which led to a wrong categorization in some quarters. However, these have been subsequently located in the possession of the Needamangalam Krishnamurthy Bhagavatar's (descendant of the poet's brother) family and disciples. Kamakshi Navavaranam krtis Venkata Kavi also composed Navavarnams (nine avarnams) on the goddess Srividya to be sung during Dasara. Venkata kavi’s collection of Kamakshi Navavarana kritis on goddess Srividya is a masterpiece. Apart from the main nine songs for the nine nights, he has also composed Vinayaka stuti, Dhyana stuti and a Phala stuti. There are several similarities (and differences) between his Navavaranams and that of Muthuswami Dikshitar but both reveal the composers’ scholarship in the various aspects of Devi worship. These are: Sri Ganeshwara – Shanmukhapriya – Adi – Vinayaka stuti Vanchasi yadi kushalam – Kalyani – Adi – Dhyana stuti Santatam aham seve – Deshakshi – Adi - (1st avaranam) Bhajaswa sri tripura sundari – Nadanamakriya – Adi - (2nd avaranam) Sarvajeeva dayakari – Shuddha Saveri – Mishra Chapu - (3rd avaranam) Yoga yogeshwari – Anandabhairavi – Khanda Triputa (2 kalais) - (4th avaranam) Neelalohita ramani – Balahamsa – Khanda Dhruvam (2 kalais) - (5th avaranam) Sadanandamayi chinmayi – Hindolam – Sankeerna Matyam - (6th avaranam) Sakala loka nayike – Arabhi – Adi - (7th avaranam) Shankari Shri Rajarajeshwari – Madhyamavathi – Adi - (8th avaranam) Natajana kalpavalli – Punnagavarali – Adi - (9th avaranam) Sri haladharanujam praptum - Manirangu - Adi - Phala shruti While the pieces showcase the composer's high caliber approach to melody, lyric, poetry and culture, they stand out for his masterly handling of intricate time measures of 9, 17 and 20 units per cycle in the 4th, 5th and 6th avarana kris respectively. This 8th avaranam has been set in alternate time-signatures within the same tala – chaturashram (4/4) and tishram (3/4). Guru Krtis Venkata Kavi composed at least 14-15 pieces extolling the greatness of his Guru, Krishna. A few of them suggest that he may also have had another human guru, at least for spiritual purposes. According to sources from that area, this guru was Bhaskara Raya, the acclaimed authority of Devi worship of his times. This is further augmented by the immense scholarship seen in Venkata Kavi's Kamakshi Navavarana krtis dealing with the intricate details of avarana pooja (Srividya worship). Dance compositions Venkata Kavi's works have been automatic choices for hundreds of dancers for the scope they offer for visual