Thyagaraja, sometimes known as Thygayya, was an Indian classical music composer and vocalist who specialised in Carnatic music. He lived from 4 May 1767 to 6 January 1847. He contributed significantly to the growth of India's classical music culture and was a prolific composer. The Trinity of Carnatic music is thought to consist of Tyagaraja, Shyama Shastri, and his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Muthuswami. The majority of the thousands of devotional works Thyagaraja wrote in Telugu and in honour of Lord Rama are still played today. His five works known as the Pancharatna Kritis, which are frequently sung in programmes in his honour, and the Utsava Sampradaya Krithis, which are frequently sung to accompany temple rites, deserve special mention.
Early Life of Tyagaraja
In the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu's Tiruvarur town, Tyagaraja was born as Kakarla Tyagabrahmam. He was raised by Sitamma, who encouraged him to sing religious songs, and Kakarla Ramabrahmam, a traditional Hindu Brahmin. He was born at the home of Giriraja Kavi, a well-known court poet and composer for the king of Thanjavur, his maternal grandfather. Others think he pursued his love in music by following the example of his maternal grandfather.
Career of Tyagaraja
Tyagaraja received his musical training from renowned academic Sonti Venkataramanayya at the start of his career. He never focused on the technical aspects of classical music during his official study since he considered it as a way to achieve spiritual joy. His singing endeavours were made solely out of passion and without any other materialistic motivation. When he was a teenager, he had already started to demonstrate a gift for music composition with his debut song, "Namo Namo Raghavayya," a raga that is rumoured to be glorified on the walls of his home. A few years later, after completing his formal training with his master, Sonti Venkataramanayya called him back to play live.
Tyagaraja accepted the invitation and sang "Endaro Mahaanubhavulu," the fifth song of the five pancharatna krithis, in front of his guru. His talent impressed Venkataramanayya, who suggested that the King hire him to serve in his court. Tyagaraja received an invitation from the monarch to perform at the palace, but he declined. As a result, the well-known kirtan "Nidhi Chala Sukhama '' was written. The behaviour of his younger brother greatly enraged his elder brother, who then tossed Tyagaraja's idol of Lord Rama, the River Kaveri, into the river. This had a significant impact on Tyagaraja, and it served as the catalyst for the creation of several devotional songs. He left his house in search of inner calm because he was so troubled.
He spent a lot of time at Lord Rama pilgrimage places, lived a very spartan lifestyle by forgoing worldly pleasures, and devoted his time to writing and compiling devotional songs about the Lord. Many of Tyagaraja's disciples frequently followed him on his travels, taking notes about his works on palm leaves. Only 700 of the 24,000 songs he is supposed to have composed still exist since the majority of the palm leaves on which they were written were destroyed over time. In addition to songs, he also produced the well-known musical dramas Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam and Nauka Charitam. However, his songs are now praised for the Carnatic music in them and are still sung in numerous performances across the globe.
Achievements of Tyagaraja
As the most illustrious composer of Carnatic music in history, Tyagaraja was instrumental in the growth of this musical style. His primary motivation for playing was pure dedication since he considered music as a way to feel god's love.
Tyagaraja, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, make up the trinity of Carnatic music composers, and any study of it is likely incomplete without including them. He is recognised as the most illustrious composer of Carnatic music and is thought to have contributed significantly to the growth of this musical style. Numerous devotional songs were written by Tyagaraja, most of which are dedicated to the Hindu deities Rama and are popular even today.
The "five gems" or Pancharatna Krithis, five of Tyagaraja's compositions, are always sung whenever there is a programme in his honour today. Sonti Venkataramanayya, who was himself a renowned musician from a very young age, taught Tyagaraja how to play the piano. The most distinctive quality of Tyagaraja was his view of music as a way to experience divine love. As a result, his primary motivation for playing music was sheer devotion.
Tyagaraja wrote Namo Namo Raghavaya Anisham in the raga Desikathodi when he was only 8 years old. Later, Sonti Venkataramanayya requested Tyagaraja to perform at his Thanjavur home. Tyagaraja sang Endaro Mahaanubhavulu, the fifth of the Pancharatna Krithis, upon Sonti's invitation. Tyagaraja's tutor was so moved by his performance that he told the king of Thanajavur about his unrivalled vocal prowess. After that, the king sent Tyagaraja a letter inviting him to the royal court.
Tyagaraja turned down the invitation to perform in the Thanajavur king's court because he was not interested in fame and fortune. He created Nidhi Chala Sukhama, another exquisite kriti. However, Tyagaraja's brother was so furious that he had turned down the king's gift that he flung all of his idol statues into the river. Tyagaraja set off on a pilgrimage of the significant temples around India because he couldn't bear to be apart from his God, and he wrote a lot of songs in their honour.
Personal Life and Death of Tyagaraja
Tyagaraja married Parvatamma (Tyagaraja' wife) in 1784 when he was 18 years old, but she passed away in 1789. Later, in 1790, he wed Kamalamba, her sister. Sitalakshmi, the daughter of the couple, was born. On January 6, 1847, Tyagaraja departed this world, yet nothing is known about his final days.
