The greatest figure in Kerala's musical tradition who ranks one among the greatest personalities in the history of the Karnatic system of Indian music is Swati Tirunal. He wrote eight works, six of them in Sanskrit and two in Malayalam. They are mostly hymns and commentaries. His greatest contribution was in music. His musical compositions numbered over five hundred. Swati Tirunal the prince of Travancore, was a great patron of art. His ambition was to assimilate the best in all traditions and reutilize the native heritage. Swati has given songs in Sanskrit, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Besides 'Kritis', typical of the south, he had composed Dhrupads, Tappas and Khayals. Several of the compositions are in rare ragas like 'Saranganatta', 'Lalita Panchamam', ''Mohana Kalyani Dvijavanti' and 'Gopika Vasantam'. Some of these sacred songs are epitomes in a miniature, of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. One of his brilliant achievement is 'Ragamala' on the ten incarnations of Vishnu. Swati was aiming at some pervasive spread of musical culture. He laid down what ragas should be sung or rendered in instrumental music every day at the Padmanabha temple, Trivandrum. He composed kirtans for this daily service. He composed a Garland of nine gems, nine compositions, one for each day of Dussehra festival.