Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi
Encyclopedia
Ootthukkadu Venkata Kavi (c.1700 - 1765 CE) was a prominent composer of Carnatic music
. He lived in South India
in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu
. Also known by the name Oothukkadu Venkatasubba Iyer, he is attributed to over 400 compositions. These were handed down from generation to generation by the descendants of the composer's brother's family. Venkata Kavi's compositions reveal that he was a complete master of the science and art of music in all senses of the term – melody, rhythm or lyrics and was eloquent in Sanskrit
and Tamil
. He was proficient in a variety of musical forms such as the kriti, tillana and kavadichindu. He used talas
and themes that not many other Carnatic
composers have preferred to handle. His compositions are a blend of a high degree of scholarship on a variety of subjects and inspired expression. Several pieces also reveal his humility, reverence for the great personalities before his times and the high state of bliss that he probably experienced almost ceaselessly. His works scarcely contain autobiographical notes and show that he had reached great spiritual and philosophical heights. His works also reveal the proximity he felt towards God and show his deep devotion.
(about 200 miles from Chennai
), Venkata Kavi moved into the village of Oottukkadu (referred to as "Dhenushwasapuram" in Sanskrit ), near Kumbhakonam. One of his nephews, Kattu Krishna Iyer was a musician in the royal court of the Tanjore King in the latter part of the 18th century.
According to family sources, Venkata Kavi was passionate about music but could not find a guru of his choice in that area, which prompted him to appeal to the god Krishna
himself, in the Kalinga Nartana Temple in Ootthukkadu. He is believed to have received initiation from the Lord himself, as asserted in one of his Tamil compositions, Guru paadaravindam komalamu - in the raga
Abhogi
, he declares: "I have never studied the scriptures or yoga nor pretended to have done so. I received the fortune of knowledge in the benevolent glance of my guru." Venkata Kavi composed at least 14 songs only on the greatness of his Guru Krishna
. A few of them suggest that he may also have had another human guru, at least for spiritual purposes. According to several sources from that area, this guru was none other than Bhaskara Raya, the acclaimed authority of Devi worship of his times. This is further augmented by the immense scholarship seen in Venkata Kavi's Kamakshi Navavarana krtis dealing with the intricate details of avarana pooja (Srividya worship).
’s sangeeta gnanamu bhakti vina sanmargamu galade.
Venkata Kavi had a vast knowledge of music and musical nuances. He used a wide variety of raga
s ranging from the well known such as Todi
, Kalyani, Kharaharapriya
, Sahana
, through minor ones like Kannadagowla, Jayantashri, Malavi, Umabharanam and also a few that are seldom used today like Balahamsa and Rasamanjari. In some instances, his works are the first or only ones to be available in a given raga such as Sri Shivanayike in Lalitagandharvam and Padasevanam in Deeparam. His approach of even common ragas like Sahana, Paras, Nadanamakriya and Arabhi are distinctive and refreshing.
His vision of the raga and melody as a whole is considerable and can be seen in the number of different styles in which he composed various krtis in the same raga. For instance, his krtis in Madhyamavathi
– Shankari Sri Rajarajeshwari, Sundara nandakumara and Aadadu ashangadu vaa Kanna - bring out different facets of this beautiful raga. He also employed attractive swaraksharas – a technique where the lyrics match the solfa notes of the tune. He has also incorporated raga mudra (mentioning the names of ragas of the composition) in several krtis. Examples: Shuddha Saveri
, Navarasakannada. Several other compositions contain names of many other ragas mentioned in some other contexts.
Venkata Kavi also had great command over rhythm, as seen in his venture into scarcely attempted talas such as Khanda Dhruvam (17 units per cycle), Sankeerna Mathyam (20) and Mishra Atam (18). He made complex eduppus (starting or landing points of various sections of a composition) seem like child’s play and used them naturally, without ever affecting the flow of the music or the lyrics. Venkata Kavi had deep scholarship in Sanskrit and Tamil. His vocabulary and the use of words and phrases are unique in Carnatic literature.
Venkata Kavi's vivid imagination and picturisation can be seen in Taye yashoda in raga Todi
, where the gopikas are complaining to Yashoda about her son Lord Krishna. This song has eight charanam
s (stanzas) and each one describes the pranks of Krishna very humorously. Not so well known is the reply by Krishna to every one of these charges in another piece, Illai illai in Mohanam
, also with eight charanams. There are literally hundreds of similar examples in his operas based on the Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Pranavopadesham or similar epics and legends.
of his Abhogi piece, Mahashaya hrdaya, he has composed three variations in the madhyamakala passage as given below:
Venkata Kavi also used his innovative skills in the structures of his compositions. In some songs Venkata Kavi has varied the ratios or inserted madhyamakalams between slower passages within a given section as seen in the pallavi of Padmini vallabha in raga Dhanyasi
.
, where he has capped off the charanam with a pattern of 6 repeated 11 times, which is a wonderful way to get to half a beat landing (which is the commencing point of the pallavi) from the beat after 2 cycles of Adi tala. The words are superbly woven in lilting Sanskrit:
There are many other instances of similar endings in krtis like Alavadennalo in Paras (5th charanam) and Mummada vezhamugattu Vinayakan in Nattai.
but he has composed on a number of other deities as well, such as Vinayaka, Tyagaraja
of Tiruvarur
, Kamakshi
, Rama
, Kartikeya, Narasimha
, Anjaneya, Ranganatha
, and also on Surya
, Radha
and other mythological
characters. He has composed on great sages
such as Shuka Brahma Rishi, Jayadeva
and Valmiki
. Besides, he has composed several songs on the greatness of Guru, and general philosophy and approach to God. His works contain references to Azhwars, Nayanmars, Ramanuja
, Tulasidas and many other revealing his knowledge of their works and contributions and his reverence towards them.
and another group covering his marriage with Radha
.
There is also a set of songs narrating the story on Lord Rama’s childhood starting from Dasharatha’s Putrakameshti yagna to Rama’s trip with Vishwamitra. It is not known whether this work was completed by the author but there is a lovely single ragamalika piece Sri Rama jayame jayam which covers the entire story of Ramayana
.
Compositions on Daksha
Yaga, Prahlada
and Mahabharata
have also been found.
His Saptaratnas (seven gems = seven songs) are similar in style to Tyagaraja
’s pancharatnas (five gems) in their musical structure consisting of the main refrain (pallavi), a contrasing section (anupallavi) and a series of other sections (charana) in medium tempo (madhyama kala) that can be rendered as swara and sahitya. The saptaratnas are:
His Anjaneya ratna krtis, so far 5-6 have been found. These include:
Pavana kumara - Vasanta
Veekshitoham - Kedaragowla
Anjanaananda ambodhi chandra - Todi
Shree raghavadhootam - Shuruti
Bhaktabhagadheya - Madhyamavati
s) on the goddess Srividya to be sung during Dasara. Apart from the main nine songs for the nine nights, he has also composed Vinayaka stuti, Dhyana stuti and a Phala stuti. There are several similarities (and differences) between his Navavaranams and that of Muthuswami Dikshitar
but both reveal the composers’ scholarship in the various aspects of Devi
worship. These are:
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
. He lived in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. Also known by the name Oothukkadu Venkatasubba Iyer, he is attributed to over 400 compositions. These were handed down from generation to generation by the descendants of the composer's brother's family. Venkata Kavi's compositions reveal that he was a complete master of the science and art of music in all senses of the term – melody, rhythm or lyrics and was eloquent in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
. He was proficient in a variety of musical forms such as the kriti, tillana and kavadichindu. He used talas
Tala (music)
Tāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
and themes that not many other Carnatic
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
composers have preferred to handle. His compositions are a blend of a high degree of scholarship on a variety of subjects and inspired expression. Several pieces also reveal his humility, reverence for the great personalities before his times and the high state of bliss that he probably experienced almost ceaselessly. His works scarcely contain autobiographical notes and show that he had reached great spiritual and philosophical heights. His works also reveal the proximity he felt towards God and show his deep devotion.
Early life
Venkata Kavi, named as Venkata Subramanian, was born as the eldest of five children to the Tamil smarta couple of Subbu Kutti Iyer and Venkammam, according to the family records in the possession of his brother Kamalanarayani and Ramachandra Vathoola's descendants. Though his ancestors had resided in various villages in South Indian around the temple towns of MannargudiMannargudi
India census, Mannargudi had a population of 61,588. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Mannargudi has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In Mannargudi, 9% of the population is under 6...
(about 200 miles from Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
), Venkata Kavi moved into the village of Oottukkadu (referred to as "Dhenushwasapuram" in Sanskrit ), near Kumbhakonam. One of his nephews, Kattu Krishna Iyer was a musician in the royal court of the Tanjore King in the latter part of the 18th century.
According to family sources, Venkata Kavi was passionate about music but could not find a guru of his choice in that area, which prompted him to appeal to the god Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
himself, in the Kalinga Nartana Temple in Ootthukkadu. He is believed to have received initiation from the Lord himself, as asserted in one of his Tamil compositions, Guru paadaravindam komalamu - in the raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Abhogi
Abhogi
Abhogi is a raga in Carnatic music and has been adapted to Hindustani music. It is a pentatonic scale, an audava or owdava raga. It is a derived scale , as it does not have all the seven swaras...
, he declares: "I have never studied the scriptures or yoga nor pretended to have done so. I received the fortune of knowledge in the benevolent glance of my guru." Venkata Kavi composed at least 14 songs only on the greatness of his Guru Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
. A few of them suggest that he may also have had another human guru, at least for spiritual purposes. According to several sources from that area, this guru was none other than Bhaskara Raya, the acclaimed authority of Devi worship of his times. This is further augmented by the immense scholarship seen in Venkata Kavi's Kamakshi Navavarana krtis dealing with the intricate details of avarana pooja (Srividya worship).
Musicianship
The greatest evidence of his musical pedigree is his compositions. There are several references to good musical approach, practices and even technical terms of ornamentation like aahatam and pratyaagatam. Venkata Kavi believed that music had to be blended with religious devotion (bhakti) in order to shine. His philosophy, bhakti yoga sangeeta margame paramapavana mahume ("Devotion though music is the path to salvation") is similar to the great composer TyagarajaTyagaraja
Kakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
’s sangeeta gnanamu bhakti vina sanmargamu galade.
Venkata Kavi had a vast knowledge of music and musical nuances. He used a wide variety of raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
s ranging from the well known such as Todi
Hanumatodi
Hanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi, is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 8th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. This is sung very often in concerts. It is known to be a difficult rāgam to perform in owing to its complexity in prayoga...
, Kalyani, Kharaharapriya
Kharaharapriya
Kharaharapriya is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 22nd melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. Kharaharapriya has a distinct melody and brings out the Karuna rasam, invoking pathos in the listeners...
, Sahana
Sahana ragam
Sahana is a popular rāgam in Carnatic music. It is a janya rāgam associated with the 28th Melakarta rāgam Harikambhoji. It is not related to Shahana.-Structure and Lakshana:...
, through minor ones like Kannadagowla, Jayantashri, Malavi, Umabharanam and also a few that are seldom used today like Balahamsa and Rasamanjari. In some instances, his works are the first or only ones to be available in a given raga such as Sri Shivanayike in Lalitagandharvam and Padasevanam in Deeparam. His approach of even common ragas like Sahana, Paras, Nadanamakriya and Arabhi are distinctive and refreshing.
His vision of the raga and melody as a whole is considerable and can be seen in the number of different styles in which he composed various krtis in the same raga. For instance, his krtis in Madhyamavathi
Madhyamavathi
Madhyamavati is a rāga in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāga . It is a janya rāga , as it does not have all the seven musical notes . The equivalent of Madhyamavati in Hindustani music is Madhumad Sarang.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
– Shankari Sri Rajarajeshwari, Sundara nandakumara and Aadadu ashangadu vaa Kanna - bring out different facets of this beautiful raga. He also employed attractive swaraksharas – a technique where the lyrics match the solfa notes of the tune. He has also incorporated raga mudra (mentioning the names of ragas of the composition) in several krtis. Examples: Shuddha Saveri
Shuddha Saveri
Shuddha Saveri , , ) is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāgam . It is a janya rāgam , as it does not have all the seven swaras .The equivalent of Shuddha Saveri in Hindustani music is Durga.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
, Navarasakannada. Several other compositions contain names of many other ragas mentioned in some other contexts.
Venkata Kavi also had great command over rhythm, as seen in his venture into scarcely attempted talas such as Khanda Dhruvam (17 units per cycle), Sankeerna Mathyam (20) and Mishra Atam (18). He made complex eduppus (starting or landing points of various sections of a composition) seem like child’s play and used them naturally, without ever affecting the flow of the music or the lyrics. Venkata Kavi had deep scholarship in Sanskrit and Tamil. His vocabulary and the use of words and phrases are unique in Carnatic literature.
Venkata Kavi's vivid imagination and picturisation can be seen in Taye yashoda in raga Todi
Hanumatodi
Hanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi, is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 8th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. This is sung very often in concerts. It is known to be a difficult rāgam to perform in owing to its complexity in prayoga...
, where the gopikas are complaining to Yashoda about her son Lord Krishna. This song has eight charanam
Charanam
Charanam in Carnatic music is usually the end section of a composition which is sung after the anupallavi....
s (stanzas) and each one describes the pranks of Krishna very humorously. Not so well known is the reply by Krishna to every one of these charges in another piece, Illai illai in Mohanam
Mohanam
Mohanam is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāgam . It is a janya rāgam , as it does not have all the seven swaras .The equivalent of Mohanam in Hindustani music is Bhoop Mohanam is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an audava rāgam (or...
, also with eight charanams. There are literally hundreds of similar examples in his operas based on the Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Pranavopadesham or similar epics and legends.
Variations
Sangatis are pre-composed variations in a composition and rendered in a disciplined manner (as opposed to variations born from free improvisation). Usually, variations are melodic in nature while the lyrics remain constant. Several of Venkata Kavi’s pieces have such sangatis but he has also shown the concept of lyrical variations. For instance, in the pallaviPallavi
In Carnatic music pallavi is the thematic line of a song. It is usually one cycle long and repeated twice in order to give the percussionist the idea of the chosen taalam...
of his Abhogi piece, Mahashaya hrdaya, he has composed three variations in the madhyamakala passage as given below:
- madhukara champaka vana vihara manamohana Madhusoodana navabhooshana
- madhukara champaka vana vihara nava pallava padakara madana gambheera
- madhukara champaka vana vihara govardhana dhara bhujaga nartana charana
Venkata Kavi also used his innovative skills in the structures of his compositions. In some songs Venkata Kavi has varied the ratios or inserted madhyamakalams between slower passages within a given section as seen in the pallavi of Padmini vallabha in raga Dhanyasi
Dhanyasi
Dhanyasi is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is a janya rāgam from the 8th melakarta scale Hanumatodi. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras in the ascending scale...
.
Emphatic finales
Venkata Kavi was a master of finishes. In several songs, his endings are in interesting rhythmic patterns. For example, Bhuvanamoha in DhanyasiDhanyasi
Dhanyasi is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is a janya rāgam from the 8th melakarta scale Hanumatodi. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras in the ascending scale...
, where he has capped off the charanam with a pattern of 6 repeated 11 times, which is a wonderful way to get to half a beat landing (which is the commencing point of the pallavi) from the beat after 2 cycles of Adi tala. The words are superbly woven in lilting Sanskrit:
- atinootana kusumakara vrjamohana saraseeruha dalalochana mamamanasa patuchorasu- swarageetasu- muraleedhara suramodita bhavamochana
There are many other instances of similar endings in krtis like Alavadennalo in Paras (5th charanam) and Mummada vezhamugattu Vinayakan in Nattai.
Compositions
Venkata Kavi has composed on a wide range of themes. The most popular of his songs are on Lord KrishnaKrishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
but he has composed on a number of other deities as well, such as Vinayaka, Tyagaraja
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
of Tiruvarur
Tiruvarur
Tiruvarur is a town and a municipality in Tiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Tiruvarur is the administrative headquarters of Tiruvarur district. Tiruvarur is one of the oldest towns which has been popular as cultural head quarters for many centuries...
, Kamakshi
Kamakshi
The goddess Kamakshi is a form of Tripura Sundari or Parvati or the universal mother goddess. The main abode of Kamashi is the Kamakshi Amman temple at Kanchipuram. Other important forms of goddess Tripura Sundari are Meenakshi of Madurai, Akilandeswari of Thiruvanaikaval and Vishalakshi of...
, Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, Kartikeya, Narasimha
Narasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
, Anjaneya, Ranganatha
Ranganatha
Ranganātha , also known as Sri Ranganatha, Ranganathar, or Ranga, is a Hindu deity, more well known in South India. The deity is a resting form of Lord Vishnu, one of the foremost of Hindu Gods. His consort is Goddess Lakshmi, also known as Ranganayaki, Thayar...
, and also on Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
, Radha
Radha
Radha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism...
and other mythological
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
characters. He has composed on great sages
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
such as Shuka Brahma Rishi, Jayadeva
Jayadeva
Jayadeva was a Sanskrit poet circa 1200 AD. He is most known for his composition, the epic poem Gita Govinda, which depicts the divine love of Krishna-an avatar of Vishnu and his consort, Radha, and it is mentioned that Radha is greater than Hari, and is considered an important text in the...
and Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
. Besides, he has composed several songs on the greatness of Guru, and general philosophy and approach to God. His works contain references to Azhwars, Nayanmars, Ramanuja
Ramanuja
Ramanuja ; traditionally 1017–1137, also known as Ramanujacharya, Ethirajar , Emperumannar, Lakshmana Muni, was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete...
, Tulasidas and many other revealing his knowledge of their works and contributions and his reverence towards them.
Operas
That Venkata Kavi composed an entire opera narrating Krishna’s birth and childhood, beginning from Devaki-Vasudeva’s wedding and Kamsa’s curse. There are also group songs describing Krishna’s wedding with RukminiRukmini
In Hinduism, Rukmini is the principal wife and queen of Krishna at his city of Dwarka. Krishna heroically kidnaps her from an un-wanted marriage at her request . Of Krishna's 16,108 queens, Rukmini is the first and most prominent...
and another group covering his marriage with Radha
Radha
Radha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism...
.
There is also a set of songs narrating the story on Lord Rama’s childhood starting from Dasharatha’s Putrakameshti yagna to Rama’s trip with Vishwamitra. It is not known whether this work was completed by the author but there is a lovely single ragamalika piece Sri Rama jayame jayam which covers the entire story of Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
.
Compositions on Daksha
Daksha
In Hinduism, Daksha, "the skilled one", is an ancient creator god, one of the Prajapatis, the Rishis and the Adityas. Daksha is said to be the son of Aditi and Brahma...
Yaga, Prahlada
Prahlada
Prahlada is a character from the Puranic texts of Hinduism, wherein he is famed for his exclusive devotion to Vishnu, despite attempts in the story by his father, Hiranyakashipu, to turn him to the contrary...
and Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
have also been found.
Group compositions
Venkata Kavi has also composed several group krtis like Saptaratnas, Kamakshi Navavaranam and Anjaneya ratnas. He has also composed several shlokas like Madhava panchakam, Nrsimha panchakam, Ranganatha Panchakam and so on.His Saptaratnas (seven gems = seven songs) are similar in style to Tyagaraja
Tyagaraja
Kakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
’s pancharatnas (five gems) in their musical structure consisting of the main refrain (pallavi), a contrasing section (anupallavi) and a series of other sections (charana) in medium tempo (madhyama kala) that can be rendered as swara and sahitya. The saptaratnas are:
- Bhajanamrta – Nattai
- Aganita mahima – Gowla
- Madhava hrdi khelini' – Kalyani
- Balasarasa murali – KeeravaniKeeravaniKeeravani is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 21st Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. The 21st melakarta rāgam as per Muthuswami Dikshitar school of music is ....
- Jatadara – TodiHanumatodiHanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi, is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 8th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. This is sung very often in concerts. It is known to be a difficult rāgam to perform in owing to its complexity in prayoga...
- Alavadennalo – ParasParasParas is a 1971 Hindi film starring: Sanjeev Kumar, Rakee, Mehmood, Farida Jalal, Shatrughan Sinha, Madan Puri....
- Sundara nandakumara – MadhyamavathiMadhyamavathiMadhyamavati is a rāga in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāga . It is a janya rāga , as it does not have all the seven musical notes . The equivalent of Madhyamavati in Hindustani music is Madhumad Sarang.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
His Anjaneya ratna krtis, so far 5-6 have been found. These include:
Pavana kumara - Vasanta
Veekshitoham - Kedaragowla
Anjanaananda ambodhi chandra - Todi
Shree raghavadhootam - Shuruti
Bhaktabhagadheya - Madhyamavati
Navavaranams
Venkata Kavi also composed Navavarnams (nine varnamVarnam
Varnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...
s) on the goddess Srividya to be sung during Dasara. Apart from the main nine songs for the nine nights, he has also composed Vinayaka stuti, Dhyana stuti and a Phala stuti. There are several similarities (and differences) between his Navavaranams and that of Muthuswami Dikshitar
Muthuswami Dikshitar
Muthuswami Dikshitar is a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music...
but both reveal the composers’ scholarship in the various aspects of Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
worship. These are:
- Sri Ganeshwara – ShanmukhapriyaShanmukhapriyaShanmukhapriya is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 56th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Chāmaram in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
– Adi – Vinayaka stuti - Vanchayati yadi kushalam – Kalyani – Adi – Dhyana stuti
- Santatam aham seve – Deshakshi – Adi - (1st avaranam)
- Bhajaswa shree – Nadanamakriya – Adi - (2nd avaranam)
- Sarvajeeva dayapari – Shuddha SaveriShuddha SaveriShuddha Saveri , , ) is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāgam . It is a janya rāgam , as it does not have all the seven swaras .The equivalent of Shuddha Saveri in Hindustani music is Durga.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
– Mishra Chapu - (3rd avaranam) - Yoga yogeshwari – AnandabhairaviAnandabhairaviAnandabhairavi or Ananda Bhairavi is a very old melodious rāgam of Carnatic music . This rāgam has been used even in Indian folk music. Ānandam means happiness and the rāgam brings a happy mood to the listener.It is a janya rāgam of the 20th Melakarta rāgam Natabhairavi Raganidhi by P...
– Khanda Triputa (2 kalais) - (4th avaranam) - Neelalohita ramani – Balahamsa – Khanda Dhruvam (2 kalais) - (5th avaranam)
- Sadanandamayi – HindolamHindolamHindolam is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāgam . It is a janya rāgam , as it does not have all the seven swaras . Hindolam is not the same as the Hindustani Hindol...
– Sankeerna Matyam - (6th avaranam) - Sakalaloka nayika – Arabhi – Adi - (7th avaranam)
- Shankari Shri Rajarajeshwari – MadhyamavathiMadhyamavathiMadhyamavati is a rāga in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāga . It is a janya rāga , as it does not have all the seven musical notes . The equivalent of Madhyamavati in Hindustani music is Madhumad Sarang.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
– Adi - (8th avaranam) - Natajana kalpavalli – Punnagavarali – Adi - (9th avaranam)
- Haladharanujam praptum - Manirangu - Adi - Phala stuti
External links
- Web site dedicated Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi at www.geocities.com