Divine Composer Sangeetha Pitamaha Shri. PURANDARADASA
on his ARADHANA day ( Pushya Bahula Amavasya ) today 1st February !
Our Profound Respects to the Composer!
Purandara Dasa (IAST: Purandara dāsa] (born Srinivasa Nayaka; c. 1484 – c. 1565) was a Haridasa philosopher and a follower of Madhwacharya ‘s Dwaitha philosophy -saint from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a composer, singer, and one of the chief founding proponents of Carnatic music (Karnataka classical music). In honor of his significant contributions to Carnatic music, he is widely referred to as the Pitamaha (lit. “father” or “grandfather”) of Carnatic music.
Purandaradasa was a devotional singer who made the difficult Sanskrit tenets of Bhagavata Purana available to everyone in simple and melodious songs. He was one of the most important music scholars of medieval India. He formulated the basic lessons of teaching Carnatic music by structuring graded exercises known as Svaravalis and Alankaras, and at the same time, he introduced the raga Mayamalavagowla as the first scale to be learned by beginners in the field – a practice that is still followed today. He also composed Gitas (simple songs) for novice students.
Purandara Dasa is noted for composing Dasa Sahithya, as a Bhakti movement vocalist, and a music scholar. His practice was emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanakadasa. Purandara Dasa’s Carnatic music compositions are mostly in Kannada, though some are in Sanskrit. He signed his compositions with the ankitanama (pen name) “Purandara Vittala” (Vittala is another name of Lord Krishna, one of the incarnations of the Lord Vishnu) and this same form of Lord Krishna is his aaradhya daiva or ishta murthi or worshippable deity. His work was appreciated by many scholars of his time and the later scholars.
Purandara Dasa was a vaggeyakara (composer-performer), a lakshanakara (musicologist), and the founder of musical pedagogy. Musicologists call him the Sangeeta Pitamaha (lit. “grandfather”) of Carnatic music.
Aradhana is a religious-devotional observation, held annually, to remember and honor saintly persons on the anniversary of the completion of their earthly lives. Purandara Dasa’s aradhana or punyadina is held on the pushya bahula amavasya of the Indian chandramana calendar (a new moon day, generally in February–March). Musicians and art aficionados in the state of Karnataka, South India and many art and religious centers around the world observe this occasion with religious and musical fervor. His compositions are sung by established and upcoming artists on this day.
Our Humble Pranams to the great Composer!