169th Thiyagaraja Aradhana Festival of Saint Sri Thiyagaraja at Thiruvaiyaru (2016) Invitation – English

169th Thiyagaraja Aradhana Festival of Saint Sri Thiyagaraja at Thiruvaiyaru (2016) Invitation – English

Every Year Saint Thiyagaraja Aradhana Festival is celebrated in the month of January.

Saint Sri Thiyagaraja was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or Indian classical music. He was a prolific composer and highly influential in the development of the classical music tradition. Tyagaraja composed thousands of devotional compositions, most in praise of Lord Rama, many of which remain popular today. Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pancharatna Kritis (English: “five gems”), which are often sung in programs in his honor.

The Pancharatna kritis are written in praise of the Hindu deity, Rama. They are set to Adi Tala and each raga represents the mood of the song and the meaning of its lyrics. All the kritis are composed in the style of a Ragam Tanam Pallavi (RTP) with the charanams (stanzas) substituting for the kalpana swaras (improvisatory passages) in the pallavi section of the RTP.

The Pancharatna Kritis are:

Jagadananda Karaka – Ragam Nata
Duduku gala – Ragam Goula
Sadhinchane – Ragam Arabhi
Kanakana Ruchira – Ragam Varali
Endaro Mahanubhavulu – Sri Ragam