Context
Owing to the spread of the Omicron variant, the Tyagaraja Aradhana in Thiruvaiyaru has been reduced to just one day this year, instead of the usual five days.
- The Tyagaraja Aradhana is the world’s largest gathering of musicians and music practitioners of one genre at any point of time.
About
- Tyagaraja was born on 14th May 1767 in the village of Thiruvayaru in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu.
- His parents, Kakarla Ramabrahmam and Sitamma, were Telugu Mulakanadu Smartha Brahmins from the Prakasam district of Andhra, who migrated to the Tamil regions a generation earlier.
- He was an ardent devotee of lord Rama. In his praise and honour he wrote numerous musical operas, and about twenty four thousand songs.
- Out of those songs, only about seven hundred survive.
- As per the oral tradition, all these songs are passed on from a teacher to a student and are sung till date.
- Tyagaraja himself had several illustrious students who took his musical legacy ahead. Among the more famous ones are Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavatar.
- He is one of the principal composers of the Carnatic trinity, and for artistes and practitioners of the most complicated genre of music, this is a historic occasion.
Carnatic music
- Carnatic music or Carnatic sangeet is the south Indian classical music.
- Carnatic music has a rich history and tradition and is one of the gems of world music.
- Carnatic Sangeet has developed in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. These states are known for their strong presentation of Dravidian culture.
- Purandardas (1480-1564) is considered to be the father of Carnatic music.
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