PART-1,,,,,,,,,RAMASWAMI DIKSHITAR , BIRTH OF MUTHUSWAMI DIKSHITAR AT THRUVAARUR

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.

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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 the kriti and made it into a wholesome entity. They also brought into vogue several ragas that had fallen into oblivion. That they adopted almost the same methods and utilised the same tools speaks volumes about this unity of purpose. All the more reason why, they are hailed as incarnations whose specific task was to elevate the art form into a true rasAnubhavA. The art form as an experience that would ennoble the heart and lift the soul of man to greater heights.

 The purpose of an incarnation is to transcend and transform. Shyama Sastri, Thyagaraja, and Muthuswami Dikshitar transcended the mundane and transformed the way music was handled.

 The Trinity proved to the world through their music and through their exemplary lives, that the sole purpose of music was to make man perfect and help him realise his unity with God. 

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Muthuswami Dikshitar was one of those rare beings who graced this earth with his noble presence and who left behind an eternal fragrance that shall never wither, eternal footprints on the sands of time that shall never be effaced.

 His works of grandeur and depth, both in melody and poesy, afford us a glimpse into the Eternal Soul, the Muse he worshipped, a glimpse of the summit of perfection he attained.

 With devotion we shall try to retell the monumental saga of one of the greatest men that God gave to humanity.

The Milieu of Those Times
The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were remarkable periods in the history of culture and spirituality in India, especially in the South, where the bhakti movement flourished. The kings who ruled in many parts of South India were themselves religious minded and cultured. They encouraged artistes and gave due respect to saints and spiritual savants.

The Cauvery delta region, in what is now the Tanjavur district in Tamilnadu was ruled by the Cholas and later the Nayaks. Both the Cholas and the Nayak rulers patronised several art forms. Later in the seventeenth century came the Mahratta rulers, descendants of the great Emperor Shivaji. The Cauvery river and its numerous tributaries that criss-cross the region made the lands fertile and generally it was an area of plenty and prosperity. Under the benevolent reign of the Mahratta kings, arts like music, dance, painting and sculpture and crafts flourished. The kings were generous in their patronage to the artists, relieving them from the necessity of having to worry about their livelihood. The artist, whatever was his calling, could therefore, give undivided attention to perfecting his art and bringing excellence to it. 

In this milieu lived a scholar and musician, Ramaswami Dikshitar. He was born in 1735. He originally hailed from Virinchipuram in the South Arcot district. But due to disturbed political conditions in the mid-eighteenth century, his father Venkateswara Dikshitar migrated to the Cauvery delta with his family and settled at Govindapuram near Kumbhakonam. Here, Ramaswami Dikshitar grew up. When he was about sixteen years old, Ramaswami Dikshitar lost both his parents. He was supported by generous relatives and friends.

 Ramaswami Dikshitar who had a predilection for music, approached a musician called Virabhadriah who was attached to the Tanjavur palace, and learnt music from him. In course of time, Ramaswami Dikshitar attained sufficient proficiency in the art to be able to give concerts. He also learnt musicology from Venkata Vaidyanatha Dikshitar who was an acknowledged expert in the science of music and who belonged to the paramparA of Venkatamakhi, the author of chaturdaNDi prakAshikA and the architect of the 72 mELakartA scheme. Ramaswami Dikshitar's knowledge and proficiency in music, gained for him the respect and admiration of the cognoscenti of those times. He eventually settled down at Tiruvarur and married a pious girl Subbamma. 

-Tiruvarur is one of the mukti kshetras known for its magnificent temple for Lord Thyagaraja and Goddess Kamalambika and its huge tank, Kamalalaya. It is also famous for its magnificent chariots.

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jananAt kamalAlayE, darshanAt aprasadasi, smaraNAd aruNAchalam, kAshi tu maraNAn muktih

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The puranas have declared that birth at Tiruvarur, darshan of Chidambaram, thinking of Arunachala and death at Kashi result in liberation. Great many were the saints born at Tiruvarur. Among these were the Carnatic music Trinity of Shyama Sastri, Thyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar.

Birth

Till his fortieth year Ramaswami Dikshitar did not have children. On the advice of family elders, he and his wife went to Vaideeswaran Koil near Sirkali and worshipped Lord Vaidyanatha and Goddess Balambika. They observed austerities and performed navAvaraNa pUjA for forty-eight days. On the last day, it is said that the Goddess appeared in Ramaswami Dikshitar's dream and presented him with a muktAhAram, a pearl necklace. The wise and the elderly of Vaideeswaran Koil interpreted the dream to mean that his prayer was granted by the Goddess, and that a gem (Muktha) of a child would be born to him. In 1775, in the month of Panguni (March-April), when the star of Krittika was ascending, a male child was born to the couple. He was named Muthuswami after Lord Subramanya whose name is Muthukumaraswami at Vaideeswaran Koil. 

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Early days at Tiruvarur and marriage 

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His intense wish of begetting a son having been fulfilled, Ramaswami Dikshitar settled down to perfecting his music with greater enthusiasm. The newborn brought him luck too. Ramaswami Dikshitar was invited to give concerts at prestigious gatherings. The Tanjore king bestowed honours on him as befitting his status and dignity. The honour of organising and streamlining the playing of Nagaswaram and other musical instruments at the Tiruvarur temple for the daily services, festivals and processions, was given to Ramaswami Dikshitar and he admirably carried out the task. These procedures are being followed even now at the Tiruvarur temple. It may be pertinent to point out here that the Tiruvarur temple services boast of three instruments that are unique to that temple; the pancamukha vAdyam, the shuddha maddhaLam and the long bAri nAgaswaram.

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Ramaswami Dikshitar is credited with inventing the rAgA hamsadhvani. (This is open to debate. As the rAga also existed in the sangraha cUDAmaNi. He certainly appears to be the first to compose in it.)He also blossomed into a good composer of varNAs, darUs and kritIs. In one of the padavarNAs in Telugu which starts as sarigAni dAni, he has used only the seven swarAs throughout as its sAhitya. Ramaswami Dikshitar revelled in composing long rAgamAlikAs. He composed in 44 rAgAs a kriti in praise of Goddess Minakshi of Madurai. All in all, he led a satisfactory life. In course of time, Ramaswami Dikshitar had three more children; a son, Chinnaswami(b1778), a daughter who was named Balambal after the Goddess of Vaideeswaran Koil and again a son, Baluswami(b1786). Now his ambition was to groom his children to follow his footsteps. He had high hopes on Muttuswami who, early in life itself, exhibited superior intelligence and wisdom.

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Ramaswami Dikshitar arranged to have the young Muttuswami study the Vedas and Sanskrit. Sincerely dedicated to study, Muttuswami quickly acquired mastery over the kAvyAs, alankArAs and vyAkaraNA. Ramaswami Dikshitar himself gave intensive training in music, both in theory and practice, to his son. Muttuswami was also taught to play the vINA and in course of time, blossomed not only as a vocalist but also as a competent player on that instrument. The thorough

scientific knowledge the lad acquired in music helped him to properly handle the rAgAs and discover their intrinsic, hidden beauty. In this he was aided by his deep knowledge and mastery of the vINA.

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The performance of nitya karmAs, the diligent study of the Vedas and shAstrAs, his deep devotion to God, the continuous study and practice of sangItA and above all his respect and reverence for his parents, teachers and elders were the strong foundational aspects which were to stand Muttuswami in good stead in his monumental work, still in the future.

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Marriage at a young age was very common in those days. Muttuswami too was married young. Nevertheless, even while a youngster, he was sufficiently mature to be able to understand the transitory nature of worldly pleasures. Seeing Mutthswami ever engaged in religious austerities, practice of music and mostly observing silence, his parents were worried. They surmised, but wrongly, that the boy was unhappy with his dark complexioned wife. Ramaswami Dikshitar and his wife Subbamma discussed the matter between themselves and concluded that Muttuswami would lead a normal family life if a fair-complexioned girl were to become his wife. They accordingly found a suitable girl and persuaded Muttuswami to marry her. We do not know whether Muttuswami consented willingly or under pressure from his parents. But one thing is certain. He remained the same. His having two wives or their complexions hardly mattered to him. He had set his goals high above the mundane. The world and its attractions had to be transcended, not only to facilitate the epochal work he was destined for, but also to achieve the highest spiritual goal.

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Thus went by the initial years of our future composer. Once, Muthukrishna Mudaliar, a dubash (a translator) of the East India Co., visited Tiruvarur with his family. He also held the post of Chief Merchant of the Company, the last Indian to hold the position. He belonged to a prominent family of Manali near Madras. He was a patron of the arts and he and his family considered it a great privilege to patronise, encourage and support music and musicians. Muthukrishna Mudaliar was responsible for the reconstruction of the Twin Temples, Chenna Kesava and Chenna Malleeswara at the corner of Flower Bazaar, Madras, after they had been demolished at their earlier site to make way for the High Court. Muthukrishna Mudaliar's town house at No 63, Govindappa Naicken Street, George Town, still exists. Adjoining it is the Manali Hostel, a building set up by the same philanthropist for the benefit of indigent students who wished to migrate to Madras for higher studies. Boarding and Lodging was free and sometimes the Manali Charities even paid the education fees!

Muthukrishna Mudaliar visited the Tiruvarur temple and had darshan of the deities. There was a bhajanA being conducted by Ramaswami Dikshitar at the temple at that time. The Mudaliar and his family had the opportunity of listening to the music of the Dikshitars. Greatly moved by the music and impressed by the piety of the Dikshitar family the Mudaliar invited them to visit Manali and stay with him for sometime. This was in the 1790s. Ramaswami Dikshitar, after consultation with his family and relatives agreed to this proposal. The family shifted to Manali and settled down there 

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Continued  in  part-2