R K Padmanabha trains students in Navavarna kritis

He has taught these difficult Dikshitar compositions, associated with Navaratri rituals, to more than 2,000 students

Navavarna kritis composed by Muthuswamy Dikshithar are difficult to sing and master and that’s why only a few musicians perform them now. But Karnatic vocalist R K Padmanabha has been training many students in these compositions.

In 2006, he taught the compositions to 700 students for more than six months, free of cost. “I have trained more than 2,000 students till date. More than numbers, I focus on the benchmark of tradition. We strictly follow the original raga and format of the kritis. The focus is on the group generating one voice that is true to its musical traditions,” he says.

The vocalist has been instrumental in bringing the ghoshti format (group renditions) to the kritis. “Earlier, ghosthi were prevalent for recital of the Vedas. My students and I have performed innumerable ghosthis during Dasara in the past few years. Group singing allows participants to experience the compositions individually while singing in the comfort of a group,” he says.

There are many challenges in singing these compositions — they have a variety of ‘talas’ and ‘ragas’ in them. Even the lyrics pose a challenge to the singer.

Some ragas like the Ghanta raga in the eighth composition cannot be found in any other work. Some compositions need 10 minutes to sing.

“It is a test of the singer’s concentration. Also, the Navavarnas do not lend themselves to complete rendition in a concert format,” he says.

The kritis are a set of compositions that have intricacies of the Sri Chakra (the mystical representation of the Goddess Durga). Experiencing these compositions during Dasara is considered powerful and beneficial.

Padmanabha adds that “every mountain is difficult till we climb it”. “There is beauty, divinity, technique and infinite happiness hidden in these compositions,” he adds.