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Carnatic composer Muthuswami Dikshitar's legacy honored at Georgia Tech
Musicologist and composer Kanniks Kannikeswaran provided insight into how Dikshitar’s compositions integrate philosophy, temple traditions, and Vedic cosmology .
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Staff Reporter - Tue, 14, Oct 2025
- 16:36 EDT
- 15
Kanniks Kannikeswaran with the students of Georgia Tech / Courtesy: Kanniks Kannikeswaran
Georgia Tech’s Indian classical arts organization, Aarohi, hosted a special event featuring musicologist and composer Kanniks Kannikeswaran to celebrate Carnatic legend Muthuswami Dikshitar's 250th birth anniversary.
The program, held on Oct. 12, extended the themes of Kanniks’ recently published book 'Anubhuti,' which reinterprets Dikshitar as not only a Carnatic composer but also a philosopher, traveler, and cultural bridge-builder.
Building on his book Anubhuti, Kanniks discussed how Dikshitar’s compositions integrate philosophy, temple traditions, and Vedic cosmology, positioning him as both sage and innovator. Through musical examples, he illustrated how the composer’s works reflected the six streams of worship (shanmata) and mirrored the philosophical journeys of figures like Adi Shankara.
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Kanniks Kannikeswaran / Courtesy: Kanniks KannikeswaranThe evening featured a screening of 'Colonial Interlude: The Nottusvara Sahityas of Muthuswami Dikshitar,' Kannikeswaran’s acclaimed documentary that examines how the composer adapted Western melodic forms into Sanskrit devotional pieces. The film set the stage for a dialogue on the fusion of Indian philosophy with early colonial musical idioms—a theme that runs throughout 'Anubhuti.'
Audience engagement remained high through a Q&A session, with students drawing parallels between Dikshitar’s compositions and contemporary notions of cultural exchange. “The presentation offered a rare blend of scholarship and musical immersion,” said one attendee. “It made Dikshitar’s vision feel alive and relevant.”
anniks Kannikeswaran presenting his book, ‘Anubhuti’ / Courtesy: Kanniks Kannikeswaran
The session concluded with live renditions of Dikshitar’s 'nottuswaras' and a new 'ragamalika mangalam' composed by Kannikeswaran, showcasing the composer’s innovative spirit. A Carnatic recital by vocalist Raman Poyapakkam, accompanied by violinist Pranavi Srinivasa and mridangist Chiraag Kaushik, added a classical close to the program.
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