The theme taken up for the concert was
" Healing Powers of Sri Muttuswami Dikshitar Kritis".Music Therapy is a topic very actively researched by several scholars and institutions all over the country
It is widely claimed that Muttuswami Dikshitar's compositions have a therapeutic effect and have cured several diseases. His life story includes episodes of miraculous impact of his compositions,like his Navagraha Kritis curing his disciple Shuddha Mathalam Tambiappan from very serious stomach ailments.
Modern science has clearly established that mind and body are closely connected.It is well known that many diseases like diabetes,hypertension and resultant diseases are caused by mental stress and imbalance of bio-chemical constituents in the brain.
It is therefore justifiable to assume that listening to and singing music which has a calming effect on the mind,will have an impact on the functioning of the body too.
Our scriptures proclaim that the ultimate goal of liberation(Moskha)requires realisation of the “Self”. Self-knowledge(Atma Gnanam)requires several disciplines
to make one fit to receive this knowledge. Liberation is symbolically described cure from the Human disease of Samsara(cycle of birth and death and innumerable experiences we go through).
The Lord is visualized as the "doctor" who cures this Samsara Roga or Bhava Roga, thus helping us to attain liberation.
Muttuswami Dikshitar was a great Advaitin who had rigorously pursued the teachings of the Indian scriptures. His compositions clearly illustrate his yearning for liberation and cure from Samsara or Bhava Roga.
As an erudite scholar of several Sastras like Mantra Sastra and Tantra Sastra,he has very intelligently woven those Sastric practises into his compositions.
His compositions contain hidden treasures of scriptural teachings as well as the essence of Mantra and Tantra Sastras. When properly sung and heard,these will definitely have a positive impact on all the facets of human personality providing wholistic treatment of Bhava Roga.
In this concert,I selected his compositions from this perspective of seeking cure from Bhava Roga – sometimes Samsara is symbolised as an ocean (Bhava sagaram) and the composer sees the Lord as one who helps us cross the ocean of Samsara.
Though it does not appear that he has composed Kritis to cure physical ailments, there is no doubt that listening to his compositions and practising them in right earnest will have a positive impact on the total personality of an individual which includes the physical body also. There is therefore no wonder that there are reports of effect of the Kritis on physical ailments too.
The concert was held at P.Obul Reddy Hall (Vani Mahal - mini).
Accompanists:
Mysore Srikanth - Violin
Poongulam Subramanian - Mridangam
K.V.Gopalakrishnan - Kanjira
I gave a short introduction to the theme at the beginning of the concert and also briefly explained before each Kriti, how it fitted into the theme.
Song List:
1. vAtApi - hamsadhwani - Adi
2. srI pArvatI paramEshwarau - bowLi - Adi
3. srI mAthrubhUtam - kannadA - misra cApu (S)
4. hiraNmayIm - lalitA - rUpakam (R)
5. navaratnavilAsa - navaratnavilAsam - Adi
6. srI kamalAmbikAyAm - sahAnA - tisra triputa (R)
7. srI guruNa pAlitOsmi - pAdi - rUpakam (S)
8. bhajarE rE citta - kalyANi - misra cApu (R,N,S,T)
9. diwAkara tanujam - yadukulakAmbhOji - chatusra Eka
10.srI kamalAmbikE - srI - kanta Eka
Chief guest for the evening was eminent musicologist, Dr.S.A.K.Durga who spoke on the concert's theme after the concert.
