Navarathri Krithis - Annapurna Devi

Happy to Navarathi and Dasara festival to all! On Suddha Chaviti thidi, the Devi alankarana at Kanaka Durga temple, Vijayawada is that of Sri Annapurna Devi. Annapurna Devi is the manifestation of Shakti who is associated with anna (food) and dhanya (grains) - the very nourishment and sustenance required for life. It is so amazing that our ancients have recognized this and by worshiping Annapurna Devi we are worshiping food and its life sustenance quality. It is a pity that now a days we waste so much food while so many people are starving. We, the human race, is consuming at a rate far greater than we can replenish. Very sad.

Let us pray to Annapurna Devi and pray she gives us Gyana, Vairagyam and anna bhiksham to all living beings everywhere. Also, may she grant all of us some sense to respect food and not waste it.

Annapurna alankaram for the Devi at Kanka Durga temple, Vijayawada.

Annapurna Devi is a manifestation of Parvathi Devi and is also known as Visalakshi Devi. She and her husband Vishvesvar (Shiva) lord over the ancient city of Kasi and hence she is known as Kasi Annapurna or Kasi Visalakshi. The great devi upasaka and composer Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar has composed four songs in her praise. Muthuswami Dikshitar had travelled to North India and visited Kasi. The influence of Hindustani music tradition (which had clearly become a very separate tradition from carnatic even before the time of the Carnatic Music Trinity)  can be clearly seen in his compositions. However, not all of his compositions on Annapurna are regarding the devi at Kasi. Annapurne Visalakshi set in Sama ragam is a krithi on the devi at MadhyamaKasi/Kuzhikkarai in Tamil Nadu which he had visited on pilgrimage.

The krithi Ehi Annapurne is in praise of Sri Kasi Annapurna and is set in Punnagavarali ragam and Adi talam. Punnagavarali is a janya of the 8th Melakarta Hanumatodi. It is a nishadantya ragam - meaning the ragam does not start and end on the Sa but on strarts and ends on Ni.

Ehi annapUrNE sannidhEhi.  rAgA: punnAgavarALi.  Adi tALA.

P: Ehi annapUrNE sannidhEhi sadApUrNE suvarNE
A: pAhi pancA shadvarNE mAm shriyam dEhi raktavarNE aparNE
C: kAshI kSEtra nivAsini kamalalOcana vishAlini vishvEsha manOllAsini
jagadIsha guruguha pAlinI vidrumapAshini punnAgavarALi prakAshini
SaD-trimshat tatva vikAshini suvAsini bhakta vishvAsini cidAnanda vilAsini

Please listen to DK Pattamal's wonderful rendition of this song-


The next song is Vishalakshim Visveshim in the ragam Kashiramakriya which is the Asampurna mela equivalent of the 51st melakarta Kamavardhani.

vishAlAkSIm vishvEshIm.  rAgA: kAshIrAmakriya.   cApu tALA.

P: vIshAlAkSIm vishvEshIm bhajarE rE mAnasa sadA
C: kAshI rAjnIm kapAlinIm vinOda jAlinIm vAriNIm
pAsha mOcanIm prasiddhinIm IshAnIm guruguha jananIm

Please listen to the song rendered by D K Pattammal-


The next song is Kasi Visalakshim which is in the ragam Gamakakriya which is equivalent to the 53rd melakarta ragam Gamanashrama. However, this song is generally rendered in the ragam Purvi Kalyani which is a janya of Gamanashrama.


kAshI vishAlAkSIm.  rAgA: gamakakriyA.   rUpaka tALA.

P: kAshI vishAlAkSIm bhajEham bhajE shrI
A: kAshI vishvEshvara manOllAsa kAriNIm karuNArasa laharIm guruguha vishvAsinIm
C: kAshIpura vAsinIm kAmita phaladAyinIm kali kalmaSa nAshinIm gandharva ghOSita gamakakriyA
mOdinIm pAsha mOcanIm kapAla shUlinIm pannaga vENIm dAsajana mukundavara pradAyinIm

Please listen to Maharajapuram Santanam sing this song-


The last song is Annapurne Visalkshi set in sAma ragam. Sama is a beautiful ragam which conveys shanta rasa. This ragam is a Janya of the 28th melakarta Harikambhoji which is known in the aasampurna scheme as Harikedaragowla.


annapUrNE.  rAgA: sAma.  Adi tALA.

P: annapUrNE vishAlAkSi akhilabhuvana sAkSi kaTAkSi rakSi
A: unnata garta tIra vihAriNi OmkAriNi duritAdi nivAriNi
pannagAbharaNa rAjnI purANi paramEshvara vishvEshvara bhAsvari
C: pAyasAnna pUrita mANikya pAtra hEmadarvI vidhtakarE
kAyajAdi rakaSaNa nipuNatarE kAncanamaya bhUSaNambaradharE
tOyajAsanAdi sEvitaparE tumburu nArsdAdi nutavarE
trayAtIta mOkSaprada caturE tripada shObhita guruguha sAdarE

Please listen to Radha and Jayalakshmi sing this song-


See you soon with more songs!