Navarātri has just gone by. It is a celebration across our country where we acknowledge all that enhances our life; the tools we work with, the books that educate us, and our instruments of art. Mythologically we hear of the stories of great battles that defeated the forces of evil, be it Rāma's victory over Rāvaṇa or the Goddess over the demon Mahiṣāsura. 

As students of music, this is a time to sing Dēvī kṛti-s, and reflect on the various names, forms, and qualities of the divine feminine. The collection of compositions that I present here is an extension of the same. 

Our country is filled with goddesses of various forms and characteristics. I am sharing a few kṛti-s on the Goddess of Tiru̱vaiyyāru̱, Dharmasamvardhani. She is referred to as Aṟam Vaḷartta Nāyaki in Tamiẕ, and is also seen as a form of Viṣṇu - symbolised by the conch and discus in her hands. 

The Tiru̱vaiyyāru̱ temple is also one of the few shrines which has songs composed on the deities by Śrī Śyāma Śāstri, Śrī Tyāgarāja, as well as Śrī Muttusvāmi Dīkṣitar, apart from other vāggēyakāra-s. Here are a few of my favourites. I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I have. 

When we refer to Tiru̱vaiyyāru̱, the first name that will probably come to most people's minds is Tyāgarāja. Having lived most of his life and attained samadhi in this town, he has composed a number of compositions on both Pañcanadīśvara (the God of five rivers) and his consort Dharmasamvardhani as well. Here is a rendition of Bālē bālēndu bhūṣaṇi in Rāga Rītigauḷa by Śrī Ramnad Krishnan. 

https://youtu.be/B4OgBvz3q5s?feature=shared 

Among the Carnatic Trinity, Śrī Śyāma Śāstri is most associated with the Goddess. We have his compositions on a number of shrines including  Akhilāṇḍēśvari, Nīlāyatākṣi, Bṛhannāyaki, and of course Kāmākṣi. Here is a composition on Dharmasamvardhani in Rāga Sāvēri, Durusugā Kṛpajūci. This is rendered on the Vīṇa by Śrī KS Narayaswamy and Smt. MS Subbulakshmi at the Madras Music Academy, in the year MS Subbulakshmi received the Saṅgīta Kalānidhi. Interestingly, this version does not have the svara sāhitya passage which a few other pāṭhāntara-s or schools incorporate. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVpXyjai0Vk&t=1052s

We come to the youngest of the Trinity, Śrī Muttusvāmi Dikṣitar. Perhaps the most widely travelled of the three, his compositions include details of the shrine's history, mythology and other descriptions of the temple. Here is Dharmasamvardhani in Rāga Madhyamāvati rendered by Smt. DK Pattamal and Śrī DK Jayaraman.

https://youtu.be/sbYZmslXKY8?feature=shared

It is said that Śyāma Śāstri's son Śrī Subbarāya Śāstri had the rare privilege of interacting with all three of the musical trinity. And it is no surprise that his compositions, although few in number, are each a masterpiece in their own right. This particular rendition of Ninnuvinā Gatigāna in Rāga Kalyāṇi by Śrī MD Ramanathan is particularly close to my heart. Hope you like it too. 

https://youtu.be/50RearazpVc?feature=shared

To conclude, here is a not so commonly heard composition attributed to Śrī Patnam Subramania Iyer in Rāga Bhairavi, Nī Pādamulē Gatiyani Nammiti. This is rendered by Śrī Musiri Subramania Iyer.

https://youtu.be/QQrxa-sajrM?feature=shared

Happy listening!