Muthuswamy Dikshitar Aradhana on Deepavali at Veenavaadhini

[Rajani]

Dear Rasikas,

We are offerring homage to Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar on his Aradhana (on Deepavali, 2nd November) at Veenavaadhini.

Venue : 12, Shanti Enclave, Venkatakrishna Road, R A Puram, Chennai -28.

The programme is as follows:

3.45 pm - Group singing of Dikshitar's Utsava Kritis by students of Veenavaadhini, led by Vainika couple Sri Jeyaraaj and Smt Jaysri

4.45 pm - Vocal Concert of Muthuswamy Dikshitar's kritis, by Dr. Radha Bhaskar, accompanied by Melakkaveri Sri Thyagarajan on the violin and Sri. Mudhra Bhaskar on the Mridangam

6.30pm - Mangala Arathi.

The Veenavaadhini family of Gurus, students and parents, invites you all to attend.

[rshankar]

Best Wishes! Rajani - please post a review and a recording if possible!

[RaviSri]

What are these utsava kritis of Dikshitar?

[Nick H]

Very happy to see Veenavaadhini active again. Hope to be there

[Rajani]

Thanks Ravi and Nick!

Ravisri Sir - it is the set of Kritis to be sung as Aradhana, as put together by Sri Ananthakrishna Bhagavathar of Guruguha Gana Vidyalaya , Kolkata. These comprise of :

1.Sri Mahaganapatiravatu Mam - Gowlai
2. Balasubrahmanyam Bhajeham - Surati
(these being the ones sung before the Navavaranam kritis)
3. Sri Nathadi - Mayamalavagowlai
4. Manasa Guruguharoopam bhajare - Ananda Bhairavi
5. Vara Kriti of the day (Diwakara Tanujam this time)
6. Valli Devasenapate - Khamas ( composed by Sri Ananthakrishna Bhagavathar)

7. Meenakshi Me Mudam Dehi - Gamakakriya
8. Sri Abhayamba - Sri
(The last two will be after the concert)

[thanjavooran]

Rajani Avl,
Best wishes! If possible please post A/V recording !
Thanjavooran
30 10 2013

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Best wishes for the function.
On a lighter side, I may mention that I was born on Diwali day-- MD died on Diwali Day--when I proudly mentioned this to my Math teacher(9th grade),he said in Tamil which translated would be "SO THERE HAVE BEEN TWO REGRETTABLE EVENTS ON DIWALI"!!!

[RaviSri]

Thanks Rajani, I didn't know that Anantakrishna Bhagavatar had put together certain kritis to be sung as Aradhana offering. Best wishes. I wish some very rare kritis like mAmava raghuvIra (Mahuri), mAruvakAdi mAlini (mAlini), hATakEshwara (bilahari). siddhIshwarAya (nIlAmbari) etc., were also presented. Perhaps you might have done earlier or maybe you have such plans for the future.You could also think of vivadi ragas handled by Dikshitar and other such useful topics. Hope these things will be made available to Dikshitar lovers.

[venkatpv]

Thanks Rajani, I didn't know that Anantakrishna Bhagavatar had put together certain kritis to be sung as Aradhana offering.

The Calcutta school also has created other groups of kritis - like Rama/Krishna "navavarnams" and so on.

mAruvakAdi mAlini (mAlini)

mAruvakAdi mAlini is in the raga mAruva. It is a bewitching melody, and very worthy of being sung more often on-stage.

[Rajani]

Thanks RaviSri sir. I shall give your valuable suggestions to Sri Jeyaraaj and Smt Jaysri. It would indeed be lovely if we could hear those rare gems sung.

[satyabalu]

Best wishes for the function.
On a lighter side, I may mention that I was born on Diwali day-- MD died on Diwali Day--when I proudly mentioned this to my Math teacher(9th grade),he said in Tamil which translated would be "SO THERE HAVE BEEN TWO REGRETTABLE EVENTS ON DIWALI"!!!

Also mine.We have some link with Dikshidhar MKR.That why We are in this thread.

[RaviSri]

The expression navAvaraNam with reference to Rama/Krishna is a misnomer and inappropriate. navAvaraNam refers specifically to the Sri Chakra, it means the nine veils that are hindrances to the path of salvation. These nine veils have to be traversed and transcended to reach the goal of Self-Realisation in the Sri Vidya mode. Rama, Krishna, Siva, Vishnu, Ganapati or Muruga are not worshipped through navAvaraNa pUjas. The kritis on them cannot be called as Rama Navavaranam or Krishna Navavaranam or Siva Navavaranam.

[veenajj]

Dear RaviSri Sir,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. If you happen to be the same Ravi and Sridhar who have authored "Dikshitar - The Eternal Pilgrim" please do accept our Namaskarams. It is one of our favourite works on the Nadajyoti.

Kamalamba Navavaranam, Abhayamba Navavaranam, Rama Navavaranam, Krishna Navavaranam and Siva Navavaranam are just the names of some of the books that Brahmasri Ananthakrishna Iyer published in his lifetime. The nomenclature was not intended to have any other connotation.

About the rare songs that you have mentioned in this thread, we shall definitely endeavour to present them sometime soon.

Regards,
Jeyaraaj and Jaysri

[RaviSri]

Dear Jayaraj and Jayasri, yes the same Ravi & Sridhar we are.

Good to know that you will be taking up rare pieces of Dikshitar. Even the Abhayamba or Neelotpalamba kritis cannot be called Navavaranam because they have nothing to do with the Navavaranam. Only the Kamalamba kritis, 11 of them, including the dhyAna and mangaLam, are actual Navavaranas. I think the other kritis can be called as Navaratnams.

[Nick H]

It was a lovely afternoon event, with some really good group singing to begin with, followed by an excellent concert by Dr. Radha Bhaskar. Delicious prasadam was the "cherry on the cake." A wonderful combination of warmth, hospitality and music.

Many thanks to all.