Thyagaraja(May 4, 1767 – January 6, 1847), a Great Composer who has composed over 24.000 Songs in Telugu-only 700 are available now,is considered as the Pithamaha of Classical, Carnatic Music.
He was born in Thiruvaiyaru.
His compositions are sung even today and they are hugely popular.
He was not only a Composer but a great saint who lived and breathed Lord Rama.
His songs are devoted to Lord Rama, though he had sung on other Deities as well.
Tyagaraja Aradhana, the commemorative music festival is held every year at Thiruvaiyaru in the months of January to February in Tyagaraja‘s honour. This is a week-long festival of music where various Carnatic musicians from all over the world converge at his resting place. On the Pushya Bahula Panchami,[Note 2] thousands of people and hundreds of Carnatic musicians sing the five Pancharatna Kritis in unison, with the accompaniment of a large bank of accompanists on veenas, violins, flutes, nadasvarams, mridangams and ghatams.
A crater on the planet Mercury is named Tyagaraja.
On this occasion all the Musicians of Traditional style congregate at Thiruvaiyaru, where his statue is installed and render his Songs. called kritis, are sung in chorus.
About ten thousand Musicians sing his Pancharatna Kriti in unison in a Pandal, a special and unique enclosure.
Pancharatna Kritis.
The term pancharatna in Sanskrit means five gems: The Pancharatnas are known as the five finest gems of Carnatic music. All the Pancharatnas are set to Adi Talam. So far as Pancharatnas are concerned, a stable text has been handed over by the earlier musicians to the present day. Several musicians have brought out editions of Pancharatnas. However, Veenai Sundaram Iyer’s edition is the most detailed and comprehensive. All the compositions of Tyagaraja show the way for the systematic development of the respective ragas. However, in the Pancharatnas, Tyagaraja has given full, exhaustive and complete treatment as to how to systematically and scientifically develop a raga. The two fundamental conditions that must be satisfied for a systematic development of a raga are the arrangement of the solfa swaras in the natural order of Arohanam and Avarohanam of the Ragas so as to satisfy the sound principles of harmony and continuity. Pancharatnas satisfy these scientific principles in an unparalleled manner. The Pancharatnas are composed in perfect sarvalaghu swaras.
- The first pancharatna is Jagadanadakaraka, in the raga Nata. It is composed in lucid and poetic Sanskrit. It praises Lord Rama as the source of all joy in the universe. Originally there were only six charanams for the song and when the disciples examined the song it contained ninety names of Lord Rama in mellifluous Sanskrit. The disciples requested Tyagaraja to slightly expand the song by adding two charanas containing eighteen more names of Lord Rama. The saint acceded to the request of the disciples and that is the reason why the song Jagadanadakaraka contains two mudras containing the name of Tyagaraja while the other four songs contain only one mudra each.
- The next is Duduku gala in the raga gowla set to adi talam. In this song Tyagaraja takes the blame upon himself for all the misdeeds of men and ruminates as to who would come and save him from this deplorable situation.
- The third is Sadhinchene in the raga Arabhi set to adi talam. In this song Tyagaraja lovingly cricises Lord Krishna for his cleverness in getting what he wants to be done. Sadhichene is a breathtaking lullaby.
- The fourth song, Kana kana ruchira is in the raga Varali set to adi talam. In this song Tyagaraja describes the infinite beauty of Lord Rama.
- The fifth pancharatna is Endaro Mahanubhavulu. It is said that a great musician from Kerala, Shatkala Marar visited Tygaraja and performed before him. Tyagaraja was enchanted with his performance and then was born Endaro Mahanubhavulu, the unparallelled rhythmic beauty in Carnatic music.
Other notable compositions by Tyagaraja include saamajavaragamana in hindolam ragam, aadamodigaladhe in charukesi ragam, raju vedale in todi ragam, ninne nami naanura in pantuvaraliragam, and nagumomu kanaleni in Abheri ragam.
For Thygarajar Kritis check at http://thyagaraja-vaibhavam.blogspot.in/2009/03/tyagaraja-kritis-alphabetical-list.html
Source.
wiki.
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