Question

Select the composer of_______ 72 Melaragamalika.

• A. Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer
• B. Papanasam Sivan
• C. Koteswara Iyer
• D. Mutayya Bhagavatar

Hint:

Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer's 72 Melaragamalika is a rare and complete work traversing all Melakarta ragas in one composition.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The 72 Melaragamalika is a monumental composition that covers all the 72 Melakarta ragas of Carnatic music in a ragamalika (garland of ragas) format. It was composed by Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer, a renowned 19th-century composer.
Each raga is represented with a short lyrical segment.
The work stands out for its exhaustive representation of the Melakarta system in a single composition.
It is highly respected for both its musical and scholarly significance.
Explanation of Other Options:

(B) Papanasam Sivan: Known for devotional kritis, not for the Melaragamalika.
(C) Koteswara Iyer: Composed kritis in all 72 Melakarta ragas individually, not as a ragamalika.
(D) Mutayya Bhagavatar: Prominent composer but not associated with the 72 Melaragamalika.
Thus, the correct answer is option (A).