In the history of the country, there have been Nadopaskas & Shakthi upasakas with their special halo of unique glory and splendor. Shankara, Ramakrishna, Abhirama Bhattar, Kalidasa, Muka Kavi & others ornament this galaxy as outstanding Shakthi upasakas. In the realm of Nadopasakas, the hallowed names of Syama Sastri & his son, Subbaraya Sastri, stand unique and unparalleled for their unshakable devotion to the Ishta Devata, Sri Kamakshi, whom they garlanded with their gems of musical creations of inestimable beauty and untold creativity.

Of course, Thyagaraja and Dhikshitar, the worthy contemporaries of Syama Sastri, also had their own share in singing the glories of the Holy Mother through their spontaneous compositions, with this striking difference - that they visualized their own Ishta Devatas, Sree Rama and Guru Guha respectively, in the Holy Mother whereas Sastri had none but Her.

The spontaneous approach of Sastri to Kamakshi, like a child to its mother could be seen quite clearly and unmistakably in his Sahityas which when sung with the proper emotional approach and understanding can reach the depths of the innermost tender chords of both the performer and the listener. My beloved Master - Sri Tiger Varadachariar - often used to compare Sastri to an innocent child demanding sweets from its Beloved Mother.

A handful of kritis, much meager in number when compared to the hundreds of kritis of Thyagaraja and Dhikshitar, have no doubt revolutionized both the musical expression and appreciation of our Classical Carnatic Music.

The general diction and style of Sastri is compared to "Kadalipaka" for its simplicity of structure and magnanimity of musical expressions with a visible, 'aura' of Laya Vinyasa which sometimes demands the scrutiny of even the best musician.

A general survey of Sri Syama Sastri's popular kritis will evidently show that he handled some of the prominent Rakti Ragas like Sankarabharanam, Kalyani, Bhairavi, Todi, Kamboji, Yadukulakambodi, Poorvikalyani, Ritigoula, Anandabhairavi, Saveri, Madhyamavathi and others. Yet one has to admire his special inclination towards Anandabhairavi in which he composed at least four well known kritis and a Varnam. Incidentally it is a curious co-incidence that the above well known four kritis are composed in four different Talas - Adi, Rupaka, Chapu of viloma and anuloma types. He has also handled some of the rare ragas like Pharaz, Kalegada, Chintamani, Ahiri, Manchi and others in a masterly fashion to the delight of accredited musicians and devoted rasikas.

Amongst the reputed Vaggeyakaras Sri Sastri is the one person who is known to have taken particular attention and study in the realm of Layam. He is also known to have attempted 'Laya Prastharas' and 'Swara Vinyasas' which are evident even in the kritis of Adi and Rupaka Tala not to speak of those in Chapu Tala, his special favorite.

Like Thyagaraja he adopted Telugu for his medium of expression in almost all his compositions. Even in doing so, the influence of Sanskrit, the language of the Devas, is patent, which gives a special charm and dignity to his kritis. His Gowlipantu kriti 'Tarunam Idamma' is perhaps the only exception in which he has adopted Tamil for his expression.

The main bulk of his kritis are directed to his Ishta Devatha, Sri Kamakshi. But circumstances during his solitary visit to Madurai urged him to compose a set of nine exemplary kritis addressed to the Presiding deity, Sri Devi Meenakshi which are specially styled as "Navaratna Malika". The well known kritis like "Sarojadala Netri" in Shankarabharanam and "Mariveragati" in Anandabhairavi belong to this celebrated group.

His well known Swarajatis viz. Kamakshi in Bhairavi, Kamakshi in Yadukulakambhoji and Rave in Todi form a veritable Trio by themselves and deserve the highest appreciation from even the worst critic. They are really the magnificent Raga Gopuram with their unfathomable foundations and elaborate workmanship, trying to kiss the musical firmament, built cautiously from storey to storey with a rare dexterousness in the delineation of Raga Prastara and Swara Prastara, maintaining at the same time the free flow of the lucid Sahithya Bhava surcharged, with the highest devotion and dedication to his Ishta Devata.

There is however, no special philosophy notable in the simple, direct and soulful Sahithya of Sri Sastri unlike Thyagaraja and Dhikshitar who in their heights of imagination and depths of introspection, have enveloped in their high flown Sahithya, the different facets of Indian Philosophy and culture. Of course, there is somehow an apparent resemblance between Thyagaraja and Syama Sastri in their focusing all their ideas and ideals around their Ishta Devatas. Yet Sri Sastri stands supreme in his unconditional Saranagati to the Holy Mother with a rare confidence in her Divine Mercy that was showered upon him unconditionally.

Syama Sastri is known to have initiated Sri Dhikshitar into the Sri Vidya cult and most probably would have inspired, Sri Thyagaraja as well. He worshipped 'Sri Bangaru Kamakshi' with special fervor and devotion so that he always looked upon the Divine Indications for any conduct in his life. His Swara Sahithyas may be considered as special innovations fittingly introduced in the main structure of a kriti, so that they have become practically inseparable after long usage and unquestionable acceptance by posterity. They no doubt deserve any amount of commendation for their richness of Raga Bhava and Sahithya Bhava. It might be noted that his son, Subbaraya Sastri, has followed suit in this aspect and has succeeded remarkably. It might also be noted that both the father and the son indulged sometimes in Sabdha Alankaras, Yati patterns, Anuprasas, Swaraksharas and other allied technical ornamentations without detriment to the general tone and subtle Bhava of the compositions.

Karnatic Music might not have attained its present richness but for the invaluable contributions of Sri Sastri and his worthy son. They have naturally therefore inaugurated a unique school of original musical expression and artistic perfection so that no student of music can set aside their study - much less to neglect. To the musician of any good standard the polished and stylish rendering of Sri Sastris' group of kritis has been found to be the acid test for his innate proficiency and their lofty outlook in the sphere of high class art. It is a pity that Karnatic music lovers have somehow committed a lapse in forgetting to celebrate the birth bi-centenary of Sri Syama Sastri who along with his illustrious contemporaries, like Sri Thyagaraja and Sri Dhikshitar, is adored to be one of the accepted Musical Trinity. It is, however, gratifying that the year 1975 was totally dedicated to the birth bi-centenary of Dhikshitar and earlier, to Thyagaraja. May we, however, hope that in the very near future, the general public and music lovers will make necessary amends and celebrate fittingly one of Syama Sastri's nearest Jayanthis, thus paying our hearty homage to such a worthy musical genius of our country.