Tyāgarāja, Swami, 1767-1847

Sadguru Sri Tyāgarāja Swāmi (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Tyāgayya, and in full as Kākarla Tyāgabraḥmaṁ, was a composer of Carnatic Music, a form of Indian Classical Music. Tyāgarāja and his contemporaries, Śyāma Śāstri and Muthuswāmi Dikshitar, are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic Music. Tyāgarāja composed hundreds of devotional kṛti (transl. compositions), mostly in Telugu and in praise of Rāma. Many of them remain popular to this day. Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pañcaratna Kṛti (transl. five gems), which are often sung in programs held in his honor. Tyāgarāja composed many Utsava Sāmpradāya Kṛti (transl. festive ritual compositions), meant to be sung in temple rituals/festivities and Divya Nāma Saṅkīrtana (transl. divine compositions on the Lord's various names), sung as a part of concerts and daily life. Tyāgarāja lived through the reigns of four kings of the Thanjavur Maratha rule – Thuljaji (1763–1787), Amarasimha (1787–1798), Serfoji II (1798–1832) and Shivaji II (1832–1855), although he served none of them.