Biography

Some disciples also took the trouble of documenting Tyagaraja’s life. The first two biographies were written by the father and son duo, Venkataramana Bhagavathar, and Krishnaswami Bhagavathar of Walajapet. Venkataramana Bhagavthar was born in 1781 and spent many years with Tyagaraja. He died in 1874. His son Krishnaswami was born in 1824, and he too spent some years with Tyagaraja. Both the father and the son wrote their biographical texts in Telugu, and all other accounts that were published subsequently have naturally relied a lot on these basic texts.

http://www.carnaticcorner.com/articles/walajapet.html

Professor William J Jackson on Tyagaraja

Material for this article has been gathered from many sources, an important one being the wonderful book entitled Tyagaraja – Life and Lyrics by Professor William J Jackson, Professor of Religious Studies in Indiana University. Jackson’s book is a typical professional treatise, and it is amazing how detailed a study he has made of Tyagaraja, his music and his times. It is interesting to know that Jackson met Swami in 1970, learnt Telugu, was inspired by Swami’s Bhajans and from then on went to discover Tyagaraja. This is how he puts it:

Listening in 1971 to Sri Sathya Sai Baba, a great speaker of Telugu, inspired me to study this mellisonant tongue. Just as Italian has been favoured for librettos and is used for musical terminology by composers, Telugu, of all the South Indian languages, has been chosen by lyricists and musicologists of the South.

 

http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_04/01JAN06/tyagaraja.htm
 

My spiritual guide, Sir Sathya Sai Baba, a great singer who has a unique far-reaching voice and who is the real Raja of Tyaga, - exemplar of renunciation – helped me find the confidence to reach for new possibilities and the patience to work until reaching completion. When I first encountered him in 1970, I knew nothing of India; he taught my wife and me many bhajans, and showed us the way to silence.

Remarks on Tyagaraja’s musical heritage, the famous Pancharatna Kritis, and the Aradhana festival are made separately.