Varanasi: A special ceremony was organised at the Swatantrata Bhavan of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi on Tuesday to mark the 250th birth anniversary of renowned Carnatic music composer Muthuswami Dikshitar. 

The event featured a special musical performance by noted Carnatic vocalist Sumitra Vasudevan.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also attended the ceremony and paid tribute to the legendary composer by releasing a commemorative coin of Rs 250.

Muthuswami Dikshitar, born in 1775 and who passed away in 1835, was one of the three great composers of Carnatic music. He is regarded as a member of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music, alongside Tyagaraja and Shyama Shastri.

Dikshitar made significant contributions to Carnatic music through his compositions, which continue to hold an important place in India's classical musical tradition.

He used the signature or mudra (pen name) 'Guruguha' in all his compositions. The name is another name for Lord Subramanya, also known as Kartikeya.

To commemorate the 250th birth anniversary of the legendary composer, Carnatic vocalist Sumitra Vasudevan presented a special musical performance, featuring his timeless compositions and paying tribute to his contribution to Indian classical music.

Muthuswami Dikshitar also shares a deep historical association with Kashi, where he spent a significant period of his life pursuing music and spiritual learning.

During his stay in Kashi, he studied Tantric practices, the Vedas, Vedanta and North Indian classical music, particularly the Hindustani musical tradition. His exposure to these diverse disciplines reflected the confluence of North Indian and South Indian musical traditions in his compositions.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.