Shri A P J Abdul Kalam,
President of India,
Rashtrapati Bhavan,
New Delhi

and

Selvi J Jayalalitha
Hon Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,
Chennai

Respected Mr President and Hon. Chief Minister,

Sub: Samaadhi of Muttuswami Dikshitar

We, the undersigned musicians, music lovers, students and individuals interested in preserving the worldвs cultural heritage seek your kind action in a matter of great cultural importance.

As you are only too well aware, Shri Muttuswami Dikshitar, is not only one of the greatest composers of Indian Music but also one of the most brilliant composers in the world. Among Indian composers, he was probably the most complete composer in the context of his exposure to Carnatic, Hindustani as well as Western Classical music, which is reflected in his works. He was one of the very first South Indian composers who composed brilliant masterpieces in both South and North Indian ragas. He also composed several вEnglish Notesв? with Sanskrit lyrics. He visited innumerable towns and cities and his compositions on those temples are of historic significance. Along with Shri Thyagaraja and Shri Shama Sastri, he formed the Trinity of Carnatic Music. His contribution to Indian music and culture is stupendous and his work is commemorated all over the world including in the USA, Australia, Singapore and UK, to name a few.

The memorial (samaadhi) of this great scion of Indian culture is situated at Ettayapuram, Tamil Nadu. It is the fervent desire of all music lovers as well as all lovers of Indian culture across the world that this samadhi be declared as a heritage site and treated as a National Monument, ideally with a beautiful museum. We are extremely concerned that there has been a move made to demolish this important cultural and artistic memorial.

Facts of the case:
в The Panchayat records of Ettayapuram reveal that the the land on which the Samadhi lies is classified as "Oorini Poramboke".
в An effort was made, sometime ago, to re-classify the land to facilitate it to be a heritage site.
в A petition made to the Tahsildar and the local Revenue Department was dismissed by both the administrators. (A review petition was made to the Land Commissioner, Chepauk, Chennai and this is pending before the Commissioner.)
в Meanwhile, recently, the Tahsildar of Ettayapuram initiated moves to demolish the Samadhi as this is situate on the government Poramboke land.
в Immediately, Mr Swaminathan (a practicing attorney at Madurai) moved the Madras High Court Bench at Madurai praying for relief from demolition of the Samadhi that should be rightly be preserved as a Heritage Site. The advocate on record is Mr Aravind Subramaniam. The petition was made in their personal capacity.
в Hon'ble Justice D.Murugesan heard the petition of Mr Swaminathan and granted relief from demolition, pending the clearance of the Review petition before the Land Commission at Chennai.
в The relief thus obtained is just temporary and there is an immediate need to focus attention on this heritage site, to save it from the administrative insensitivity.
We all seek your kind intervention in this matter and do the needful to give this great composer a memorial compatible to his immortal stature and contributions. We are confident that with culturally sensitive leaders such as yourselves, Muttuswami Dikshitar's samaadhi will be made into a great monument that will be the pride of our country and culture.