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Extolling the navagrahas

Amongst the kritis of Muthuswamy Dikshitar, which are classified as a group, the Kamalamba Navavarnas and the kritis on the navagrahas are the popular ones, when compared to the other groups comprising the Panchalinga kritis and the Abhayambha Vibhakthi kritis etc. The first seven kritis of the navagraha group are heard fairly frequently in the current concert arena of Carnatic music.

There is a school of thought which does not associate the kritis on ‘Rahu’ and ‘Kethu’ with Muthuswami Dikshitar and that these songs are later additions of an unknown composer, who has employed the ‘Guru Guha’ mudra in these creations. Prior to the inclusion of these compositions in the Navagraha group, the seven compositions were referred to as ‘Vaara’ kritis, with one song for each of the seven days of the week. The kritis ‘Smaramyaham’ (Ramamanohari or Ramapriya ) and ‘Mahasuram’ (Chamaram or Shanmukhapriya) on ‘Rahu’ and ‘Kethu’ have however come to stay as a part of the present Navagraha group of songs of Muthuswamy Dikshitar.

The twin disc album under review happens to be a recording of a live thematic concert exclusively on the Navagraha kritis, held in 2007 under the auspices of ‘Guruguhanjali.’ The singers, K.N.Sashikiran and P.Ganesh, have rendered the nine songs commencing from ‘Suryamurthe’ (Saurashtram-Chatusra Dhruvam) on the Sun God and concluding with ‘Mahasuram’ on the nodal planet Kethu.

The renderings of the kritis is marked by ‘azhutham’ with a good grip over the various talas. Chittaswaras feature in the compositions on the sun and the moon. These chittaswaras are not oft-heard ones. A chittaswara for the kriti on Saturn (‘Diwakarathanujam,’ Yadukulakhambodi - Chatusra ekam) however, used to be sung by the late Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, which is said to have been composed by the late violin artist Thirukodikaval Krishna Iyer.

The kalapramanas of the songs vocalised by the siblings are apt for the kritis. The sahitya falls clearly on the ears and the raga swaroopas are in tact. Alapanas are restricted to Surutti by Ganesh and Nattakurinji by Sashikiran and shared by the brothers during the Yadukulakhambodi essay.

These vinyasas are meaningful exercises without resorting to deliberate elongation. The unnamed violinist is apparently from the Parur school and offers crisp, good versions of the ragas. Kalpanaswaras are sung for the Surutti composition at ‘Mangalavaram’ and at ‘Kinkarajana’ for the Nattakurinji number which is preceded by a niraval. These are rendered with confidence and are mature displays. The mridangist whose name is also omitted in the inlay card has accompanied with a lot of enthusiasm for the kritis which are set to different tala structures. The brief percussion solo after the Nattakurinji song is topped with a simple korvai for the tala cycle of ten beats (Mishra Jampai).

What is a bit thought provoking is that the chittaswara for ‘Suryamurthe’ in ‘Saurashtram’ does not bring out the hue of the melody. The prayogas like Pa Ma Daa Ni Sa (employing the Kakali nishadam) and Sa Ni Da Nee Da (employing both the Kakali and Kaisiki nishadas) which are very essential for ‘Saurashtram’ remain elusive in the chittaswaram. The sung chittaswara portrays more of ‘Suryakantham’ rather than ‘Saurashtram.’

It is also noted that the chittaswara rendered is as per what has been published in the Sangitha Sampradaya Pradarshini of Subbarama Dikshitar. The composition presented by the singers in Saurashtram adheres to the current day raga swaroopa of the melody. The chittaswara reflects the swaroopa of Saurashtram which prevailed during the time it was composed.

Shrishti’s Carnatica Pvt Ltd.

Carnatica Brothers

K.N. Sashikiran

P. Ganesh

Audio CD – Carnatic

Price Rs.199

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