About Thyagaraja Aradhana

About Thyagaraja Aradhana

Thyagaraja Aradhana is a music festival held every year at Thiruvaiyaru, on the banks of the Kaveri near Thanjavur. It honours Saint Thyagaraja (1767 to 1847), one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music, who wrote thousands of songs to Lord Rama, mostly in Telugu.

The festival runs for about five days and ends on Pushya Bahula Panchami, the day the saint attained samadhi, in January. Musicians young and old sing and play at his samadhi from morning to night, as an offering of music.

The high point is the morning of the last day, when hundreds of musicians sit together and sing his five Pancharatna Kritis, starting with Jagadananda Karaka. The day also has the Unchavritti, a walk through the streets singing his songs, as the saint once did.

Music lovers across the world keep the day with Aradhana concerts in their own towns, and students begin or renew their music lessons with a song of Thyagaraja.