Composing music is induced by the creativity of the heart and soul. But, how does this soulful creativity blossom? It begins budding by breaking out of established patterns and looking at every aspect of life with a fresh pair eyes which carry the utmost purity and radiance. It flourishes by putting imagination to work and seeking deep into the endless abyss of passion.

Every composer of the past, present and future undergo this cycle of budding and flourishing before their creativity blossoms into a work of art. The magnificent composer, Muthuswami Dikshitar experienced this process over 500 times in order to design and construct his captivating compositions. Dikshitar was a South Indian poet and composer who mainly composed in Sanskrit and occasionally in Manipravalam. He is part of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music which consists the outstanding trio (Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri) of composer-musicians of Carnatic music in the 18th century.

On April 25th,2015 the students of Smt. Uma Sankar performed a garland of Dikshitar kritis at Milbury High School. These kirtis, like most Dikshitar’s creations, were set to a slower yet mesmerizing tempo. The performances were arranged in order of the beginner students first and the intermediate to advanced students finishing off the show. The performers all came from different backgrounds and ages which made the show very entertaining. Some performers not only sang, but also accompanied groups on an instrument. The accompanying artists consisted of Mano on the keyboard, Kaasinath on the mridangam, Shreya on the flute, Vasanth on the mridangam and saxophone, Rama and Sriman on the violin.

It’s always a pleasure to see the children of our community embracing Indian culture. Smt. Uma Sankar makes it her mission to inspire people young and old to grasp onto the divine art form of Carnatic Music and carry it with them for the rest of their lives. By teaching this art form, Smt. Uma Sankar provides a foundation for children to learn about Hinduism and plant their feet deep inside the soil of Indian culture.

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