sant Tyagraj Ji
Sant Tyagraj Ji
Sant Tyagraj was a great poetic saint of the Carnatic music tradition.
The mixture of words, emotions and music that was found in his bhajans was fascinating for anyone’s mind. A devotee of Shri Ram, Shri Tyagraj, with his musical creations has not only given a direction to Carnatic music but has also taken it to new heights. He has written songs in thousands and filled it with music of invariable love of God.
He was known as the king of Carnatic music. With his pleasant music, he had established such a sovereignty of Rambhakti (devotion for lord Ram) which after so many years is as attractive as it was back then.
shri Tyagraja was born in Tiruvar on the banks of the river Kaveri of Tanjore district in Tamilnadu in the month of May, 1767.
His father’s name was Kakarla Ramabrahmam and mother’s name was Sitamma. His parents were great devotee of Shri Ram.
TIt is said that Tiruvar temple’s Lord Tyagraj had come in to his dreams and blessed him saying that he would be a father of a very bright son. After the name of Lord Tyagraj, his parents named him Tyagraja. His full name was Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam and was from a Telugu Brahmin family.
Shri Tyagraj had got his primary education in music at home from his father
Later, he took further education from great music teacher Sonti Venkataramanayya
became a scholar in music in all aspects. For Shri Tyagraj, music was a medium of expressing the emotions of devotion. He used to sing to express his love for God and not to show off his knowledge in music
At a very young age, he had composed his first song “Namo Namo Raghavayya” in Rag Todi.
Since childhood, Shri Tyagraja used to visit temples along with his mother and sing bhajans there. People used to love his bhajans. Gradually, he came out as a great singer and a musician. Once his guru, Sonti Venkataramaya called him over to perform at his house in Thanjavur. There, Tyagraja sang one of his Panchratna creations “Endaro Mahanubhavulu”, in Shri Rag.
Hearing this, his guru was so pleased that he discussed about Tyagraja’s caliber with the king of Thanjavur. The King sent his men with many gifts to Tyagraja and sent an invitation to come to king’s court. The king wished that Tyagraja remains in the court and sing for him. But Tyagraja rejected King’s invitation because he only wanted to sing for his beloved God Shri Ram.
Angry with his refusal to the King, Tyagraja’s brother threw the idol of Ram that Tyagraja worshipped daily in to the river Kaveri. Tyagraja, deeply hurt with this incident, left home. He visited all the pilgrimages of South India. Wherever he went, he used to sing bhajans praising Lord in the temple.
“O my mind! Whom do you wish to praise?
A mortal king, or the King of all kings—Lord Ram?
Do you seek worldly rewards for the talents God has given,
Or will you offer them back in His service?”
Tyagraja was a devotee of the same stature as Narad, Pundalik and Prahlad for whom singing was not a medium of entertainment but a way to attain salvation. He wrote thousands of songs and made it musical but unfortunately only few hundreds of them are available now. Tyagraja has also composed musical plays in Telugu namely “Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam” and “Nauka Charitam”. Of these, “Nauka Charitam” is very famous.
Even today, in fond memories of this great singer saint, a music festival is organized in Thiruvaiyar wherein singers, composers and musicians of Carnatic music from all over the world get together and pay their homage by singing their own composed songs.
In the world of Carnatic music, “Great” is a very small word to describe poetic saint Tyagraja.
Later that evening, they approached Tyagraj, fell at his feet, and confessed all. Awed by grace, they abandoned their ways and became his devotees. Tyagraj listened; his heart moved.
On one side, he rejoiced—the Lord had protected what was His, responding to a sincere prayer in the most wondrous way.
He showed the world that true music is not just heard—it is felt in the soul, offered in devotion, and capable of touching the divine.
“O Ram, O Lakshman—this wealth is Yours.
If You wish it to be protected, You must guard it Yourself.”
Divine Intervention
Tyagraj was born on May 4, 1767, in a Telugu family in Thiruvarur, a town in Tamilnadu’s culturally rich Thanjavur district. Even as a child, his life was steeped in bhakti (devotion) and music. His guru, Sonti Venkataramanayya, himself came from a lineage of court musicians. His father, Sonti Venkatasubbayya, was a renowned artist in the court of King Sarabhoji.
Tyagraj’s genius soon revealed itself. His guru, eager to showcase this rare talent, once organised a gathering of elite musicians and music connoisseurs. What was meant to be a brief recital became an eight-hour musical marathon that left the audience utterly spellbound—so mesmerised that they completely forgot their scheduled royal performance. Such was the spiritual magnetism of Tyagraj’s voice.Some scholars believe the story of his marriage to be a later interpolation in the lifestory of tulsidas. They believe that he was a bachelor throughout his life.
Source: jkyog . Sagarworld
