Just as Pancharatna Keertanams of Saint Tyagaraja are considered to be five gems by connoisseurs of Carnatic music in the same way nine Avarana Keertanams of Deekshitar are also considered to be 9 jewels by not only musicians but also SriVidya Upasakas.

These compositions show Deekshitar's proficiency in Sanskrit language, his authority over various Ragas of Karnatic music and, last but not the least, his thorough knowledge about Srichakra and its Avaranas.

Worshippers of Srichakra are spread throughout India particularly the southern States, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, etc. But other than the southern states, not many people know about these precious compositions.

So it is necessary to introduce these Keertanams to North Indian devotees if not for the musical part of it then at least for its enormous utility in the performance of Srichakra pooja.

I have always felt earnestly that these Keertanams never got the justice they so highly deserved. On the one hand musicians found them as a very hard nut to crack and kept them at a safe distance though occasionally showering respectful lip-service. On the other hand Srividyopasakas also have never used these keertanams in their Poojas. Mantras and Sthotras, some of them even irrelevant, were given a much higher preference. These nine compositions, though highly relevant, were not used perhaps for the following reasons:

1. They are not ordained by tradition or Guru Parampara. 2. Lack of Sanskrit knowledge and ignorance of their relevance. 3. Contempt of anything that is musical or in the song format as compared to the Mantra or Sthothra format.

The last cited reason is utterly ridiculous because the worship of Matangi ordains respect for music and musicians.

Though these compositions are nine in number, they are preceded by a Dhyana keertanam and succeeded by a Mangala keertanam. The first seven Avarana Keertanams are composed in such a way that each of them uses only one particular Vibhakthi (case ending) of Sanskrit grammar i.e. from Prathama Vibhakthi to Sapthami Vibhakthi. The 8th Avarana is in Sambodhanam (Vocative) case and 9th Avarana Keertanam is a beautiful garland made of all the Vibhakthis.

The versatile Deekshitar has used 11 different Ragas to compose these 11 Keertanams.

S. No.	Composition	Raga	Tala	Name
1	Dhyana Keerthanam	Thodi	Rupakam	Kamalambike
2	Prathama Varana Keerthanam	Ananda Bhairavi	Thisrajati Thriputa	Kamalamba Samrakshatu mam
3	Dwitheeyavarana Keerthanam	Kalyani	Adhi	Kamalambam Bhajare
4	Thruthiyavarana keerthanam	Sankarabharanam	Rupakam	Sree Kamalambikayai
5	Chathurthavarana Keerthanam	Kambhoji	Ata	Kamalambikayai
6	Panchamavarana Keerthanam	Bhairavi	Jampa	Sree Kamalambikayah Param nahi re
7	Shashtyavarana Keerthanam	Punnagavarali	Rupakam	Kamalambikayah
8	Sapthamavarana Keerthanam	Sahana	Thriputa	Sree Kamalambikayam
9	Ashtamavarana Keerthanam	Ghanta	Aadhi	Sree Kamalambike Avaava
10	Navamavarana Keerthanam	Ahiri	Rupakam	Sree Kamalamba Jayathi
11	Mangala Keerthanam	Sree Ragam	Khanda Jathi Eka Talam	Sree Kamalambike Sive

The knowledge of Sanskrit itself is nowadays considered to be a difficult one. The knowledge and capability to compose Sanskrit songs in the classical Ragas is another great achievement. On top of all these the knowledge of Sri Vidya and Sri Chakra is yet another milestone to be achieved only by the blessed.

Dikshithar has attained all these and given us these precious compositions. Let us not allow these precious gems to fall between two stools i.e. musicians and Srividyopasakas.

LET THESE KEERTHANAMS BE LEARNT, SUNG AND USED IN DEVI PUJAS AS AN OFFERING TO GODDESS KAMALAMBIKA.