Tyagaraja

Tyagaraja (c. 1767–1847) was a prominent Indian composer of Carnatic music and is regarded as one of the Trinity of Carnatic music, alongside Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. He was born in Tiruvaiyaru in present-day Tamil Nadu into a Brahmin family devoted to Rama, and spent much of his life in the region.

Most of Tyagaraja’s work was composed in Telugu, though he also used Sanskrit in some pieces. His surviving repertoire includes hundreds of kritis, many of which remain central to Carnatic concerts and pedagogy. He is celebrated for bhakti (devotion) to Rama, and for melodic invention, lyrical clarity, and emotional expressiveness. He worked within the traditional kriti form while expanding melodic and rhythmic possibilities, enabling deep raga exploration alongside singable, accessible music.

Among his best-known contributions are the Pancharatna Krithis, a set of five kritis in five different ragas that are frequently performed in concerts and studied by students. Endaro Mahanubhavulu is another widely performed work attributed to him.

Tyagaraja’s influence extends to modern Carnatic music pedagogy and repertoire, and his compositions continue to be a core part of learning and performance. The annual Tyagaraja Aradhana festival in Tiruvaiyaru honors his legacy, drawing musicians from around the world. He died in 1847 in Tiruvaiyaru, leaving a lasting impact as one of the greatest composers in the Carnatic tradition.