Carnatic music composers from the pre-trinity period to the current times have very often made their literary outpourings out of their devotion to God and passion towards music. Among the women composers, Andal, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, contemporary composers like D. Pattammal, Ambujam Krishna, Kalyani Varadarajan, Suguna Purushothaman and a few others have made significant contributions to the wealth of Carnatic music.

This is the concluding segment of the exposition on dance and music in Vaishnavite Tamil literature. The three-part article is based on information culled from various Tamil discourses of Kidambi Narayanan.

Jaya Mami Bhakti Padalgal is a serene offering of three volumes containing nearly 600 compositions, mostly in Tamil, on Lord Anjaneya (Hanuman). This assumes special significance as there is a virtual dearth of kritis on one of the most worshipped deities of our land associated with the epic—Ramayana.

The symbolism of rivers has been used abundantly in poetry, music and storytelling. Rivers depict the entire circle of life and are revered as nature’s wonders. In the Indian context, they are worshipped and humanised to tell moving stories of civilizations. However, through the generations, excessive use of these water bodies has led to their erosion and contamination.