Muthuswami Dikshitar

Muthuswami Dikshitar was a prominent Indian composer of Carnatic music, which is the classical music tradition of southern India. He was one of the "trinity" of great composers of the early 19th century, alongside Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri.1

Dikshitar's compositions are primarily devotional songs known as kritis or kirtanas. His music, like much of Carnatic music, is characterized by its adherence to specific melodic frameworks called ragas and rhythmic cycles called talas. While Carnatic music is generally more vocal-oriented, instrumentalists often imitate vocal styles. The chief centers for Carnatic music today include Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.1