M S Subbulakshmi and her music - Part 6 : Dikshitar - Sri Mooladhara

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In the last essay, I spoke about the structure of Dikshitar's krithis and why it is important to maintain the structure. The last essay focussed on the rare krithi in the rare raga, Mahalakshmi in the raga Madhava Manohari.

In this post, we will hear another not oft heard Dikshitar krithi in a famous raga: 'sri muladhara chakra vinayaka' in the ragam Shree. Once again, I want you to observe the excellent pace chosen that highlights the majesty of the composition and MS's restrained singing, as well as her superb grip on the kalapramanam, never trying to up the tempo. 

What we get finally is a relaxed rending of a great krithi, giving us a clear understanding of the depth of the composition, the brilliant way in which Dikshitar unfolds the raga, the charming Sanskrit words enunciated melodiously and the overall structure built by the great composer. The krithi also gives a masterclass on how great voice modulation and volume control can enhance the rendering of the krithi.

MS singing 'sri mooladhara chakra vinayaka' 


As a bonus, the same krithi in the voice of another of Carnatic music greats: R K Srikantan



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