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POST-TRINITY COMPOSERS
        
SUBBARAMA DIKSHITAR (1839 - 1906)
      
Musical Background: He was from the Dikshitar family, the grandson of Baluswami Dikshitar, who was the brother of Muthuswami Dikshitar. From a very young age, he was trained in music and Sanskrit. He also learnt to play the Vina from his father besides sacred literature and the theoretical aspects of music.

Region: He belonged to Tanjavur district, Tamilnadu.

Contribution: Subbarama Dikshitar composed several Varnams, kritis and ragamalikas. Besides being a gifted composer, he was also an eminent musicologist whose contribution is monumental. He authored the Sangeeta Sampradaya Pradarsini, which was published in the year 1904. This work contains not only all his compositions but also Venkatamakhi’s theory of music and the compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar. This work was invaluable to musicologists and scholars who came after him. It also served as a guide in the publication of the Kritis of Muthuswami Dikshitar.

Theme: Mainly devotional.

Language used: Telugu.

Popular Compositions: Though he has composed many masterpieces, not many are known. Kantimati (Kalyani) is one such example.

         

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