Tamil Nadu Governor inaugurates Thyagaraja aradhana

Thanjavur: Unique feature of Carnatic music is its cultural purity, religious form and traditional nature, said Shri Banwrilal Purohit, Tamil Nadu Governor at Thiruvaiyaru near here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the 171st ‘Aradhana’ of saint-composer Sri Thyagaraja at the saint’s samadhi on the banks of Cauvery at Thiruvaiyaru, the Governor said that Carnatic music was developed in southern parts of India and is characterised by “the total lack of adulteration from other forms of music brought in by invading rulers from Turky, Persia and Afghanistan”.

Carnatic music is also based on complex and structural arrangement. ‘Ragas’ are based on seven notes of the scale, which are “Sa”, “Ri”, “Ga”, “Ma”, “Pa”, “Dha” “Nee”.

“The thaalam is the rhythmic foundation of Carnatic music. There are a number of sections in Carnatic recital. Varnam is the beginning. It has two parts Poorvanga and Utharanga. The Alapana offers a way to unfold the ragas to the audience, at the same time, gives the licence to the artiste to show his creativity,” Purohit said.

Underscoring the spiritual content of rendering Carnatic music, he said there is a strong tradition of linkage of Carnatic music with Gods and Goddesses. For instance, Lord Shiva is considered embodiment of ‘Naadha’ and ‘Thaandava’, he pointed out.

“Purandaradasa of 15th and 16th century is considered to be the father of Carnatic music. He codified Carnatic music; then came theorist Venkata Mukhi who classified Ragas. In its evolution, Carnatic music attained its peak in the 18th century when the musical trinity-Sri Thyagaraja, Shyama Sastrigal and Muthuswamy Dikshithar- enriched it with their innumerable compositions,” he said. Then came Papanasam Sivan, Swathi Thirunal, Annamacharya and Arunagirinathar etc, he added.

Paying rich tributes to saint-composer Thyagaraja, he said. “Thyagabrahmamam was a devotee of Lord Rama. He composed thousands of divine kritis, mostly in Telugu, and in these he makes an appeal to Lord Rama. His life was a true reflection of the name Thyagaraja, which means ‘king among renouncers’,” the Governor said.

R.Rangasamy Moopanar, president of Thyagabrahma Mahotsava Sabha, G.K.Vasan, former union minister, A. Annadurai, Thanjavur district collector, Srimushnam Raja Rao and Haridwaramangalam A.K.Palanivel, secretaries of the sabha were present on the occasion.