Hi, I am Dr. D. Veeraragavathatham
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The author, Dr. D. VEERARAGAVATHATHAM, Ph.D. (Horticulture) is the son of Smt. Lakshmi Ammal and Srirangam Kodikannikathanam Desikathathachary. He is a retired Dean of Horticultural College in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India.
From his childhood days, he had a passion for Indian music, both Classical Carnatic and Indian film music. His mother, was a Carnatic Music disciple of music legend Sattur A.G. Subramania Iyer. She regularly performed in gatherings and celebrations. The author grew up listening to her.
The author regularly listened to concerts of great legends like M.S. Subbulakshmi, Madurai Mani Iyer, D.K. Pattammal, Dr. Sirkazhi Govindarajan, T.M.Soundararajan, Dr. K.J. Yesudas, Dr. Jeyaraman, Unnikrishnan as well as instrumental concerts of Kadri Gopalnath, Karaikurichi Arunachalam and others. The author himself performed on stage at Varadarja Perumal Koil, P. N. Pudur, Coimbatore alongside other Carnatic music singers with supporting instrumental artists of Harmonimum, Mridhangam and Thabela. He also regularly participated in bhajans and Naamavali renditions.
Right from early days, he had a passion to identify the ragas of Carnatic songs and film songs based on Carnatic music. Although he did not learn music the formal way, his passion for music has led him to experiment and learn to sing in different ragas. The author sincerely apologizes in advance for any mistakes he has made in the presentation of the Carnatic ragams, thalams and other necessary elements of music as part of his recordings presented in this website.
During the pre-covid period, when he traveled to certain temples in South India he had an urge to compose and sing songs in specific Carnatic ragas. He experienced this feeling especially in Soundararaja Perumal kovil of Thadikombu (Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu) and Yoga Narasimhar temple (Thondanur, Mandiya district, Karnataka). During the covid pandemic, he started writing on Sriranga Perumal Thayaar Mahalakshmi, Narasimhar, Sudarshanar, Krishna seeking their grace to bring an end to the dreaded disease of Covid-19. He also wrote Krithis on Achariars and Azhwars.
The music on this website started as a project when the author's wife Smt. Amudha suggested he write Krithis on Perumals of 108 Divya Desams highlighting the sthala puranas and the Thaayars of these shrines. His daughter Smt. Hema suggested incorporating the name of the ragam towards the end of the song and his name as a musical signature. Then he started singing along with his wife Smt. Amudha and sharing the recordings and the sthala puranams in whatsapp with his family and friends. Based on the positve feedback he received from his audience, he decided to work with his daughter Smt. Hema, to present the work as an e-book and this website for the listeners who want to enjoy the divine musical journey of the 108 Divya Desams.
By the grace of Shreeman Narayanan, Aazhwars and Aachariars, the musical journey to all 108 Divya Desams is being successfully completed through the 108 Krithis sung in 108 different ragas.