MUTHUSWAMI-DIKSHITAR

It is rarely that a phenomenon takes place in the world. An epoch-making event of far-reaching consequence that would change the course of history. The advent of sages, saints, great men of science, sacred men of art, have all heralded new beginnings in their respective realms. In the world of Indian art music, the advent of Shyama Sastri, Thyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar changed the course and perception of music. The harbingers of a new age in classical music, the threesome are reverentially referred to as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Not without reason, the foremost of which was their being born in the same town and being contemporaries. MUTHUSWAMI DIKSHITAR, THYAGARAJA AND SHYAMA SASTRY  But this was not the only reason. Their pioneering work was such that after their times, Carnatic music was never the same again. Looking at their works, one finds a unity of purpose behind them.  This unity of purpose is reflected in the fact that the Trinity refined the medium of th...

RAMASWAMI DIKSHITAR , BIRTH OF  MUTHUSWAMI  DIKSHITAR  AT THRUVAARUR It is rarely that a phenomenon takes place in the world. An epoch-making event of far-reaching consequence that would change the course of history. The advent of sages, saints, great men of science, sacred men of art, have all heralded new beginnings in their respective realms. In the world of Indian art music, the advent of Shyama Sastri, Thyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar changed the course and perception of music. The harbingers of a new age in classical music, the threesome are reverentially referred to as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Not without reason, the foremost of which was their being born in the same town and being contemporaries. But this was not the only reason. Their pioneering work was such that after their times, Carnatic music was never the same again. -  Looking at their works, one finds a unity of purpose behind them. This unity of purpose is reflected in the fact that the Tri...

2 Manali to Kashi (with Chidambaranath Yogi) ================================== After Muthukrishna Mudaliar's death, his son Venkatakrishna (Chinnayya) Mudaliar continued to play host to the Dikshitars. The Dikshitar family lived in Tiruvottriyur and later at Manali, close to the "Meddai Veedu", the palatial country home of the Mudaliars. (Till the 1980s, this house existed as a ruin). Venkatakrishna Mudaliar was also a dubash, attached to the East India Company and quite influential with his English masters. He introduced Muttuswami and his younger brothers to the bands playing Western music at Fort St. George. Muthuswami listened keenly and assimilated the essentials of that alien music. Later in his life he composed Sanskrit sAhityas in praise of Hindu deities for about thirty-five of those Western tunes including the British national anthem. These are called nOTTu svara sAhityas. Ramaswami Dikshitar who observed the various western instruments being played, was partic...

3 The vINa and back to Manali =========================== One day, Chidambaranatha Yogi and Muttuswami went for a bath in the Ganga. The Yogi asked Muthuswami to descend a few steps and put his hands into the water. When Muttuswami did so, his hands closed upon a vINa. Surprised, the lad turned towards his guru who beckoned him up the steps. Chidambaranatha Yogi informed Muttuswami that this was Ganga Mata's prasad to the lad and that She had blessed him. The unusual feature of this vINa is that its yali faces upwards and has the word 'Rama' inscribed on it in Devanagari script. Providence had directly presented Muttuswami this unique instrument which was to partner him in his renaissance work. Chidambaranatha Yogi further informed the lad that he had attained mantra siddhi, was progressing well spiritually and that he had also attained further maturity in music. The Yogi instructed Muttuswami to return to his parents. The wide world now awaited his services and it was time...

4 Tiruttani and the guruguha vibhakti kritis =================--- Sharing the secret of his inner voice with his parents, Muttuswami expressed his desire to them to visit Tiruttani. Ramaswami Dikshitar and Subbalakshmi blessed their first-born. Before long, Muttuswami was on his way to the hallowed hill shrine of Tiruttani in the company of his brothers. After having darshan of Lord Subrahmanya at the sanctum-sanctorum, Muttuswami took a vow to perform spiritual austerities for a manDala or forty days. Every morning he took his bath at the temple tank downhill and climbed the steps to begin his tapas. His time was thus spent in worship of the Lord and practicing deep meditation. - It was the fortieth day of his stay at Tiruttani. While Muttuswami was repeating the Shadakshari mantra, he heard a voice near him say, "Muttuswami, open your mouth". Muttuswami opened his eyes and saw before him an elderly person whose whole being was suffused with spiritual splendour. The old man...

5 Chennai and Kanchipuram ======================== Before leaving Manali, Muttuswami Dikshitar worshipped at the shrines in and around Madras. -  Tiruvotriyur, which is near Manali is famous for its temple dedicated to Lord Tyagaraja and Goddess Tripurasundari. In this temple, Adi Sankara had consecrated an arddha mEru underneath the pITham of the vaTTapArai amman, at whose shrine human sacrifices were stopped by him. In addition, a shrI cakra was consecrated by him under the feet of the Goddess Tripurasundari and he arranged for regular worship by Nambudiri brahmins. This tradition continues to this day.  Here Dikshitar composed  AdipurIshvaram in Arabhi, in praise of the Lord and Tripurasundari in the raga sAmA on the Goddess. He then visited Triplicane where Lord Krishna gives darshan as Arjuna's charioteer Parthasarathi.  Here, Dikshitar composed  Sri pArthasArathi in shuddha dhanyAsi.  Nearby is the shrine dedicated to Lord Siva as Tiruvateesvara. Di...