Ramaswami Dikshitar

Ramaswami Dikshita (IAST: Rāmasvāmi Dīkṣita, 1735–1817)^[1] or Dikshitar^[a] was a South Indian composer of Carnatic music and the father of Muthuswami Dikshitar. He was a member of the courts of Amarasimha (r. 1787–98) and Tulaja II (r. 1763–87) of Thanjavur.^[2]

Ramaswami Dikshitar was instructed in music and music theory by Melattur Veerabhadrayya and Venkata Vaidyanatha Dīkshitar, a grandson of Venkatamakhin, author of the Chaturdandiprakashika. His ragamalika using 108 ragas and talas is notable and the longest of its type. He also composed varnams in a variety of ragas. He is popularly considered the creator of the raga, Hamsadhvani. Others believe that he was the first to create a composition using it which made it popular. His son Muthuswami Dikshitar's acclaimed work, Vatapi Ganapatim was composed using the same raga.^[2]

Besides Muthuswami, Ramaswami Dikshitar had two other sons, Chinnaswami and Balaswami, and a daughter, Balamba. Balaswami's grandson was the composer and scholar, Subbarama Dikshitar.^[3]

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