Many of you had participated in our Swathi Thirunal Jayanthi' celebrations earlier this year on our FaceBook group 'Gems of Swathi Thirunal Krithis'

It’s time for another celebration., ‘Navarathri’. A festival that has great significance in every part of India and has been celebrated from ancient times, tracing it back to Maharaja’s period. The Navarathri Festival during his period featured music, dance, other arts, vedic chanting, Grandha pooja, Ayudha pooja, scholarly discussions and debates on the puranas. Though the poojas continue, many of the other activities have been given up leaving music concerts (and to a lesser degree, dance) the most prominent place in the festivities.

The music for the Navarathri concerts as we hear them now was composed by Maharaja Swati Thirunal. He composed nine krithis in the ragas Shankarabharanam, Kalyani, Saveri, Thodi, Bhairavi, Panthuvarali, Shuddha Saveri, Nattakurinji and Arabhi, to be sung as the main piece on each day. During the first three days the Devi is worshipped as Saraswathi; as Lakshmi during the next three days and as Durga on the last three days.

The Swathi Thirunal Sangeetha Sabha, will be celebrating Navarathri on Friday 15th October 2021 'Vijayadeshami' day online in FaceBook group ‘Gems of Swathi Thirunal Krithis’.

Participate by singing, playing your favorite instrument or dancing to any Devi krithi composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal.

Guidelines:

• There is no limit to how many krithis you could post.
• Krithis should be recorded, YouTube links or live broadcasts or Watch parties or concert recordings are not permitted during these three days.
• Krithis selected should be composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal
• When you post your krithi, please add a few details like name, raga and thala of the krithi/composition. Add some description about the composition and allow the Rasikas to read and indulge in your rendering.