1.) In the following sound track from the Ramanataka krithi of Arunachala Kavi, which Ramayana character is thinking thus and about whom?

https://soundcloud.com/sukrtam-trust/vocal-2

Answer 1. Lord Rama thinking about Seetha.

Rama wonders “who is that at the front on the balcony (kannimADam)”. The charanams (panni padittAr pOl , bhAgyam enbadu ivar and candra bimba mukha ) describe how Rama admires Seetha and feels that this relationship continues from the previous janma (anda naLil dondam pOle urugirAr).

P: yArO ivar yArO enna pErO ariyEnE
A: kArulAvum shIrulAvum mithilaiyil kannimADam tannil munnE ninravar
C1: paNNip-padittArp-pOl iru sthanamum kUDa pAngiyargaL innamum duraittanamum
eNNattAlum vaNNattAlum pangayap-peNNaip-pOl kaNNirk-kANum mangaiyar
2: bhAgyam enbadivar darishanamE adingE phalittenna puNNiyamO manamE mUkkum
muzhiyum dhIrgamAi innamum peNgaL pArkkap-pArkka nOkkam koLlumO kaNgaL
3: candra bimba mukha malarAlE ennai tAnE pArkkirAr orukkAlE
anda nALil tondam pOlE urugirAr inda nALil vandu sEvai tagugirAr

2.) In which RAGA did Sri Shyama Sastri compose a krithi on Devi Kamakshi on the eve of his challenge facing Bobbili Kesavaiyya? 

Answer 2. Raga Chintamani

Sri Syama Sastri, composed the song Devi Brova Samayamide in the Raga Chintamani to obtain the blessings of Goddess Kamakshi on the eve of the contest with Sri Bobbili Kesavayya. Sri Syama Sastri sings –
“rEpu mApani jeppithE nE vinanu Devi-
ika thALanu nEnu I proddu dhayasEyavE krupa jUdavE” (DEVI, i will not oblige you, if you say that you will bestow your grace on me tomorrow, for i no longer can endure this. Please bless me with your grace today itself.)
Chintamani is a wish fulfilling gem.

*lyrics and meaning taken from Sri TK Govinda Rao’s book “Compositions of Syama Sastri”

3.) A Mahavidwan / Guru and two of his illustrious disciples (great vidwans themselves) were born in the month of April. Find all the three artistes hidden in the Pallavi (Pallavi audio link : https://soundcloud.com/sukrtam-trust/pallavi)

Answer 3. Illustrious Guru – Musiri Sri. Subramania Iyer , Illustrious disciples – Sri.TK. Govinda Rao and Smt. Suguna Purushottaman.

Though all three were great performers, they also served the music fraternity in many other ways. Sri. Musiri Subramania Iyer served as the dean of Madras Music College. Sri TK Govinda Rao was a great composer himself and has brought out many books (compositions of various composers), that are referred to by many musicans and students of music. Smt. Suguna Purushottaman was a great composer too and has composed many krithis and tillanas. Her Simhanandana Tala tillana is a great example of her genius. Its a coincidence that all the three were born in the same month April. Sukrtam remembers these great vidwans through MusIQ

MusIQ 3

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