self and the society, the society was considered obliged to look after such a person’s material needs. In his song, Ennallu tirigedi, he narrates how he obtains articles for all basic necessities through unchavritti. In addition to the disciples, there were a number of musicians, pundits and other guests who stayed with him for varying periods to derive inspiration and spiritual solace. He went for unchavritti once a week and what he obtained was adequate to meet the needs of his family, pupils and the visitors. Sometimes he was invited to perform unchavritti bhajans that earned him some extra income.

Some writers credit not only his prodigious talent but also his very survival to the divine will, while others cite the role of sanyasins. It is said that when he was five years old he was afflicted with a near-fatal ailment. Just when his father began to give up hope a sanyasi appeared and told him that the boy would recover the next day. The prediction came true.

According to another anecdote, Thyagaraja was barely 18 years old when one Haridas from Kanchipuram asked him to recite Ram’s name 96 crore times. Thyagaraja began to recite Ram’s name on an average 1, 25,000 times a day. It took him 21 years to complete the sacred task in which his wife too joined him. It is said that he had the darshan of Lord Shiva while he was reciting his name at Dakshina Kailash temple. During this period Lord Ram too visited him on several occasions. To celebrate these occasions Thyagaraja composed several hymns like Ela ni daya radu in Athapa raga and Kanugonntini in Bilahari raga.

Another episode relates to the celestial Devarishi Narada. One morning a sanyasi came to Thyagaraja’s house. After listening to his music the sanyasi left some musical works behind him, on pretext of going for bath to the nearby Kaveri River before partaking of meals. But he did not return, and Thyagaraja slept hungry as he could not eat before serving the guest first. In the night the sanyasi appeared in his dream and revealed himself as Narada and said that he had visited him to present him some musical works that would inspire him. On waking up, when he checked the items left behind by the sanyasi he was delighted to find works like Svararnava and Naradiyam.

After Rambrahmam’s demise Thyagaraja had to suffer untold humiliations and torture at the hands of his elder brother, Jalpesan. This led to the partition of the house. Later on the elder brother regretted his folly. Today, this house has been acquired by the Tyagabrahma Aradhana Mahotsava Sabha and has become a place of musical pilgrimage.

Sri Thyagaraja’s festival takes place at Tiruvayur every year where he composed many of his compositions attended by all Carnatic musicians from south and north of India and lovers, patrons of music. It is now past two centuries since this great saint composer lived, leaving behind him a valuable treasure of Carnatic music whose contributions will be kept honoured and whose compositions will exist as long as humanity exists.

As a poet of devotion he is considered at par with the likes of Jayadeva, Purandardasa, Chaitanya, Tulsidas, and Mirabai et al. This musician-saint has dominated the Carnatic Music world for over a century. His masterpieces, ranging from simple to elaborate works which only professional musicians can perform are ubiquitous in the south. His songs are especially well loved in Tamil Nadu, the seat of classical S. Indian Music. At weddings, in temples, in concerts, at festivals, over the radio, in the streets as well as in every home south of the Vindhyas, Thyagaraja’s voice lives on.

Thyagaraja died on 6 January 1847.

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