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Saturday, October 14, 2017

Kalahasteeswara Swamy Temple, Sri Kalahasthi – Literary Mention

Kalahasteeswara Swamy Temple, Sri Kalahasthi – Literary Mention
Adi Shankara, Sambandar, Appar, Manikkavacakar, Sundaramurti, Pattinathar and Ramalinga Swami of Vadalur worshiped Shiva at this temple, which has also inspired great poetic and musical works. This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 19th Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. The foremost Telugu poet of Sri Kalahasti was Dhoorjati, one of the eight official court poets of Sri Krishnadeva Raya. Dhoorjati expressed his devotion to Kalahasteeswara in “Sri Kalahasteeswara Mahatmiyam” and “Sri Kalahasteeswara Satakam”. The Telugu poem 'Sri Kalahasti Satakam' explains the traditions associated with this temple.
Kalahasti is interlinked with South Indian music and dance. Telugu temple dancers of Sri Kalahasti and other areas have traditionally performed to compositions dedicated to Kalahasteeswara, a tradition which continues today in Vilasini Natyam. Their repertoire featured “Adhyatma Ramayana Keertanalu” composed in Sri Kalahasti by Munipalle Subrahmanya Kavi, an eminent Telugu scholar and court poet of the Telugu king Damera Kumara Venkatappa, whose family ruled here until the British times.
Ghana ragamalika varnam (“Intha kopamela”) and Sriranjani varnam (“Kaliki ninne”) by Kalahasti Veena Venkataswami Raju which are dedicated to Kalahasteeswara are important compositions in the Telugu temple dance repertoire. Muthuswami Dikshitar sang of this temple in his “Sree Kaalahasteesa” (raga Huseni, tala Jhampa). Ramaswamy Dikshitar also composed a song on Kalahasteeswara. Kakarla Thyagaraja maternal grandfather Veena Kalahasti Ayya belonged to this place and later joined the Tanjore court.
Thyagaraja disciple Veena Kuppayya composed five songs in praise of Kalahasteeswara, including the popular “Koniyaadina” in Kambhoji raagam. Sivarama Sastri, an accomplished musician from Kalahasti, enjoyed the patronage of Maharaja Swati Thirunal of Travancore. Other works on this temple include the Sree-Kalattipuranam of the three brothers Karunapprakasar, Sivapprakasar & Velappa Deekshitar, Tirukkalattipuranam by Aanandakoottar of Veerainagar and Tirukkalatti Ula by Seraikkavirayar.