Ramaswami Dikshitar
Born1735
Virinjipuram near Vellore, Tamil Nadu
Died1817
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
OccupationCarnatic music composer
Children4, including Muthuswami
RelativesSubbarama Dikshitar (great grandson)

Ramaswami Dikshita (IAST: Rāmasvāmi Dīkṣita, 1735–1817)[1] or Dikshitar[lower-alpha 1] was a South Indian composer of Carnatic music and the father of Muthuswami Dikshitar. He was a member of the courts of Amarasimha (r.1787–98) and Tulaja II (r.1763–87) of Thanjavur.[2]

Ramaswami Dikshitar was instructed in music and music theory by Melattur Veerabhadrayya and Venkata Vaidyanatha Dīkshitar, a grandson of Venkatamakhin, author of the Chaturdandiprakashika. His ragamalika using 108 ragas and talas is notable and the longest of its type. He also composed varnams in a variety of ragas. He is popularly considered the creator of the raga, Hamsadhvani. Others believe that he was the first to create a composition using it which made it popular. His son Muthuswami Dikshitar's acclaimed work, Vatapi Ganapatim was composed using the same raga.[2]

Besides Muthuswami, Ramaswami Dikshitar had two other sons, Chinnaswami and Balaswami, and a daughter, Balamba. Balaswami's grandson was the composer and scholar, Subbarama Dikshitar.[3]

Notes

  1. The -r suffix is a Tamil honorific.

References

  • The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 9780195650983.
  • "Rāmaswāmi Dīkshitar". The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 9780195650983. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  • "Dīkshitar Musical Family". The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India. Oxford University Press. 2011. ISBN 9780195650983. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
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