A question about a Dikshitar kriti

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 26 Jan 2009, 21:34

The kriti mahiSAsura mardhini is listed in the raga nArAyaNi. But I came across a rendition by Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar in bilahari.
Pehaps Vidya can throw some light on this. Thanks.

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 27 Jan 2009, 00:30

Chembai's rendition is quite correct. This raga is venkatamakhin's version of narayani. The popular form of NArAyani heard in krthis like bhajanasEyu mArgam or rama nIve gani is govindA's version.

Thyagaraja and mutthuswami dIkshitar have followed(more or less) these two lakshanikas respectively.
this accounts for their differential treatment of some ragas.

vidya · Post by **vidya** » 27 Jan 2009, 01:56

Lakshmanji,
The composition is set to Narayani however there are some shared prayogas with Bilahari and the krti employs some of these common prayogas that makes it close enough to Bilahari yet different.With a few swara changes that Chembai's version has added , and the shift in the Kalapramana well it ends up with a new form/name. I do not know the Chembai's source for the composition and that seems to be the only recording that is currently in circulation. Other than this I have heard it mentioned that Kallidaikurichi Mahadeva Bhagavatar and a few others who have learnt from him have the Narayani composition Mahishasura Mardhani in their repertoire.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 27 Jan 2009, 03:05

Thanks Keerti & Vidya.