02 My fascinations with the compositions of Muthuswamy Diksithar

Since my earliest student days I was fascinated with the compositions of Sri Muthuswamy Dikshithar, the youngest of the carnatic musical trinity often  referred to as the travelling bard!

Whether it be the aarambapaadams as taught by our first Guru Krishnamurthy Sir or the intermediate lessons by Babu Sir or the advanced (that is how the course used to be called in those days) lessons under Smt Kalyani Sharma, the compositions of MD always used to make me sit up  & learn them faster than the other krithis which were also taught by these revered learned gurus.

The aarambapadam by Krishnamurthy Sir included Vathapi Ganapathim (Hamsadhwani), Sri Saraswathi Namosthuthey (Aarabhi), Sri Maha Ganapathi (Goulai), Panchashatpeetha Roopini (Karnataka Devagandhari) and such similar simple small songs. At the intermediate level I was fortunate to learn the masterpiece Sri  Subrahmanyaya Namaste (Kambodhi), Karikalapa Mukham (Saveri) & the navagraha Krithi Angarakam Aashrayamyaham (Suruti). Babu Sir was a student of GNB & the singing style & bani of that great singer was imparted to us by Babu Sir meticulously!

If  Babu Sir could initiate us into the joys of the pace & dynamism of GNB’s music, Kalyani Teacher who had learnt vocal under Semangudi Srinivasa Iyer & Brindamma & veena under that doyen K S Narayanaswamy (all of whom were the torch bearers of the rich traditional sampradayam which our music is known for) made sure that in addition to the pace & dynamism of GNB’s style we also understand & appreciate the importance of sowkyam which forms the soul of our music. She was instrumental in my learning Maha Ganapathim (Todi), the full set of that mighty Kamalamba Navavarna Krithis & the Navagraha Krithis. Smt Nagalakshmi Santhanagopalan disciple of Dr S Ramanathan & Prof T R Subramanian, was in charge of theory classes, which included amongst many interesting topics the asampoorna mela structure which MD is supposed to have followed. Though we were familiar with raga names appearing in many MD krithis, here we learnt the sookshma manner in which this happens. Here we also learnt the naming system & the names of ragas in the asampoorna mela system – Kanakambari, Penadhyuthi, Ganasamavarali, etc.

Having had such initial foundation, practically & theoretically,  after the completion of my formal structured music classes which culminated with the award of a diploma in KVC by the University of Bombay, my full attention was diverted to completing another major task which I had undertaken - CA Exams, articleships & Graduation. Somehow I managed a first class in B.Com (with a University rank & a scholarship to do M.Com thrown in as a bonus!) followed it with a pass in CA Inter & finally qualifying as a CA at the age of 22.

Somewhere around this time, our group comprising of my mother Renuka Soundararajan (my first guru), Janaki Swamy, Prema Krishnan & Kasturi Rangan (we all were the first group of students to have learnt the Kamalamba Navavrna Krithis under Smt Kalyani Sharma who has since untiringly & selflessly taught this to several groups & is today considered unparalleled for teaching such group krithis) got a chance to visit & perform at the Trinity festival. It was a memorable experience performing Navavrna Krithis at the Muthuswami Dikshithar mandapam, singing Syama Sastri’s 3 swarajathis (Bhairavi, Todi & Yadukula Kambodhi) at his residence & Thyagaraja Swami’s pancharatna krithis at his residence. The audience during our performance of Kamalamba Navavrna Krithis at MD mandapam included Lalgudi Jayaraman, Vijayshiva, etc. We were fortunate enough to be invited to perform Navavrna Krithis at Narada Gana Sabha where the distinguished audience included Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman & Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam.

As my appetite for learning newer compositions increased, I found that it was easier for me to learn (probably more inclined to) Sivakameshwarim than Ethavunara; Pasupatheeswaram than Ennalu; Sri Rama Saraswathi than Maravairi; Sri Ranga Nathaya Namaste than Sangeetha Dhyanamu; Parandhamavathi than Bhajana Seya Radha; so on & so forth.

As a hobby I started collecting & hearing to musical greats performing MD krithis. My favourites include KVN’s MD bicentennial year concert at the MA 1975, MDR’s MD concert, Vedavalli’s MD day AIR concert & Prof SR Janakiraman’s lec dem on Dikshithar day.

Some of the compositions (renditions) which I enjoy include  MMI - Maaye, DKJ – Hiranmayim, MLV/Nedunuri – Paradevatha, TNS – Thyagarajo Virajathe, KVN – Sri Subrahmanyaya Namaste, GNB – Chintaye Maha Linga,  BVR BVL – Ramachandraya Namasthe & Rame Bharatha, TVS – Sri Mathru Bootham, Ravikiran – Veena Pusthaka, SSI – Balakrishnam Bhavayami, Lalgudi – Sri Krishnam Bhaja Manasa, M Santhanam – Pannagashayana, Brindamma – Brihan Nayaki Vara Dhayaki, Vedavalli – Dakshayani abhayambike, Sanjay Subramanian - Simhasanasthithe. TNS’s Sri Raja Gopala in Music Academy 1984 is another all time favourite.

As my joyous musical journey is progressing I remember a statement made by Nagalakshmi teacher in one of her theory classes - MATHS & MUSIC ARE INTER RELATED, IT IS EASY FOR ANY ONE WHO KNOWS & LOVES ONE; TO LEARN THE OTHER VERY EASILY. How I interpret this statement – in my next!