Ramaswami Dikshitar

Ramaswami Dikshita (IAST: Rāmasvāmi Dīkṣita, 1735–1817)[1] or Dikshitar[lower-alpha 1] was a South Indian composer of Carnatic music and the father of Muthuswami Dikshitar. He was a member of the courts of Amarasimha (r. 1787–98) and Tulaja II (r. 1763–87) of Thanjavur.[2]

Ramaswami Dikshitar
Born1735
Virinjipuram near Vellore, Tamil Nadu
Died1817
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
OccupationCarnatic music composer
Children4, including Muthuswami
RelativesSubbarama Dikshitar (great grandson)

Ramaswami Dikshitar was instructed in music and music theory by Melattur Veerabhadrayya and Venkata Vaidyanatha Dīkshitar, a grandson of Venkatamakhin, author of the Chaturdandiprakashika. His ragamalika using 108 ragas and talas is notable and the longest of its type. He also composed varnams in a variety of ragas. He is popularly considered the creator of the raga, Hamsadhvani. Others believe that he was the first to create a composition using it which made it popular. His son Muthuswami Dikshitar's acclaimed work, Vatapi Ganapatim was composed using the same raga.[2]

Besides Muthuswami, Ramaswami Dikshitar had two other sons, Chinnaswami and Balaswami, and a daughter, Balamba. Balaswami's grandson was the composer and scholar, Subbarama Dikshitar.[3]

Notes
  1. The -r suffix is a Tamil honorific.
  1. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India.
  2. OEMI:Rāmaswāmi Dīkshitar.
  3. OEMI:Dīkshitar Musical Family.

References
  • The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 9780195650983.
  • "Rāmaswāmi Dīkshitar". The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 9780195650983. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  • "Dīkshitar Musical Family". The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 9780195650983. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.