Maharajapuram S Santhanam | December Season at The Music Academy, Madras, 24.12.1975 |

Up next in our Music Academy 1975 archival series, presented as part of our tribute to Muthuswamy Dikshitar on his 250th birth anniversary, we bring you a remarkable concert by Maharajapuram Santhanam, performed on 24 December 1975 at The Music Academy, Madras.

A voice steeped in classicism, a concert hall alive with December-season energy, and a repertoire shining with Dikshitar’s rare and timeless genius—this recital is a luminous window into an era of uncompromising musical depth. From the grandeur of Natai to the meditative sweep of Keeravani, every piece in this concert stands as a testament to Santhanam’s artistry and the enduring brilliance of the Maharajapuram tradition.

In this concert, Santhanam’s voice carries an immediacy and warmth that defined an entire generation of rasikas' December-season memories. His measured gait, emphatic diction, and deeply bhava-laden sangatis illuminate the lyrical and philosophical textures of Dikshitar’s compositions. The interplay between V Thiagarajan’s sensitive violin replies and Vellore Ramabhadran’s effortless, silken mridangam lift the recital into a space of quiet grandeur—where classicism breathes, expands, and reveals new contours with every phrase.

As we revisit this 1975 performance, we are reminded of how the Maharajapuram lineage brought both emotional intensity and structural precision to the concert stage. This upload stands as a celebration—not only of Dikshitar’s 250-year legacy—but of a musical era defined by integrity, imagination, and devotion. May this recording allow you to experience, once more, the magic of a December night at the Music Academy, alive with artistry that still reverberates across time.

Maharajapuram S Santhanam - Vocal
Maharajapuram S Ramachandran - Vocal Support
V Thiagarajan - Violin
Vellore Ramabhadran - Mridangam

00:00:00 - Camaram/Shanmukhapriya - Siddhi Vinayakam - Rupakam - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
00:10:09 - Natai - Swaminatha Paripalayasumam - Adi - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
00:17:56 - Abhogi - Sri Lakshmi Varaham - Adi - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
00:29:51 - Khamas - Alapana
00:35:55 - Khamas - Santana Gopalakrishnam - Rupakam - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
00:40:58 - Arabhi - Alapana
00:51:28 - Arabhi - Sri Saraswati Namostute - Rupakam - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
01:03:59 - Nagagandhari - Nagagandhari Raganute - Adi - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
01:09:14 - Mohanam - Alapana
01:25:05 - Mohanam - Raktha Ganapathim Bhaje - Adi - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
01:34:48 - Tani Avarthanam - Adi (Incomplete)
01:40:16 - Keeravani - Alapana
01:50:05 - Keeravani - Thanam
01:54:40 - Keeravani - Pallavi - Namo Namaste Keervani, Kumara Guruguha Sammodite - Tisra Triuputa (Khanda Nadai)
02:06:56 - Senchurutti - Ganesha Kumara Pahimam - Adi - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
02:10:24 - Madhyamavathi - Pannaga Shayana - Adi - Muthuswamy Dikshitar

🎧 Listen, reflect, and immerse yourself in the timeless art of Muthuswamy Dikshitar as voiced through Maharajapuram Santhanam — where majestic clarity meets unshakeable classicism.

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#Dikshitar250 series:    • #Dikshitar250  
As we step into 2025, we commemorate 250 years since the birth of the musical luminary, Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1775–1835). #Dikshitar250 is a celebration of his unparalleled contribution to Indian classical music, a journey through his rich legacy of kritis, brought to life by legendary artists across generations. This series is not just a tribute but an opportunity to rediscover the depth, structure, and divinity embedded in his compositions.