Composers continued…

Tallapakam Annamcharya: He was the great patron of Bhajana cult. At a young age he left his family and went to Thirupathi. He learnt Divya Prabandhas and atained proficiency. His compositions are compiled under four heads: Adhyatma Sankeertanalu, Shrungara Sankeertanalu,Shrungaramanjari and Venkatachalamahatmyam. First one tells how one can develop devotion and love towards Lors, second one isabout the love of a lady to Lord, Third talks about how the lady succeeds in attaining her wishes with the help of her friends and the fourth one is about the miracles and incidents happened at Thirumala.According to his grandson Annama has composed around 32000 songs. A little more than 12000 keertanas are available today. Everyday in Thirupathi his compositions are presented before Lord Venkateshwara.Annnama who had received several titles like Dravidagama Sarvabhouma, Sankeertanacharya,Padakavitha margadarshi,etcwas much respected by king of Tungattur.Of the keertanas, 108 have been selected by Thirupathi Devastanam and was given notations by Rallapalli Anantha Krishna Sharma who was the Asthana Vidwan of Thirupathi.Some songs have been set to noted by nedunuri Krishnamurthy. Annama lived till 1503.

Sadashiva Brahmendra: He was born as Sivaramakrishna in 17th century. He went to vedapadashala in Madurai and obtained his higher studies in Tarkashastra (moral philosophy) and Vedanta in Tanjore under the guidance of Sri Ramabhadra Dikshita. He became a sanyasi after getting diksha from Sri Paramshivendra and became Sri Sadashivendra Saraswathi. Bhakti had been in his blood ever since he was born, becoming a sanyasi helped him in getting Sri Rama and Krishna’s darshan. Many of his compositions give a clear visual of his darshan. WIth the pen name Paramahamsa he has given scores of wonderful songs  and numerous books –Yoga Sudhakara, Brahma Tatva Prakashika,Soota samhita,Shiva Manasa pooja,Paramahamsa Charya and much more. WIth his captivating melodious oice, he used to sing various compositions in his ashram.He had many Muslim and Italian followers. He entered samadhi in Nerur. Today on vaishaka shukla panchami day his aradhana is observed.Once Jagadguru Shri Shivabinava Swami of Shringeri observed fast in his Samadhi for 3 days. After the third day thousands of devotees could hear Swamiji and Sadashiva Brahmendra exchanging thoughts on religious matters and other topics of mutual interest.The 45 slokas composed by Swamiji on Brahmendra explains the greatness of his soul.

Venkatamakhin: Born as Venkateshwara Dikshita, Venkatamakhi n is the one who gave shape to the mela system we follow today.His elder brother Yagnanarayana Dikshita gave intense training to him in all vedas,vedanta,nataka,alankara and allied subjects. He attained such scholarship that he was admired as advaita acharya by everyone.He gave valuable treatises like Karmantasutramimamsa, Darsha  purnamasaprayoga, Chayanamantranu-kramanee,Soma Yaaga,etc. Chaturdandi  Prakashika is the greatest contribution of Venkatamakhin to music world. Veena, shruti,Swara,mela,raga,alapa,tala, geeta,prabandha and taya are well explained in the 10 chapters of the book. Mela system was conceptualised in Vidyaraya’s time, developed byRamamaatya,Somanatha,Pundarikavittala and completed by Venkatamakhin. Venkatamakhi and Venkatavaidyanatha are his signatures.

Oothukkadu Venkatasubbaiyer: He was born in Tanjore district. He was the grandson of Sri Ramachandra Vadular. Venkatasubbaiyer and his elder brother Krishnan were great devotees of Kalinga Nardhana Krishna. Krishnan was an excellent musician who won the nine gramas (villages) lost by his grandfather, through his music. Krishnan was the guru of Venkata Subbaiyer.After Krishnan’s marriage, Subbaiah moved to Mannargudi and continued his musical journey. Legend says that lord Krishna himself came in the disguise of a kid and played with Subbaiah. As a scholar in Sanskrit and Tamil, Subbaiyer could fluently compose numerous songs in both the languages His compositions are full of bhakti rasa.  Some of his popular compositions include Sri Krishna Gaanam,  Rudrashabdam, Rajagopala Nityotsavam,Kalinganardhana Prabhavam, Nandana Gitam. Sri Krishna Gaanam is a translation and commentary of a part  of Srimad Bhagavatam. His compositions titles Rasa Saptam are very popular- Thaye Yeshoda, Alaipayude, Sri Vigna Rajam Bhaje, Madhura Madhura, Lolagopala etc to name a few.

Swathi Thirunal: He was born in Thiruvancore Royal family under Maharani Parvathi Bai’s rule. As per family tradition he was named after his birth star. At the age of 16, he mastered academics and fine arts and becam the ruler. Under his regime, edcation and fine arts cherished in the state. Tanjore brothers, disciples of Muthuswmy dikshitar helped Swati Tirunal  in composing music. The King has developed many padas, varnas,thillanas, javalis,kritis and ragamalikas. His mudras include padmanabha,irajanabha,kamalanabha,sarasijanabha,etc in praise of his family deity Padmanabha. Even Swami Thyagaraja prasied his compositions. The King also practised kathakalashepa and composed two operas-Kuchelopakhyana and Ajamilopaakhyana.he has conttibuted even Manipravalas (kritis having lyrics in more than one language). Twice in a year during the 10 day celebration of Padmanabhaswamy, these Manipravalas are presented. Swati Thirunal left this world at a young age of 33 but his compositions have made him immortal.

Veena Kupaiyyar: He lived in the later parts of 19th century and learned music from his father Veena Sambiah. After his father passed away, Kuppaiyyar learned music from Thyagaraja. Thyagaraja had a veena in his pooja room and Kuppaiyar was very eager to play the veena but never dared to touch it. One day when Thyagaraja had gone out he started playing Narayanagoula raga in the veena. Thyagaraja came back in the mean time ad was mesmerised by his sishya’s music. He himself named him Narayanagoula Kuppaiyar. He was a devotte of Venugopala with his spouses Radha and Rukmini. He has composed many songs under the name Gopaladasa and Venugopala. His son Thiruvottiyur Thyagayyar was also an adept in music and wrote songs under the name Gopaladasa.He has compiled all his father’s contributions in the book  “Pallavi Swarakalpavalli”. It is hard to differentiate the songs composed by father and son. Their family is responsible for making Madras the center for Carnatic music. He was the favorite disciple of Thyagaraja.

Mahavaidynatha Iyer:He was born in 1844 in Tanjore. His father Panchanathayyar was a great singer. hearing his voice, Thyagaraja came out ofhis house and blessed him that he will have two sons whose names will be immortal in music world.Ramaswami Shivan was his first son and Vaidyanatha was second. Vaidyantha started performing at a very ealry age. His clarity of notes was much appreciated. He had a wonderful voice that could move easily on all 3 octaves.At the age of 13, he sang in front on Kalladaikurichi Samasthanam and received the title Maha from the Guruji. AS he started performing at a very early age, he had learned very few krithis. So his concert majorly had Alapana, neraval, tana and kalpanaswaras. He was an adept in setting sangathis . He is the one who set sangathis of Vatapi Ganapatim sung today.He was proficient in singing Pallavis in Simhanandana tala which is supposed to be the most complicated one.He has also composed a tillana in that tala.Some compositions have lyrics of Ramaswami shivan and notations of Vaidyanatha. Most famous being 72 melaragamalika. Other one in 11 raga ragamalikain praise of Guru Sankaracharya. his ankita is guhadasa. He never encouraged the idea of collecting fee from audience for listenoing his concert. Once when he came to know that the organisers have colected fee, he walked out of the stage and perfomred in a nearby temple so that everybody could listen.He passed away in 1893 in Thiruvayyaru. His younger brother Appaswamy used to arrange concerts in his memory every year.

Pattanam Subramanya Iyer: Born in Ashtashastra Brahim sect in 1845. His father was the court poet of Saraboji King, Tanjore. Music was in his genes. Though he had a rough voice, with his constant effort he earned name and fame. He has composed lots of varnas,thillanas,etc. He was a scholar in tamil, telugu and Saskrit and an adept in Tana singing. He was moulde by Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbayya, disciple fo Thyagaraja. His concert has elaborate raga alapana. Mysore vasudevacharya and Bhairavi kempe Gowda are his famous disciples. Raghuvamshasudha in Kadanakuduhala,a paradise for instrumentalists is composed by Pattanam Subramaya Iyer.He lived for several years in Madras. His disciples were his children as he did not have children of his own. He passed away in 1902.

Mysore Vasudevacharya: Born in 1865, Vasudevacharya belonged to Madhwa Brahmin family. He lost his father at a young age and his family shifted to Mysore from Coimbatore.

He went to Maharaja Sanskrit college and mastered in Sanskrit. After that he went to gurukula under the tutelage of Veena Padmanabha and learnt sanskrit and music. Mysore Chamaraja Wodayar, the then king much appreciated Vasudevacharya’s music sent him to Pattanam Subramanya Iyer for higher studies.An  adept in alapana, neraval,kalpanaswara,he has composed numerous padams,javalis, krithis,etc. His awards and accolades include  Sangita Kalanidhi of Madras music academy,Padmabhushan, Ravindranath tagpore honoured him with Sangita Bhavagya Shikhamani, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodayar gave him the title Sangitasha-Shraratna,Sri Jayachamaraja Wodeyar gave the title Sangitashastravisharada.His compositions are published in two volumes in the name Vasudeva Keertana Manjari.naa kanda kalavidaru and Nenapugaluare two books by him which narrate various interesting episodes of his life and musicians of his lifetime. Rukmini Arundale appointed him as the chairman of music department of Kalkshetra and he spent his last few years there.He lived for 97 years.

Papanasam Shivan: Born in Tanjore as Ramasharma. Lost in father when he was six and his family had tomove to Trivandrum. They lived by taking alms. He went to Maharaja Sanskri college of Trivandrum and atained Shastri,Upadhyaya grades. He leanred music from Mahadeva Bhagavata and Samba bagavata for some tim. Neelakanta Shivan’s songs greatly inspired him. He then moved to Papanasam and began to sing in temples. People fondly calle him Shivan and hence he became Papanasam Shivan. He could mesmerise those who hear his kathakalakshepa. He then became disciple of Koneri Rajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer and chaged his singing style. He has composed numerous krithis, padas,varnas,etc under the name Ramadasa. His debut into movies made him more popular.He has acted in four films and has commposed music scores for many films. He did Gita Govinda and Kuravanji for Rukmini Arundale’s Kalakshetra.His 500 compositions are published in four volumes under the name Keertanamala. His awards include Sangeeta Kalanidhi of Madras Music Academy, SangitaSahitya Sikhamani from Indian Fine Arts Accosciation, Isai Perarignar from Tamil Isai Sangam,Padabhushan,etc. He lived till his 80th age.

Muthiah Bhagavathar: He was born in Harikeshanallur in 1892.  He had a very attractive personality  to math his music, Oratorship and expertise. His  Hari Kathakalakshepa in Tamil was very widely appreciated. He can play Gottuvadya as well. He was a scholar in Tamil, Telugu and Sanksrit. He composed various varnas,krithis,thillanas,etc. He has also composed kritis in rare ragas like Shuddhalalita,Niroshta,Veenadhari,Harinarayani,etc. His ankita is Harikesha. He has composed 108 krithis on Sri Chamundeshwari and Shiva qual to ashtotara shatanamas to fulfill the wish of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar who conferred Gayakashikhamani on Bhagavathar.Sangita Kalpaduma, a masterpiece in theoryof music was authored by him.He was the first to compose notation for Maharaja Swathi thirunal. He was the court musician of Travancore and was given honorary doctorate.