Muthuswamy Deekshitar

Muthuswami Dikshitar
Muthuswami Dikshitar
Background information
Born	(1775-03-24)March 24, 1775 Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
Genres	Carnatic music
Occupation(s)	Carnatic composer

Muthuswami Dikshitar (March 24, 1775 – October 21, 1835) was a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the musical trinity of Carnatic music. His compositions, of which around 500 are commonly known, are noted for their elaborate and poetic descriptions of Hindu gods and temples and for capturing the essence of the raga forms through the vainika (veena) style that emphasises gamakas. They are typically in a slower speed (chowka kala). He is also known by his signature name of Guruguha which is also his mudra (and can be found in each of his songs). His compositions are widely sung and played in classical concerts of Carnatic music.

The musical trinity consists of Dikshitar, Tyagaraja (1767–1847), and Syama Sastri (1762–1827), although, unlike the Telugu compositions of the others, his compositions are predominantly in Sanskrit. He also composed some of his Kritis in Manipravalam(admixture of Sanskrit, Telugu and Tamil).

Muthuswami Dikshitar was born in Tiruvarur (of Thiruvarur district in what is now the state of Tamil Nadu) to a Telugu Brahmin couple, Ramaswami Dikshitar (discoverer of Raaga Hamsadhwani) and Subbamma, as the eldest son. According to the account of Subbarama Dikshitar, Muttuswami Dikshitar was born in the manmatha year, in the month of Tamil Panguni under the asterism Krittikaa. He was named after the temple deity, Muttukumaraswamy; legend has it that he was born after his parents prayed for a child in the Vaitheeswaran Temple. He had two younger brothers, Baluswami and Chinnaswami, and a sister, Balambal.

In keeping with the tradition, Muthuswami learned the Sanskrit language, Vedas, and other important religious texts. He obtained his preliminary musical education from his father.