Sahityam forms the backbone of a musical composition. Its devotional, social, cultural connotations are numerous and multi-layered, which not only adds on to the essence or the soul of the composition but also helps one understand the context in which it was produced. The soul of the Vaggeyakara (composers of the lyrics and the music) gets manifested in myriad ways through the composition which we as performer, learner and listener, get a glimpse of. Along with the musical ingenuity of the composer, the lyrical expertise is something one just cannot overlook, while appreciating a work of music. Deep in its philosophical and devotional content, the Sahityam also paves way for endless innovative explorations. The beauty and content of Sahityam in terms of its poetry combined with music has the potential to elevate the audience to higher levels of Bhakti (devotion).
The attempt here is not to fix meanings out of the Sahityam that were used by the great composers, but to show how important a component Sahityam is, in contributing towards the larger experience of music. My insight into the beauty of Sahityam, its importance and the way it is brought out in compositions, will be presented out of my experience and training as a vocalist and learner. As part of the presentation, I would throw some light on the historical, philosophical and/or devotional content within compositions, while drawing some examples from within the vast canvas of the genre of Carnatic Classical Music.