Abraham Pandithar

Abraham Pandithar was a Carnatic musicologist from Tamil Nadu.

Birth: 2, August 1859

Demise: 31, August 1919

Place of birth: Sambavar Vadakarai, Tirunelveli district

Parent: Muttuswamy Nadar, Annammal

Early life

Abraham Pandithar started his career as a teacher.

He came in contact with Karunanda Rishi in 1877.

Rishi taught him Indian Medicine.

Pandithar set up a farm of Medicinal herbs spread over 550 acres and named it Karunandapuram.

Contribution to music

He studied Carnatic music under Dindugal Sadayandi Pattar.

Pandithar’s endeavor was to link Carnatic music to ancient Tamil literature.

In 1907, he wrote Karnamrita Sagara Tirattu.

This book contained 95 compositions and their notations of Pandithar himself.

In 1912, Abraham Pandithar started Sangita Vidya Mahajana Sangam at Thanjavur.

Panchabagesha Bhagavathar, Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer, and Hrishikeshanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar were his associates in this organization.

The lecture Abraham Pandithar gave on shrutis at the All India music conference (Baroda, March 1916) gave him fame and appreciation as an authority in Carnatic music.

Knowledge Bank

Why should a bhakta follow shastras?

Narada-bhakti-sutra.13 says that if the bhakta does not follow the teachings of good conduct given in the shastras, he will fall from his path. The bhakta needs to follow scriptural teachings for his own sake until perfect devotion is attained and then as an example for others.

Are Brahmavadinis and Rishikas the same?

A Brahmavadi is someone who talks about the eternal knowledge of the Vedas. A Brahmavadini is a female scholar, the feminine gender of Brahmavadi. A Rishi is a male to whom a mantra has been revealed. A Rishika is a female to whom a mantra has been revealed. All Rishikas are Brahmavadinis, but not all Brahmavadinis must be Rishikas.