Tyagaraja

Sadguru Tyagaraja Swami (Telugu: సద్గురు త్యాగరాజ స్వామి; 4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Tyagayya, and in full as Kakarla Tyagabrahmam (Telugu: కాకర్ల త్యాగబ్రహ్మం), was a Hindu saint and composer of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his contemporaries, Shyama Shastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar, are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Tyagaraja composed hundreds of devotional compositions, most in Telugu and in praise of Rama, many of which remain popular today. Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pancharatna Kritis (transl. "five gems"), which are often sung in programs in his honour. Tyagaraja composed Utsava Sampradaya Krithis (transl. Festive ritual compositions), which are often sung to accompany temple rituals and Divya Nama Sankeertanas (transl. Divine name compositions) which are sung as a part of concerts and in daily life.

Tyagaraja lived through the reigns of four kings of the Maratha dynasty – Thuljaji (1763–1787), Amarasimha (1787–1798), Serfoji II (1798–1832) and Shivaji II (1832–1855), although he served none of them.