It is a privilege to create this album for  the Shringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation.

​

The Dakshinamnaya Sharada Pitham established by  Adi Shankara back in the 1st millennium CE has been a center of knowledge for centuries with an unbroken tradition of Gurus.

​

This album is a tribute to the Institution, to Adi Sankara himself and to Sharada /Saraswati enshrined in Shringeri.

​

Featured first in this collection is a Guruvandana followed by Totakashtakam written by Totakacharya a direct disciple of Adi Shankara.

​

Also featured in this recording are two kritis of Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1775-1835). One is the well known composition 'Sri Saraswati' in raga Arabhi and the other is 'Kalavati' in the raga Kalavati.​

​

The words of Shringeri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswami  in praise of Adi Sankara come to life in the raga Bhimpalas.  Shri Chandrasekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal wrote the 'Sharada Gitam' several years ago. I have tuned it as a raga malika in eight ragas based on the lyrical context of each line.

​

The authorship of  Sharada Stavanam in praise of Sharadamba (Shri Saradambam bhaje) is not known. I have tuned it in a set of six mela ragas Vagadisvari, Vachaspati, Dharmavati, Mayamalavagaula, Rasikapriya and Charukesi. The first four verses and the sixth verse are based on a 19 syllable meter while  fifth verse is based on a 21 syllable meter. 

​

Also included in the recording is the kriti Vinadhari in the raga Malhaar in rupaka tala that I had composed in 2003.

​

The recording concludes with a mangalam in Sindhubhairavi  in praise of Sharadamba written by Shri Chandrasekhara Bharati.

 

The alliteration in the verses written by the Mahaswami is a treat to the ears; the words themselves inspired the tunes that I set them to. The contrast between these metric verses and the non-metric verses of the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini (Sri Sarasvati and Kalavati) couldn't have been more striking.

 

 Remote collaboration and the wizardry of Sai Shravanam helped take the recording to a different level. Bhavani Prasad worked his magic on the vina accompaniment; Ganapati wored wonders with the Pakhawaj, Tabla and other percussion.

 

The album was blessed by the Shringeri Mahaswami during Navaratri 2015. We released the album again at the SVBF later in 2015 while singing some of these compositions with singers from the Allentown and New Jersey area. It is a joy to make this recording available to one and all on the internet. Please feel free to download and share

 

Kanniks Kannikeswaran