Tyagaraja, one of the Trinity of Carnatic music, was a Telugu saint-composer whose hundreds of kritis flow from deep devotion to Sri Rama. Five of his grandest compositions are known as the Ghana Raga Pancharatna Kritis. Every year on Pushya Bahula Panchami, at the Tyagaraja Aradhana beside his samadhi in Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, hundreds of musicians sing these five gems together.
Who was Tyagaraja?
Tyagaraja was born in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, into a Telugu Vaidiki brahmin family. His father was Kakarla Ramabrahmam and his mother Sitamma. The family settled in Tiruvaiyaru on the Kaveri, where he spent most of his life. He is said to have been named after Lord Tyagaraja of the Tiruvarur Shiva temple.
He learnt music from Sonti Venkataramanayya, a court musician of Thanjavur. Initiated early into the Rama Taraka mantra, he is said to have chanted Rama nama crores of times in his life, and devotees believe Narada himself appeared and blessed him with a treatise on music.
Remarkably, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, the Carnatic Trinity, were all born in Tiruvarur. That most of Tyagaraja's kritis are in Telugu is a special pride for Telugu people.
What was Tyagaraja's Rama bhakti like?
For Tyagaraja, music was the means and Rama the goal. In his kritis Rama is not a distant god but a dear one at home: he sulks with Him, questions Him, calls Him lovingly and surrenders completely. He taught nada yoga, reaching God through devoted practice of swara.
Nidhi Chala Sukhama
A famous story says the Thanjavur king invited him to court with offers of wealth, and Tyagaraja declined, singing in Kalyani raga, "Nidhi chala sukhama, Ramuni sannidhi seva sukhama": is wealth true happiness, or service in Rama's presence? His life answered the question.
The Rama idols in the Kaveri
Tradition says his elder brother threw the Sita Rama idols he worshipped into the Kaveri, and Tyagaraja searched in grief until he recovered them. The story of his kriti asking the curtain to part for darshan at Tirupati is also well loved.
Which are the Pancharatna Kritis?
The Pancharatnas are expansive compositions in five ghana ragas, all in Adi tala, with many charanams sung with swara-sahitya. They teach students the full form of each raga.
| No. | Kriti | Raga | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jagadananda Karaka | Nata | Sanskrit |
| 2 | Duduku Gala Nanne Dora | Gaula | Telugu |
| 3 | Sadhinchene O Manasa | Arabhi | Telugu |
| 4 | Kanakana Ruchira | Varali | Telugu |
| 5 | Endaro Mahanubhavulu | Sri | Telugu |
- Jagadananda Karaka: praises Rama's divine qualities almost like a namavali.
- Duduku Gala: an honest self-examination, confessing his faults and asking who will save him.
- Sadhinchene: describes how Krishna cleverly achieved what He intended.
- Kanakana Ruchira: Rama's beauty grows the more one beholds Him.
- Endaro Mahanubhavulu: humble salutations to all the great souls of the world.
How is the Tyagaraja Aradhana at Tiruvaiyaru observed?
Late in life Tyagaraja took sanyasa and attained siddhi on Pushya Bahula Panchami. His samadhi stands on the Kaveri bank in Tiruvaiyaru, and the Aradhana is held there on that tithi and the days before it.
- The day begins with puja to Tyagaraja's idol and a remembrance of the unchavritti tradition.
- Senior vidwans and young artists sit together before the samadhi and sing the five Pancharatnas in chorus.
- Many musicians then offer Tyagaraja kritis one after another.
- Music sabhas around the world hold their own Aradhanas in the same season.
The music world remembers singer Bangalore Nagarathnamma with gratitude for restoring the samadhi and opening the Aradhana to women performers.
Other famous kritis and works of Tyagaraja
Beyond the Pancharatnas, many kritis are sung everywhere: Nagumomu Ganaleni (Abheri), Bantureeti Koluvu (Hamsanadam), Samaja Vara Gamana (Hindolam), Marugelara O Raghava (Jayantasri) and Rama Nee Samanamevaru (Kharaharapriya). He also wrote the musical plays Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam and Nauka Charitram, divyanama sankeertanas and utsava sampradaya keertanas, and he honoured Bhadrachala Ramadasu in his songs.
How can families observe Tyagaraja Aradhana at home?
- On Pushya Bahula Panchami, do deeparadhana before a Sita Rama picture.
- If children learn music, have them sing one Pancharatna or a divyanama keertana.
- Explain the meaning of "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" and teach respect for elders and gurus.
- A few minutes of daily Rama nama japa is the simple path Tyagaraja showed.
Key points
- Tyagaraja is one of the Carnatic Trinity, and most of his kritis are in Telugu.
- Rama was his life's goal; he turned down royal wealth.
- The Pancharatnas are Jagadananda Karaka, Duduku Gala, Sadhinchene, Kanakana Ruchira and Endaro Mahanubhavulu.
- The Aradhana is held at Tiruvaiyaru on Pushya Bahula Panchami.
- The group singing of the Pancharatnas is its central moment.