Carnatic Grade 6

• Muthuswamy Dikshitar was born in Tiruvarur, Tamil nadu in 1776 to Ramaswamy Dikshitar and Subbulakshmi Ammal
• Muthuswamy Dikshitar complected a study of Sanskrit and allied subjects in his teens and acquired enough proficiency in Telugu to serve the needs of music which became his chief passion in life
• At the request of Manali Muthukrishna Mudaliar, Ramaswami Dikshitar went to Manali along with his 3 sons Muthuswami, Balaswami and Chinnaswami and daughter Balambal
• A Saint called Chitambara Yogi of Varanasai (Benares), who was impressed by Muthuswamy Dikshitar's intelligence, took Muthuswami Dikshitar along with him to Varanasi as his diciple
• Dikshitar stayed in Varanasi for 5 years and learnt Hindustha music
• After the passing away of his Guru, Dikshitar returned to Manali
• arohana gamakam


  a grace embracing notes in ascending order
• avarohana gamakam


  a grace inherit notes in descending order
• dhalu gamakam


  starting on basic not and producing the higher notes in conformity with the raga e.g sP - sM -sG
• Sphurita gamakam


  a janta swara phrase where in the lower note in between each janta swara group is faintly heard with a stress on the second janta swara e.g SS-RR-GG-MM
• Kampita Gamakam


  Manipulation of the note is such that there is not even the remotest suggestion of the adjacent notes e.g Ppp- ppP
• Ahata Gamakam


  a swara phrase liek sr rg gm mp in ascending order
• Pratyahata Gamakam 


  a swara phrase like sn nd dp pm in descending order
• Tripuncha Gamakam


  when notes occur in triple order such as sss rrr ggg
• Andola Gamakam


  swinging movement produced by phrases srsDd srsPp srsMm
• Moorchana Gamakam 


  starting on sadjam and proceeding regularly in the arohana krama and finising on dirga nishadham , then starting on rishabham and going upto dirga sadjam e.g srgmpdN rgmpdnS gmpdnsR
• Dikshitar's visit to Thiruttani


  1. Came to the holy shrine of Thiruttani

  2. Began to pray and meditate before the Lord Subramania

  3. Lord Subramania appeared, placed a piece of sugar candy into his mouth and disappeared
• After this incident, Dikshitar started to compose beautiful Kritis
• First Kriti composed by Dikshitar


  "Srinathadi Guruguho Jayati Jayati" in Mayamalavagaulai ragam, Adi talam
• Dikshitar's visit to Ettayapuram


  1. Left for Ettayapuram after Chinnaswami Dikshitar's death

  2. Met his younger brother Balaswami

  3. Composed "Anandamrita" in Amritavarshani ragam

  4. Heavy downpour brought relief to the area

  5. Attended his brother's marriage

  6. Returned to Thiruvarur