Be mesmerized with the captivating cultural performances at the Thyagaraja festival

Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival is celebrated every year in Thiruvaiyaru at Tamil Nadu. Thiruvaiyaru is located at Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. Thiruvaiyaru is where the great saint and music composer Thyagaraja lived and attained Samadhi.

Every year a music festival called Thyagara Aradhana Festival is celebrated at the end of the month of January. The end of the festival is done by a performance of the Pancharatna Kritis onBahula Panchami.Thyagara Aradhana Festival attracts music lovers from all over India as well as from around the world.

Apart from music concerts, there are other performances and rituals that are conducted at Thyagara Aradhana Festival.

Till 1907 only ritual pujas were conducted during Thyagara Aradhana Festival. There were no music concerts or any other performances during the event. But it was in 1908 when Narasimha Bhagavatar and Panchu Bhagavatar (Narasimha Bhagavatar’s younger brother) who were the disciplines of Thillaisthanam Rama Iyengar held a 5 day Aradhana festival.

Ritual pujas are conducted by Sadguru Sri Tyagabrahma Aradhana Kainkarya Trust at the Samadhi for two consecutive days. This festival included concerts, harikathas and other music related performances.

Sri Thyagabrahma Mahotsava Sabha (which is based in Thiruvaiyaru) is authorized for conducting the music concerts in Thyagara Aradhana Festival. Sadguru Tyagabrahma Aradhana Kainkarya Trust situated in Madras still continues to celebrate the rituals and religious aspects of the Aradhana festival, i.e. Vaidika Aradhana celebrations.

These rituals and religious aspects are part of Thyagara Aradhana Festival since the time of Thillaisthanam Rama Iyengar who was “Antharanga Sishya” of Saint Thyagaraja.

Thyagaraja was born on 4th May 1767 at Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu. He belonged to a family of pious and scholarly Telugu Brahmins. His family name was ‘kakarla’. They were migrants from the village of the Kakarla from Andhra Pradesh.

His father was a great supporter of Ramayana (one of the two Sanskrit epics of ancient India). He was patronized by Tulajaji (the then ruler of Tanjore). Thyagaraj listened to his father and his explanation of Ramayana by Valmiki.He was a great follower of Lord Rama.

Thyagaraja was one of the greatest music composers of South India. He was considered one of the musical prodigies of all time.He was remarkable in his fondness for music.

He studied Sanskrit, Telugu and other allied subjects. He mastered in vocal music and considered to be gifted for composing music. He wrote his first song before attaining the age of 13 years.

He sang “JanakiRamana (Suddhasimantini)”, “DorulunaItuvanti” and a detailed “Neraval” in a beautiful manner.He was known as the father of modern Karnataka music. His work was full of spirituality and melodic beauty in the highest sense of artistic.Later on, he composed grandest songs such as “NamoNamoRaghvaya in DesyaTodia” ever written and two unequalled beautiful music plays.

The Thyagara Aradhana Festival is organized every year atthe end of the month of January at Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu. The venue of Thyagara Aradhana Festival is near to the Samadhi of Saint Thyagaraja. It is near the banks of river Cauvery, which is 13 kms from Thanjavur.

Thiruvaiyaru is a Panchayat town in Thanjavur (Tanjore) district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is near the banks of river Cauvery, which is 13 kms from Thanjavur.

Thiruvaiyaru is associated with Saint Thyagaraja because he along with Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Sastri comprised of Trinity of Carnatic Music.

The Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival (Music Festival) is held on the end o the month of January. During this event, supporters of Carnatic music come to attend the festival. They perform on classical music and other performances. And, are watched by the thousands of music lovers.Also, pilgrims travel to Shiva Temple which was built in gratitude of Panchanatheeswar, throughout the year.

Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival has now become a global festival. In Cleveland, in the USA the Aradhana Festival has been conducted for about 30 years now. There the City Council has declared a day for paying gratitude to the great composer and Saint Thyagaraja.

The origin of the Aradhana Festival is dated back in ancient times and is a topic of research. The event has emerged into new dimensions over the past years. Due to continuous disciple lineage and awareness of Thyagaraja’s compositions there is an increment in the attendees of the Aradhana Festival.

The venue of Thyagara Aradhana Festival is near to the Samadhi of Saint Thyagaraja. It is near the banks of river Cauvery, which is 13 kms from Thanjavur (Tanjore).

• DirectBuses and Cabs from Thanjavur.

• Nearest Railway Station is Thanjavur
  
  Thanjavur Station is connected directly by rail with Chennai, Nagore, Madurai and Trichy.

• Nearest Airport is located in Tiruchirapalli, Trichy.
  
  It is located 71 kms away from Thiruvaiyaru.

Tamil Nadu has many accommodation facilities for the tourist that range from resorts to 5-star hotels and also the budget lodges and hotels. The travellers from all over the country and across the globe travel to Tamil Nadu for its rich cultural heritage.

ThyagarajaAradhana Festival is an amazing event that is attended by music lovers from all ove the world. The mesmerising performances during the festival captivates the audiences and keep them coming back every year for more.