Golden Treasury of Swathi Tirunal Kritis

Maharaja Swathi Tirunal the greatest composer of classical music was a patron of many arts, prolific composer, a man of learning and erudition. He became a bright star on the firmament of musical scholarship. Swathi Tirunal in his songs powerfully showed us the unity that was in India where the worship of God took many forms. He not only brought us vibrant music but also taught us that worship through any language or any community, where King and commoner unites in fervent expression of Bhakthi and where the boundaries of understanding are eternal, that is where God dwells. In the contributions of Swathi Tirunal we see a great tradition slowly taking shape. He contributed to all musical forms and they have been considered as gems of compositions. The present volume has been an outcome of my reverence for Swathi Tirunal Compositions. The great literary heritage brought through these compositions have been applauded from every quarters, let it be from Sanskrit scholars or musical giants. Though his contributions have evoked much controversy about their ownership, the scholarship and content could come only from the penmanship of Swathi Tirunal.