My commute to office is the time I usually listen to music – mostly Carnatic Classical. As most this happens through YouTube, I usually end up listening to the same superstars and mostly tracks that more or less cover the most popular ragas and compositions.
In October, on a whim, I thought of bringing in some structure and decided to systematically listen to all the compositions of Shyama Shastri. (PDF here)
SS was the priest of Bangaru Kamakshi Temple of Thanjavur. The idol of the goddess itself has a storied history. It reached Thanjavur after a long, complicated sojourn triggered by the Sultanate and Mysore invasions of Kanchi. Additional information on this is here.
Some of the compositions that ended up catching my attention:
Durusuga in Saveri. This live recording by MSS is otherworldly:
Kanakashaila viharini in Punnagavarali was already a favourite. Sanjay’s version is worth listening to:
SS’ handling of Ananda Bhairavi is one of the reasons for his stature. So discovering ‘Mahilo Amba’ was an added delight:
The beginning of Birana Varalicci in Kalyani:
SS was known for his all-surrendering love of the goddess which often is palpable in the bhava of his compositions. Nothing captures this emotion more in Devi Brova – arguably his most pathos-filled composition:
If you’re unfamiliar with Shyama Shastri, his Bhairavi Swarajati is worth listening to for its complexity and craftsmanship.
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