Harikatha Guruguha Jayathi
A Tribute to Muthuswamy Dikshithar

The period in which the Musical Trinity namely Shyama Sastri, Thyagaraja and Muthuswamy Dikshithar lived is rightly regarded as the Golden age of classical Carnatic music. Muthuswamy Dikshithar was the youngest of the musical Trinity. Dhikshithar has left a rich legacy to Carnatic music comprising a few hundred spectacular compositions, mostly in Sanskrit. His music has a grandeur and sublimity of high order and the lyrics in his compositions adequately and exquisitely bring out the transcendent philosophical concepts. For the richness of Raga Bhava, the lyrical excellence in terms of embellishments (Alankaras) and the variety of compositions Dhikshithar has composed, his contribution to Music is unsurpassed.

Brahmasri T.S. Balakrishna Sastrigal, whose penchant for the works of Saint Thiagaraja is now legendary, unfurls an absolutely new facet from his repertoire. Brahmasri Sastrigal traces the life history of Muthuswamy Dhikshithar and explains in detail some of the magnificent compositions with reference to the situations they were composed in. This product is a storehouse of information on one of the greatest composers Carnatic Music has ever seen vividly narrated by one of the greatest exponents of Harikatha.


On Brahmasri T S Balakrishna Sastrigal (1919-2003)

Born in Thiruvidaimaruthur, near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, he began performing at the age of 23 and held sway over Harikatha Kalakshebam for over 6 decades. A former senior executive of State Bank of India, his very name was synonymous with this traditional art of story-telling. With an amazing and unmatched command over the Vedas, Puranas, Sastras, classical music and a score of languages, he held the audience spell-bound with his flair, fervour, felicity of expression and a resonant voice.

Among the countless titles and honors that were conferred on him, the title "Harikatha Rathnakara" bestowed on him by both the Paramachariyals of Kamakoti and Sringeri peetams simultaneously at Asthika Samaj, Chennai in the year 1966 stands out.Sangeetha Nataka Academy, Delhi honored him in1993. Music Academy, Chennai conferred on him the Sangeetha Kala Acharya Award in 1997.Tamil Nadu Government bestowed on him the Kalaimaamani title in 1972.

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