to close the lecture. Special mention must be made of the students on stage, who performed these demanding compositions admirably. Shriram, as always, added several insightful points in his summing up, enriching the discussion further.

99th Annual Conference of The Music Academy – Day 11

Sangita Kala Acharya Suguna Varadachari presented the first lecture of the day on “Scope for Manodharma in Muthuswami Dikshitar Kritis”. She was accompanied by Dr. Aishwarya Shankar, with Vidwan K. Arun Prakash on the mridangam.

The phraseology embedded in compositions, once imbibed and internalized, forms the foundation of the manodharma aspect of music. The very definition of a ragam can be understood only through learning multiple compositions in that ragam and repeatedly singing them. Mere notation cannot convey the subtleties and intricacies of a raga. How Dikshitar’s compositions help a performer deepen and expand their manodharma was the core theme of Suguna Mami’s lecture.

Shankarabharanam shone in all its grandeur from the very first phrases she sang. Sadasivam Upasmahe was chosen to illustrate the unique phrases employed by Dikshitar and how these phrases can be used in raga alapana to lend Shankarabharanam a distinct colour. This made the session not merely a lecture, but a true lecture demonstration.

At one point, Mami used the phrase “ஊறி வரணும்”, meaning that the phrase must seep out naturally from within, rather than being consciously planned and produced. The imagery that phrase evoked, at least for me, captured the very soul of manodharma music.

A phrase classically associated with one ragam can sometimes be seamlessly absorbed into another. A phrase from Begada, when sung independently, exuded unmistakable Begada bhava, yet the same phrase, when placed within the context of Shankarabharanam, shed its Begada identity completely. It felt like witnessing a magician deftly altering perception in plain sight. Other aspects of manodharma such as neraval and swara singing were also explored, with different approaches explained through apt examples.

Thodi was the next ragam taken up for exploration. From the very first phrase, Thodi announced itself unmistakably. It was fascinating to hear how the same note, sung with and without gamakam, still retained the unmistakable identity of Thodi. Dikshitar’s fondness for wordplay is well known. His use of increasing and decreasing syllabic patterns, known as srotovaha and gopucha yati, appears in several compositions and can serve as inspiration for neraval singing as well. The example Mami rendered was truly delightful.

She concluded by speaking about the use of Dikshitar compositions in pallavi singing. Hearing his first composition, Sri Nathadi Guruguho, rendered in different talams was particularly interesting. That his compositions can also inspire thanam singing only reinforces the depth and brilliance of his musical vision.

Even in concerts, Arun Prakash plays with a clear intent to embellish and highlight unique and beautiful phrases sung by the vocalist, something he had spoken about in his own lecture earlier. This lecture demonstration was therefore a feast for him. His playing visibly responded to and enhanced the phrases sung by Suguna Mami and Aishwarya, and it was evident that he enjoyed the experience as much as the audience did.

Like a traditional breakfast spread with soft pongal, crisp vadai, dosai paired with tangy sambar, and sweet pongal to finish, this lecture offered a taste of everything that Carnatic music represents. It was deeply satisfying. I was glad to hear Shriram echo this sentiment in his summary, albeit without my culinary analogy.

In addition to the main lecture, Day 11 featured two shorter presentations. The first was by Vidushi Sumathi Mathiyazhagan on “The Sarva Vadyam tradition at the Tiruvarur temple”, followed by a lecture by Dr. K. Dhinesh Kumar on “The Tiruvarur Nagaswaram tradition as defined by Ramaswami Dikshitar”. The two lectures complemented each other beautifully.

Vidushi Sumathi Mathiyazhagan is a school headmistress in Tiruvarur and is preserving a temple tradition that has historically been carried forward largely by men. She comes from a family believed to have descended from Devalokam along with Thyagesar when he manifested on earth. Her ancestor Thambiappan was a disciple of Dikshitar, and it was to cure Thambiappan’s stomach ailment that Dikshitar composed Brihaspathe, an episode that eventually led to the creation of the Vara Kritis.

The first instrument she spoke about was the Kudamuzha, a five-faced drum also known as the Pancha Mukha Vadyam. The five faces are said to represent the five faces of Lord Shiva. Shaped like a vessel, the lower portion is made of bronze and the top is covered with deer skin. This instrument is typically played during the evening pooja, which Dr. Madhusudhanan had earlier described as the most important ritual of the day.

The second instrument she demonstrated was the Suddha Maddalam, which accompanies the famed Ajapa Natanam. She explained in detail the significance of the instrument, the specific occasions when it is played, and the stories associated with it. Her account of personal dedication, lived experience, and emotional attachment to the temple and its traditions deeply moved the audience.

Dr. K. Dhinesh Kumar began his lecture by citing references from the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini that describe how Ramaswami Dikshitar prescribed what should be played by Nagaswaram vidwans at the Tiruvarur temple and on which occasions. The repertoire includes over two hundred compositions, among them more than fifty padams. It is believed that some of these were tuned by Balaswami Dikshitar.

He listed the various musical forms that form part of this tradition and the composers whose works are included. He asserted that the form known as Mallari was originally created for the Tiruvarur temple before spreading elsewhere. He also described in detail the ragams prescribed for different days of the twenty two day Tiruvizha celebrations.

Dr. Dhinesh Kumar illustrated Rakthi, a form developed specifically for Nagaswaram performance, and sang the composition associated with Ajapa Natanam. He spoke about three types of Nagaswarams used in the temple, including one made of granite, another of ivory, and the Bari Nagaswaram. He is currently involved in recreating the granite Nagaswaram for temple use and played a prototype as part of his demonstration.

The contribution of Lalitha Ram in commissioning the statue of Dikshitar that adorned the stage throughout the lecture demonstrations was acknowledged, as was his role in introducing Dr. Dhinesh Kumar to the Academy. He also spoke about the importance of providing public platforms to such knowledgeable practitioners.

In his concluding remarks, Shriram referred to Dikshitar’s own mention of the Nagaswaram in his compositions and thanked Dr. Dhinesh Kumar for his research, lecture, and performance.