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The following is a short biography of Sri Thyagaraja Swamy.
It was on 4th may 1767 that the great saint composer Sri Thyagaraja was born in Tiruvayur in Tanjore district to a learned father Sri Rama Brahmam. Rama Brahmam his son to learn everything to the boy's choice.Thyagraja was a prodigy who was gifted with melodious voice. He became a disciple of Sonti Venkataramaiah, a great scholar of those days and soon gained a profound knowledge in Telugu, Sanskrit, Jyotisha, Ganita and Mantra Sastras.
Thyagaraja had the bhakthi cult in him right from his boyhood and this urged him to write songs on his beloved diety 'Rama'. He started composing songs in his teens itself and continued to dedicate his whole life in wrinting inumerable songs in praise of his Lord Rama as well as few other dieties like Lord Venkateswara and Lord Vinayaka. His kirthanas are direct, simple and inspiring, full of wisdom and entire surrender to the Almighty. In addition to his voluminous compositions, he was also extraordinarily capable in elaborating and expanding the ragas for hours together.
Sri Thyagaraja's festival takes place at Tiruvayur every year where he composed many of his compositions attended by all Carnatic musicians from south and north of India and lovers, patrons of music. It is now past two centuries since this great saint composer lived, leaving behind him a valuable treasure of Carnatic music, whose contributions will be kept honoured and whose compositions will exist as long as humanity exists.
