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Are we makers of our own destiny or does a supreme power design
it. Whichever way one looks at it, there is no dismissing the Cosmic
Law structured by planetary constellations, stars and planets. It
is very often that unexpected turn of events reminds us that there
is a power that controls the entire universe; that there is a world
science yet to be fully fathomed. While man's conscious ego and
Nature share an inexplicable relationship, the planets and the stars
influence the happenings and change our lives.
 The
planets Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, the Moon
and the Sun -together with Rahu and Ketu, the
nodes of the moon, constitute the Navagrahas of the Hindu
theology. The Navagrahas are the Signs of our destiny.
Music Today, recently launched "Navagrahas -
Signs of Destiny", a Sanskrit devotional album at a
function in Kanchi Koti Mahaswamy Mandapam. His Holiness Sri
Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, Peethathipathi of
Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham and His Holiness Sri Sri Sankara
Vijeyandra Saraswathi Swamigal presided over the function.
The album features a fabulous collection of shlokas, mantras and
the brilliant compositions of the celebrated saint poet Muthuswami
Dikshitar rendered to music by the renowned music director L
Vaidyanathan. Dr V V Srivatsa, scholar with many books to his
credit gave an insight into the Navagrahas and its affect on human
life.
These chants have been rendered in Sanskrit with traditional tunes
in the Vedic metre so that the meaning is preserved. L Vaidyanathan,
music composer and director has been meticulous in maintaining the
sanctity of the Vedas in these four volumes.
The album takes us through a comprehensive journey through the
nine celestial houses. This is for the very first time that Navagrahas
have been presented in a manner that enables the listener to play
the appropriate set of compositions for each particular day of the
week. A detailed research into the Navagrahas and the Navagraha
temples were done for the making of this project.
 L
Vaidyanathan has also rendered music for the compositions of Muthuswamy
Dikshitar on the Nine Grahas. Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1775-1835),
was a great astrologer, composer and musician; he composed Navagraha
Kritis - a group of songs on the nine planets of the Zodiac.
Each Kriti has been composed for a particular day of the week and
for Rahu and Ketu. This masterpiece is considered to be one of the
finest examples of the Carnatic classical tradition. The text (Sahitya)
abounds in beautiful phrases skillfully woven together. Each composition
presents the concerned raga in its full splendour, with alap ornamentation
and a slow tempo. The composer's imagery is unsurpassed.
Rajkumar Bharati with his clear, precise diction has brought alive
the composers work in a serene, graceful and bhava-laden style.
L Vaidyanathan, was born in 1942 and he started performing arts
and South Indian Classical Music at the tender age of eight. He
formed the Violin Tri with his two brothers, Dr L Subramanian
and Dr L Shankar and has performed in many countries.
He has also accompanied veteran musicians like Sri Chembai Vaidyanathan
Bhagathar, Maharajapuram Viswanathan Iyer, DK Pattammal, S Balachandran
etc. He has also worked on fusion music and has composed experimental
Carnatic and Western Classical compositions. He has also scored
music for many films and TV serials. He has won as many as nine
National Awards.
Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775 - 1835), is recognised as one of
trinity's of Carnatic Music. He has composed more than 500 compositions.
One of the noticeable salient features of Dikshitar's Sahitya is
that he incorporated the complete detail of each kshetra (pilgrimage
centre). He described in detail each kshetra, the residing deity,
the sacred tank and even the architectural beauty of the VIMANA
over the sanctum sanctorium.
Music Today, a division of The India Today Group, after its
inception in 1990, has taken the lead in preserving and promoting
India's rich musical heritage the world over. Continuing its tradition
of presenting Indian music to the audience in innovative and editorially
strong concepts and well thought out themes, it has brought out
the album, 'Navagrahas'.
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