Thursday, August 16, 2007

Koteeswara Iyer (1870 - 1940) Biography and Works


Biography

Koteeswara Iyer is an important post-trinity composer, known for his many krithi-s in Vivadhi Raaga-s.


Koteeswara Iyer was born into a music famly. His grand father was the famous poet and composer Kavikunjara Bharati, a contemporary of the trinity. Koteeswara Iyer was initially trained by his grand father. Later he was trained by Ramnad Sreenivasa Iyengar and then by Patnam Subramania Iyer. Koteeswara Iyer's mudra, Kavi Kunjaradasan, shows his respect for his grand father, Kavikunjara Bharati.

Koteeswara Iyer penned over 200 compositions. He also composed a krithi in each of the 72 mela-s and published them in his book Kandha Gaanamritham. But he is well known for his Vivaadi raaga krith-s like Mohanakara (Neethimathi), Ma madhura sarasa (Ganamurthi) and Singara Kumari (Varunapriya). Famous vocalist S. Rajam is one of the artists who has sung a lot of Koteeswara Iyer krithi-s and popularized them

Teachers & Influences: Patnam Subramanya Iyer, Ramnad Sreenivasa Iyengar


Mudra: Kavi Kunjaradasan

Genre Carnatic: Krithi

Languages used: Tamil, Telugu


Compositions:
Adum azhaginile Kosalam Adi Krithi
Alagade Hatakambari Adi Krithi
Amboruha padame Natabhairavi Rupaka Krithi
Ananda rakshaka Jhalavarali Adi Krithi
Andharanga bhakthi Shadvidhamargini Adi Krithi
Anjaade Pavani Misra Chapu Krithi
Appa Muruga Divyamani Adi Krithi
Appane kapali HanumaThodi Rupaka Krithi
Arul shaiya Rasikapriya Adi Krithi
Ayyane atkol Kambhoji Triputa Krithi
Dasanena Gukasena Vanaspathi Adi Krithi
En maname Namanarayani Adi Krithi
Enai alayya Sankarabharanam Adi Krithi
Ganamudham Salagam Adi Krithi
Ganasudhaapanamu Jyotisvarupini Misra Chapu Krithi
Ghananayadesika Rishabhapriya Adi Krithi
Gitamudame Madhyamavathi Adi Krithi
Iha para sukha Suvarnangi Rupaka Krithi
Vachaspathi Rupaka Krithi
Isan Kanakasabhesan Begada Adi Krithi
Ka guha Shanmukha Kosalam Rupaka Krithi
Kaana kankodi vendum Chakravakam Rupaka Krithi
Kada bhakthachintamani Dharmavathi Misra Chapu Krithi
Kaikuda Latangi Jhampa Krithi
maname Ragavardhini Rupaka Krithi
Kali teera vandarul HanumaThodi Misra Chapu Krithi
Kanaka Mayura Jalarnavam Adi Krithi
Kanakangaka Kanakangi Adi Krithi
Kanakavela karunalavela Sri Adi Krithi
Kandaga karpaga taruve Syamalangi Misra Chapu Krithi
Kanjam konjam Suryakantham Rupaka Krithi
Kanparaiyya Kharaharapriya Rupaka Krithi
Karunai Kadale Dhenuka Adi Krithi
Karvaya kanda Dhavalambari Rupaka Krithi
Ma madhura sarasa Ganamurthi Adi Krithi
Mahaganapathe Kaanada Adi Krithi
Malaiyate maname Sarasangi Rupaka Krithi
Manade maravade Hemavathi Rupaka Krithi
Mane moham Saveri Adi Varnam
Mangalam mayitvaham Surutti Adi Krithi
Manojanaimaruganai Gaula Adi Krithi
Mohanakara Neethimathi Rupaka Krithi
Nada nilai Gayakapriya Jhampa Krithi
Nadanuasantanaa Vagadheeswari Adi Krithi
Nadasukham Kanthamani Adi Krithi
Nalagude Rupavathi Adi Krithi
Nambinen Aiyya Vakulabharanam Adi Krithi
Nan enna seyven Mayamalavagaula Adi Krithi
Nayen unaye Naganandini Adi Krithi
Neeye gati en thaye Harikamboji Adi Krithi
Ni than appa Charukesi Adi Krithi
Nijabhaktim Manavathi Rupaka Krithi
Ninnaikanome Gangeyabhushani Rupaka Krithi
Paramananda Vishwambhari Rupaka Krithi
Sulini Adi Krithi Parayunul Gaurimanohari Adi Krithi
Rama ravikulasoma Bhairavi Adi Krithi
Ranjitha kavi Sudha Saveri Rupaka Krithi
Sadanamndame Mecha Kalyani Adi Krithi
Sadananda Raghupriya Rupaka Krithi
Samaganalola Chitrambari Misra Chapu Krithi
Sambhosankara Mecha Kalyani Triputa Krithi
Sami Dikshita Devamanohari Rupaka Krithi
Sami ide nallsamayam Navaneetham Rupaka Krithi
Sami sadamuda Ramapriya Adi Krithi
Samidesamayam Kedaragaula Rupaka Krithi
Sanbho sadasiva Yagapriya Adi Krithi
Shentiruvelan Bhavapriya Adi Krithi
Singara Kumari Varunapriya Adi Krithi
Sri Venugopaladeva Darbar Jhampa Krithi
Sukha Vazhve Kokilapriya Rupaka Krithi
Sukhakara Dhatuvardhini Adi Krithi
Sukhame sukham Shanmukhapriya Adi Krithi
Tandi mamukha Natta Adi Krithi
Thandarul ayya Nasikabhushani Misra Chapu Krithi
Tharuve nin arul Varali Misra Chapu Krithi
Ullam ariyada Sriranjini Adi Krithi
Unnaiyillal Simhendramadhyamam Adi Krithi
Va velava va Tanarupi Jhampa Krithi
Vaaranamukha va tunai Hamsadhwani Rupaka Krithi
Varnam tarum Jhankaradhwani Misra Chapu Krithi
Velaiya dayi Saveri Adi Krithi
Velanai vere gathi Subhapanthuvarali Misra Chapu Krithi
Velava va adiyen Arabhi Rupaka Krithi
Velave va Keeravani Jhampa Krithi
Velu mayilu me Sucharitra Rupaka Krithi
Viraraghava Gavambodhi Adi Krithi
Yedum ariyene Sahana Jhampa Krithi

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Excellent!
Can you make a list of krithis in the raaga navaneetham(40)
sung by great musicians?

ishmael.moridin said...

Hello,

Great site! Congratulations on your work.

Pertaining to this vaggeyakara, I would like to bring to your attention a kriti sung by Sikkil Gurucharan during the December'05 season called "Edaiyya gati" composed in "Chala Naata" set to "Adi". I don't find this kriti listed here.

Kudos,
I.

Unknown said...

Koteeswara iyer related to my wife kalpakam (chennai) and i want to include him in my family tree.
I learn that koteeswaran is cousin brother to my wife's grand father Nagaswamy (famous vakil at Devakottai).
please give e-mail address or telephone no of relatives who can help me to find out the link.
thanks
S G Krishnan