Tyagaraja’s nadha margam – The Hindu

Tyagaraja, one of the trinities of Carnatic music, is celebrated as much for his music, musicology as for his contribution to the bhakti movement. Valmiki rendered the Ramayana in verse form and Tyagaraja, a staunch devotee of Rama, can be seen as a reincarnation of Valmiki who took Rama nama to the masses, said Suchitra Balasubramanian.

Music has no language, but it has the universal power to heal everyone. Our physiques are musically inclined and respond positively to rhythms. To quote a famous verse, Atma madhya gata: Prana: Prana Madhya gato dhvani: (In the centre of the body is the prana; in the centre of the prana is the sound; in the centre of the sound is the musical nada; and in the centre of the nada resides the Eternal One).

Tyagaraja’s life exemplified this. Born at a time when the South boasted the largest number of composers and musicians, Thanjavur was at the epicentre of this musical movement. For over three centuries, (1600-1900), Thanjavur was the seat of music, due to the royal patronage. During the time of Tyagaraja, there were 360 musicians in the Thanjavur court, with each getting one day to perform in the concert hall. In such an environment, Tyagaraja lived and flourished, cementing a bridge between devotees and God, for centuries to come.

Asked to recite Rama nama 96 crore times, Tyagaraja completed this task, and at periodic intervals of this divine endeavour, he had darshan of Rama. Once, while he was singing, ‘Bala Kanagamaiyya, Sri Rama lola,’ at night, he had a vision of Rama and Tyagaraja immediately sang, “Ra ra devadhi deva”. A true spiritual singer, he composed only on God and refused to sing on anyone else, be he an emperor. Through his music (and life) he proved that one could attain liberation (moksha) through pure, devotional music.