PART-13....THIRUVAARUR..NAVAGRAHA KRUTHIS

part-13

Tiruvarur, the master of astrology composes the navagraha kritis

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Greatness in art certainly does not go unnoticed, and there were any number of enthusiasts desirous of undergoing tutelage in music under Muttuswami Dikshitar. The musicians and dancers attached to the temple were naturally attracted by his music.

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 They found that it was different, not just the melody of it, but the language and the theme too.

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 Familiar as they were with padas in Telugu and Tamil which eulogised kings or zamindars or other patrons, they found Dikshitar's compositions which he himself and his brothers sang at the temple, breaking fresh ground. The dignified sAhityA which was always in praise of God, or which spoke of mysticism, the subtle yet dignified and soulful beauty of the music in slow tempo and the elegant poetic nuances were, whether regarded individually or collectively, revolutionary, affording new vistas of delight and sublime experiences, both aural and mystical. 

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It was thus that slowly, a few Nagaswara Vidwans and Devadasis belonging to Tiruvarur and adjoining villages decided to sit at Dikshitar's feet and imbibe his art.

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Dikshitar's decision to teach students belonging to all communities was a revolutionary step and one in the right direction

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Considering that Brahmins in those days were very particular about upholding orthodox principles and especially that Dikshitar had to observe certain principles of AchArA as he was a shrI vidyA upAsakA, his throwing open his doors to students of all communities was a decision that demanded extraordinary courage and one that must be hailed as trailblazing. 

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It had far reaching consequences on the status of music and its future. In the years ahead, the Nagaswara vidwans, Devadasis, people belonging to the Parashaiva community and the Natyacharyas could significantly enhance not only their repertoire, but the quality of their music too underwent a lot of change for the better, gaining in maturity, depth and beauty. 

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One of the earlier disciples was Shuddha Maddhalam Tambiappan who belonged to the Parashaiva community. 

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nAgaswara vidwan Koorainadu Ramaswami Pillai, another eminent nAgaswara vidwan of those times Terazhundur Bilvavanam, Tiruvarur Ayyasami Nattuvanar who was a Natyacharya, Tevur Subramania Iyer, Tirukkadayur Bharati, a Tamil scholar, Vilvavanam Ayyasami and the then eminent vINa vidwan Avudayarkovil Venkataramayyar were some of the early disciples.

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 Ammani of Vallalar Koil and Kamalamba of Tiruvarur, both of whom belonged to the Devadasi community were the two prominent lady disciples.

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It is significant to note that Dikshitar's disciples not only came from all communities and belonged to both sexes, but also that they comprised not only vocalists but instrumentalists too. The traditional community of musicians and dancers were naturally equipped to learn and handle the intricate compositions of Dikshitar. Centuries of total dedication and devotion over several generations ensured that art flowed in their veins, becoming part of their bloodstream.

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Tambiappan was one such artist. He played the Shuddha Maddhalam, an instrument that belonged almost exclusively to the Tiruvarur temple. For generations Tambiappan's ancestors played this rare instrument at the Tiruvarur temple and he continued that glorious tradition. The Shuddha Maddhalam is an instrument that resembles the mridangam but is longer in size than the latter. The right side of the Shuddha Maddhalam has a greater quantity of the black paste which results in the instrument giving out a deeper tone and resonance. 

Shuddha Maddhalam is one of the five instruments of the Pancha Vadyam of Kerala but is a rarity in Tamilnadu temples. Tambiappan's discipleship under Dikshitar was significant in more ways than one.

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One important aspect of Tambiappan's tutelage under Dikshitar was that, he sired many disciples, some of whom became prominent musicians and composers. Many of these in turn, taught Dikshitar kritis to a number of people. Tambiappan therefore, played no mean part in the spread of Dikshitar compositions. Perhaps the most important contribution of Tambiappan to the Dikshitar saga was his role in the navagraha kritis.

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Tambiappan once suffered from severe stomach ailment. Medical treatment did not relieve his acute suffering. He therefore sought the advice of his guru. Muttuswami Dikshitar perused Tambiappan's horoscope and discovered that he was running a very bad period then and that the planet Jupiter was afflicted in the horoscope. The great composer spent sometime in deep reflection. Medicines had failed to cure Tambiappan's disease. The alternative was to perform elaborate navagraha shAnti. As one endowed with rare insights, an extraordinary idea occurred to Dikshitar. He decided to compose a kriti praising Jupiter. Such was the intuitive genius of that great man, that in keeping with the highly beneficent and expansive nature of Jupiter, its nobility and grandeur, a raga that possessed all these qualities sprang from his innermost depths. The raga dEvatA of aTHANA stood before Dikshitar, ready to perform his command. She gave her all, revealed her majestic splendour, elegantly caressing the superb poetry. The result, brihaspatE, was a grand, consummate work that was the harbinger of a new form of prayer which the devout and the musically minded could utilise in order to cure themselves of ills that visited them on account of the bad placement of planets. It also gave rise to the creation of six more compositions in praise of the other members of the solar system. Dikshitar bid Tambiappan sing the kriti on Jupiter. Needless to say he got completely cured of his stomach ailment within a few weeks. The efficacy and practical utility of Dikshitar kritis is proved by this incident.

The vAra kritis comprise yet another major corpus in Carnatic music that stands out for the exemplary and exhaustive treatment of some of the most important ragas. The seven compositions are set to the sULAdi sapta tALAs, yet another distinctive feature of Dikshitar's genius. They also reveal the vast learning and erudition of Muthuswami Dikshitar. A master of astrology himself, Dikshitar has incorporated the essential details concerning the planets in these compositions. The navagraha kritis comprise:

Composition - Raga - Tala - Planet 

1) sUryamUrtE - saurAShtram - dhruva - Sun 

2) candram bhaja mAnasa - asAvEri - maTya - Moon 

3) angArakam AshrayAmyaham - suruTTi - rUpaka - Mars

4) budham AshrayAmi - nATakurinji - jhampa - Mercury

5) brihaspatE - aThANA - tripuTa - Jupiter

6) shri shukra bhagavantam - paras - aTA - Venus 

7) divAkara tanujam - yadukulakAmbOji - Eka - Saturn

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It is said that the kritis on Rahu and Ketu, the nodes of the moon were not composed by Dikshitar but were later interpolations.

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continued  in  part-14

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