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krithika sivaswamy

@krithikasivasw

Jan 23

So yesterday we saw a divided house in carnatic music space. Those who have bhakti & were celebrating Rama and those who were virtue signalling. The most important point was quoting Shri Thyagaraja out of context posting his krithi "nadachi nadachi" & dragging him down for their low level narratives. Either they know that they are misquoting him or they are ignorant enough to not understand the nuance or the philosophy behind it. @priya_27_ and I had a conversation about this on the telugu sahityam.

So our predictable guy tmk stops mid way in a concert that happened earlier and says that the meaning is
" there is no Ayodhya " . Tmk takes a literal meaning out of context cleverly to show his protest against Ayodhya ram mandir and his whatever secularism, while Thyagaraja 's poetic expression conveys that one cannot find Ayodhya or Rama if he is not found within first.
He did not say there is " no Ayodhya " or let Badri masjid remain !!!!!

Other chelas picked it up and posted it yesterday specifically.
Interestingly, the ones so dedicated about Thyagaraja, don't talk about his other krithis where he actually describes Ayodhya well. kaaru baaru in mukhari is an example.

It's dangerous to let the liberal left drag down vaggeyakaras for their narratives.

If Shri Thyagaraja was indeed alive in human form today, he would have sung something extempore to celebrate Rama 's return at saketa nagara...like how he sang kanugontini when he found his Rama vigraham in kaveri after looking for days.

Let's take a krithi kaaru baaru in mukhari where Thyagaraja speaks of Rama 's rule of Ayodhya. You all know most of his krithis are like his conversation with Shri Rama. He sings in jubilation, while being remorseful - in all his moods. He talks to Rama.

Sharing Ravi & Sridhar 's write up on kaaru baaru

Ayodhya is in the news everywhere, on almost everyone’s lips, whether the response is positive or negative.

There was but one entity who saw Ayodhya as representing nothing but goodness. The country was prosperous, its citizens were an educated lot, revelled in arts and crafts, and led happy, contented, peaceful lives, And there were rains, three times a month (மாதம் மும்மாரி பெய்யும் மழை)! How does that sound? Utopian? Impossible? Well, according to Thyagaraja all these and more was the perpetual state of the country and were the result of Sri Rama’s reign of Ayodhya. Thyagaraja has composed on almost all exploits of Rama.

காருபாரு சேயுவாரு ‘kArubAru sEyuvAru’ is his composition entirely dedicated to the state of Ayodhya during the reign of Sri Rama. Thyagaraja composes this kriti as a kind of questionnaire. He asks Rama several questions about his rule of Ayodhya. On the surface these are questions. Nevertheless, they are statements, factual and profound. This composition is a succinct lesson to rulers on how they should administer their respective states/countries.

The meaning of the song:
Sri Rama! Has there been anybody who has reigned over Ayodhya like you? Have you not exercised supreme authority to protect your subjects, and secured the happiness and prosperity of townsmen, countrymen and rishis alike? Because of your benevolent reign were they all not proud that they were indeed fortunate enough to be your subjects? During your reign your subjects had the benefit of the three monthly rains, training and education in all arts and crafts. They also were blessed with longevity and freedom from intrigue and haughtiness.

Set in the rakti raga Mukhari which Thyagaraja has handled in a manner that defies the traditional idiom of the raga being portrayed as a pensive one, this composition is a classic, a magnum opus. That the great Mahapurusha could coax such a raga to reveal a most benevolent and majestic concept is amazing.

It is interesting to note that only in two compositions, ‘kArubAru’ and ‘paramAtmuDu veligE’ has Thyagaraja used the word ஸாது साधु ‘sAdhu’ to refer to himself, sAdhu meaning pious.

This kriti was a staple of Veena Dhanammal and Kanchipuram Naina Pillai and their families. T.Brinda and T.Muktha used to revel in this composition. Their expedition in the higher octaves in this song were incredibly thrilling.

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krithika sivaswamy

@krithikasivasw

Jan 14

#Ayodhya #RamMandirPranPratishta

A beautiful writeup by Shri Ravi & Sridhar on Shri Muthuswamy Dikshitar being invited to Shri Thyagaraja 's house in Thiruvarur. This is where Dikshitar composes maamava pattabhirama in manirangu. Read !

THE ETERNAL PILGRIM and THE ETERNAL MINSTREL

An account is traditionally handed down of the meeting between Tyagaraja and Muthuswamy Dikshitar. It is said that when Dikshitar was singing his MadhyamAvati composition ‘Dharmasamvardhani’ at the Mother Goddess’s shrine in the Tiruvayyaru temple, a few of Tyagaraja's disciples were present there. Savouring the exquisite music, they enquired of one of Dikshitar's disciples and gathered details about the composer. They then hurried to their guru and told him of Dikshitar and his music. It was not that Tyagaraja was hearing about Dikshitar for the first time. Great mahApuruShAs are certainly aware of each other, only that they do not reveal their inner cognition. Dikshitar too must have heard of Tyagaraja from many people and most certainly from Shyama Sastri. He must also have listened to the bard's compositions. Tyagaraja asked his disciples to invite Dikshitar home. The bard's disciples returned to the temple and informed Dikshitar of Tyagaraja's invitation, which the former happily accepted.

Tyagaraja regularly recited the Valmiki Ramayana. On that day he had come to the episode of the coronation of Sri Rama. Could there be a greater occasion for the two puruShOthamAs of music to meet than the paTTAbhiShEka day of the Purushothama Himself? Tirumanjana vIdhi where Thyagaraja resided is just a stone's throw from the Goddess Dharmasamvardhini shrine in the Panchanadeeswara temple.

The bard rose to meet his younger, nevertheless equal contemporary. After mutual respects were over, Tyagaraja requested Dikshitar to stay on and witness the pUja which he performed after the Ramayana recitation. The Rama dAsA's worship on that paTTAbhiShEka day thus acquired a special sacredness. A big crowd of disciples and residents of Tiruvaiyyaru gathered to witness that momentous event. It was a surcharged atmosphere. After the pUja, dIpArAdhanA and ShODasha upachArAs, Tyagaraja bade his disciples sing. It was to be his Bhairavi masterpiece ‘koluvaiyunnADe’. The whole of Tirumanjana street resonated with the song of its renowned resident.

Tyagaraja slowly turned to Dikshitar and requested him to sing on 'my Rama'. The small but majestic, centuries old paTTAbhiShEka icon of Rama with Sri Sita, Bharata, Lakshmana, Shatrugna and Anjaneya, complete with the maNTapa and worshipped by Tyagaraja's ancestors and bequeathed to him as heirloom is truly awe-inspiring. Its spiritual power is quite discernible to those who approach it with utmost reverence. What wonder then that the Mahapurusha Dikshitar himself sat enraptured?

Was it the mystical power of the icon or the deeply religious atmosphere that pervaded the entire place or the bard's own powerful spiritual presence? Or was it the inspiration of the mystical Cauvery that flowed at a stone's throw? It was perhaps a combination of all the four that inspired Dikshitar to dive deep within, to tap his innermost artistic resources. The strain that came out of his very depths, out of his very being had to be special. And it was. The rare maNirangu discovered itself. Dikshitar built a grand edifice for the rAga and bestowed immortality on it. It was an extraordinary edifice, a grandly decorated manTapa (மணிரங்கவல்லி அலங்க்ரித மண்டபே maNirangavalli alankrita maNTapE) studded with the gems of exquisite gamakAs and phrases that Dikshitar gifted to the rAga and made it fit for Tyagaraja's Rama to revel in. The misra chApu tALa that Dikshitar chose for its rhythm was the most appropriate foil. மாமவ பட்டாபிராமா mAmava paTTAbhirAma, a classic par excellence was Dikshitar’s tribute to Tyagaraja's beloved Rama. The song describes the coronation of Sri Rama in exactly the same manner as Valmiki's Ramayana does.

The kriti was also appropriate to the occasion and the spirited, sublime music coupled with the majestic sAhitya enshrined the presence of the Lord in the hearts of those who had the great fortune of listening to it. The residents of Tiruvayyaru who witnessed the momentous meeting between the two high priests of art music felt elevated and the event took eternal place in their hearts. Such rare, sublime occurrings are seldom spoken of too.

The Eternal Cauvery, whose privilege it was to host this great event must have felt proud at the meeting and outstanding accomplishments of Her two bosom children, one, the Eternal Pilgrim, the other, the Eternal Minstrel.

Her is @ranjanigayatri singing maamava pattabhirama.

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krithika sivaswamy

@krithikasivasw

Dec 27, 2022

@hrce

A separate thread of pictures to show how @hrce maintains this ancient Thiruvalanchuzhi temple
1) garbage inside . Near main gopuram

2) vegetation around. Not cleared or garden maintained

3) state of valuable inscriptions

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krithika sivaswamy

@krithikasivasw

Dec 24, 2022

@KishoreIyer5

Weekend morning in the Kumbakonam belt with @KishoreIyer5 @PantryCar
@tweets_tinku
First stop at Thiruvalanchuzhi a padal Petra sthalam,where vinayakar is made of foam and is called shweta vinayaka. This beautiful ancient temple deserves better maintenance.

@tskrishnan

Some inscriptions from the temple.@tskrishnan would love to know which era this is.

Paintings from the maratha era

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krithika sivaswamy

@krithikasivasw

Oct 2, 2022

While the Tamil community is sailing in the sea of #PonniyinSelvan movie success, Udayarkudi temple with actual inscriptions on the killing of #Adityakarikalan is in a terrible condition. Half of it is gone due to cementing.
We are the only ppl who destroy their own heritage

@jaybaradwajs

The video is from @jaybaradwajs who is there today.

Inscriptions under Dakshinamurthy and Durga completely gone due to addition of brick & cement. It has to be pulled out.
An extremely important temple in history of Chola because it talks of the assassination of chola prince

The temple is badly maintained by HRCE.

An expert panel on preservation has to be set up by law that prevents both HRCE & non HRCE temples from ruining inscriptions and structures without their approval & guidance.

Unbelievable how we make a mess of our own heritage.
#PS1

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krithika sivaswamy

@krithikasivasw

Sep 12, 2022

Long thread alert on #Ayureda based on my experience.
I am not someone who discusses health issues with even extended family, let alone public. But I've decided to share it here to vindicate our traditional medicine 's powerful healing process.

In the 1st week of May this yr, i had developed upper back pain near my neck, upto hands down till finger tips. I had assumed it as being sore muscles due to workouts & summer heat. but it was persistent, i started feeling dizzy & a sense of losing balance came in.

@bharathnarendra

It was there almost daily,not excruciating but typically would tingle when i picked up weight/sat long hrs.I also felt uncomfortable driving.That's when i decided to go to @bharathnarendra who immediately asked me to take a cervical MRI. As he expected, the report read disc bulge

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