Vocal (Main): Smt. Umagowri Chandramouli
Vocal(Support): Smt. Devishobha (daughter of Smt. Umagowri)
Mridangam: Sri. Jayabhaskar
Violin: Sri.Dinakar
Recorded at: Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University
Sound engineer: Nandeeswar
Video editor: Devishobha
The Kamalamba Navavaranams are a set of 13 Compositions addressed to Goddess Kamalamba- the deity of Thiruvarur by Sri. Muthuswamy Dikshitar, the youngest and most widely traveled of the Carnatic Music Trinity. The compositions are on the Sri Chakra- a Yantra (geometrical diagram) employed in the worship of the Goddess Tripura Sundari- the third of the Dasa Mahavidyas.
Muthuswamy Dikshitar lived from 1775-1835 and has composed many Krithis of which 437 compositions are available to us. The Kamalamba Navavaranam Kritis are considered to be the crown jewel among them since they expound on the Sri Chakra and its great spiritual significance with one Kriti dedicated to each Avarana of the Sri Chakra. Every composition dwells into the geometric structure, detailed descriptions of the enclosure(Avarana), details of the presiding deities and Yoginis in the Avarana, the Mantras and Bijaksharas associated with them, the mudras, the names of the Chakras, the significance and benefits of worshiping each Avarana and many nuances of the Sri Chakra.
Yantra sadhana is tightly entwined with Mantra Sadhana and the Sri Chakra is considered the supreme of the Yantras. All other yantras are encompassed within the SriChakra- in fact, the Sri Chakra all-encompassing of the energies and attributes of the entire cosmos. Yantras have the power to bestow specific blessings upon the worshiper- either spiritual or material. The Sri Chakra is the only yantra with the unique power to bestow both worldly(iha) and other-wordly(para) benefits to the upasaka.
Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar was a great Srividya Upasaka himself initiated into Srividya Upasana by Sri. Syama Sastri, another towering figure of the Carnatic Music Trinity. Legend has it that Goddess Kamalamba listened with her feet in a peculiar posture while he composed the Kamalamba Navavaranams at the Tyagaraja temple of Thiruvarur in South India. Dikshitar uses the Dhyana Kriti in Ragam Thodi to describe her unique posture(Vinoda Charane) as she sat listening to him.
Normally, the SriChakra Upasana requires initiation from a Guru and the Upasaka(the worshiper) is bound by strict scriptural injunctions. However, the Navavarana Kritis need no such thing to study, understand, sing the Navavarana Krithis, making it an invaluable gift bestowed upon mankind by Dikshitar.
Dikshitar was an exponent of Mantrasastra, Tantrasastra, Astrology, Sanskrit prose, Vyakaran(grammar) and music - both Carnatic and Hindustani. Also an expert Vainika, his brilliant scholarship shines through every composition with intricate lyrical and musical nuances embedded in them.
Though the Navavarana Kritis are on the Navavaranams(9 Chakrams) of the Sri Chakra, the Kamalamba Navavaranams have 11 Krithis- beginning with the Dhyana Kriti(Thodi) and concluding with the Mangala Kriti(Sree). The next eight compositions are composed in the eight vibhaktis(noun cases) of the proper noun ‘Kamalamba’. The ninth Kriti on the central Bindu employs all the Vibhaktis- displaying his unparalleled knowledge of Sanskrit grammar. Additionally, Dikshitar has set the Thalam of the Kritis such that the number of Kriyas(beats) in the thaalam matches the Avarana. Dikshitar also sets a Raga mudra in each krithi- fully or partially naming the ragam and his own mudra, ‘Guru Guha’ in every krithi.
*Dhyana Kriti- Kamlambike; Ragam: Thodi; Thalam: Rupakam, Case: Vocative(Sambodhana)
*First Avarana- Kamlamba Samrakshatu mam; Ragam: Ananda Bhairavi; Thalam: Tisra Triputa, Case: Nominative case(Prathama)
*Second Avarana- Kamalambam Bhajare; Ragam: Kalyani; Thalam: Adi; Case: Accusative( Dvitiya)
*Third Avarana- Sri Kamalambikaya; Ragam: Shankarabharanam; Thalam: Roopakam; Case: Instrumental( Tritiya)
*Fourth Avarana- Kamalambikayai; Ragam: Kambhoji; Thalam: Ata; Case: Dative( Chaturthi)
*Fifth Avarana- Sri Kamalambayah Param; Ragam: Bhairavi; Thalam: Jhampa; Case: Ablative( Panchami)
*Sixth Avarana- Kamalambikayah; Ragam: Punnagavarali; Thalam: Roopakam; Case: Genitive( Shasti)
*Seventh Avarana- Sri Kamalambikayam; Ragam: Sahana; Thalam: Triputa; Case: Locative(Saptami)
*Eighth Avarana- Sri Kamalambike Avava; Ragam: Ghanta; Thalam: Adi; Case: Vocative( Sambodhana)
*Ninth Avarana- Sri Kamalamba Jayati; Ragam: Ahiri; Thalam: Roopakam; Case: All
*Mangalam- Sri Kamalambike; Ragam: Sree; Thalam: Eka; Case: Vocative(Prathama)
Smt. Umagowri Chandramouli is a disciple of Smt. Lalgudi Rajalakshmi and Dr. S. Umadevi.
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