The songs of the ‘Narayaneeyam’ were popularized in Carnatic music by legends like Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavataar and his students in the 20th century.
He too migrated to the North and spent the rest of his life in and around Vrindavan. Many centuries before him, the 12th century poet Bilva Mangala penned ‘Sri Krishna Karnamritam’. However he was not the first poet from Kerala to take to Krishna Bhakthi in such a passionate way. He was not even thirty years of age when he completed composing this marathon poem. However his devotion to Krishna led him to write the 1036 Sanskrit verses of the ‘Narayaneeyam’. Born into a family of Namboodri Brahmins, Bhattathiri was an expert in mathematics and logic, and the Tarka and Vyakarana Schools of philosophy. In Kerala, the most famous Guruvayur temple of Krishna is connected to the poet Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri (1558 – 1643) who wrote the famous epic poem ‘Narayaneeyam’. Hindustani legends like Pt Bhimsen Joshi sang him and Carnatic musicians like M S Subbulakshmi popularized his songs in their respective genres. In the 20th century, his songs acquired equal popularity both in Hindustani and Carnatic classical music. Swami Haridas, the teacher of Miyan Tansen was supposed to be a student of Purandhara Dasa and hence he is revered across North India as well. He is hailed as the ‘Pitamaha’ of Carnatic music. In his devotion for Krishna, he composed over four lakh seventy five thousand poems and songs! Seems almost impossible to imagine how he went about doing that! But a few hundreds of them written in Kannada and Sanskrit survive to this day and are sung in concerts.
He was rechristened Purandara Dasa according to the monastic tradition he followed. It was into this school of thought that Vyasatheertha, the Guru of King Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire, initiated Srinivasa Nayaka(1484- 1564).
LITTLE KRISHNA TAMIL SERIES
Followers of Madhwacharya, who propounded the Dvaita school of Vedanta, established a series of monasteries across the region. In Karnataka, the spread of Vaishnavism was responsible for a whole lot of communities of poets and writers.
Krishna lifting Govardhana Mahabalipuram Caves Many later poets who wrote on the themes of Krishna continue to ‘live’ in Carnatic music and the many classical dance forms in South India. Several noted poets and philosophers from south, particularly Telugu origin like Vallabhacharya, Rupa Goswami, Sanathana Goswami, Gopal Bhatta migrated to north and spread Pushti Margi and Vaishnava teachings across the region. Thanks to the vibrant performing arts practitioners, many other later poets and their works have been kept alive through music, dance and drama cultures across south India. Andal’s ‘Thiruppavai’ is sung till date in every Vaishnava temple. The Alwar saints wrote some of the finest verses in praise of Krishna. India’s greatest philosophers like Shankaracharya, Ramanujachara and Madhwacharya hailed from South as well. It was here that the famous Shrimad Bhagawatam was composed. One must not forget the roots of the Bhakthi Movement are in the Tamil speaking regions of India. From the exquisite sculptures of Krishna in the ancient temples of Hoyasalas in Karnataka to the caves of Mahabalipuram, it is impossible to miss how Hindu mythology’s most romantic god has enchanted the South. But across the states in South, scores of poets have written some of the greatest works of literature over the centuries. Songs of Surdas and Mirabai are sung in great abandon to express Krishna Bhakthi. Krishna Janmashtami is here, and it is common to find mainstream news of how Mathura and Vrindvan in North India are the ultimate destinations to go to for anyone captivated by Lord Krishna.
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