MUDHRAS THE CAMEO OF A COMPOSER version 1.1

PREFACE
I have done a deep search into the ocean of carnatic music to find out the mudhras used by different composers in their work. I started this work with a spark of the thought when people found it difficult to figure out a song during a music academy concert. With the help of my grandpa R.S. Srinivasan who has some good knowledge in this variety of music and my hunger for finding out the solutions for different kinds of problems I compiled the list of composers and their mudhras.I hope that this would be well received by the people loving this form of music and would also be useful to them. Any additions can be suggested to this work by mailing me. Thanks for your support.

V.Raghavan

INTRODUCTION:

Mudhras are “phrases” used by composers in their work to put a stamp to show that it’s their work. Those days in the past there were no organizations which could issue patents or register their work, so this mudra system was followed by them. Some mudhras tell about the composer’s deity, some their name and so on. These mudhras became a great tool in recognizing ones work. So with the help of a mudhra we can easily find out whose composition it is.
Example: shyama sastri used the mudhra shyamakrishna in all his work! This made it easier for people to find out that this is a work by shyama sastri

This is a succinct introduction to the mudhras. A deep research can be done in this field like “why composers used certain type of mudhras”, “why not their names”…etc., .i’ll come out with that research work in my summer holidays in mid May 2006!

I have compiled a database of mudhras, I think this would be a useful tool for you all.

RAGHAVAN’S MUDHRA DATABASE 1.0 IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER


Anai Ayya
Umadasa
Annamacharya
Venkatachala.....................it goes on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!