Thyagaraja Aradhana is an annual aradhana of Telugu saint composer Tyagaraja. The music festival is observed in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, primarily in Tiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu, the place where Tyagaraja attained Jeeva Samadhi. The aradhana is observed on Pushya Bahula Panchami day when the saint attained Jeeva samadhi, where the musicians render the saint's Pancharatna Kritis.
The idol of Thyagaraja in his temple in Tiruvaiyaru
Sri Thyagaraja Swamy samadhi Temple in Tiruvaiyaru
Granite plate outside of Sri Thyagaraja Swamy samadhi Temple in Thiruvaiyaru
Performance on the 168th aradhana Festival at Thiruvaiyaru in 2015
Sadguru Tyagaraja Swami, also known as Tyagayya, and in full as Kakarla Tyagabrahmam, was a saint composer and of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his contemporaries, Shyama Shastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar, are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Tyagaraja composed thousands of devotional compositions, most in Telugu and in praise of Rama, many of which remain popular today. However, only 720 of these are in vogue. Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pancharatna Kritis, which are often sung in programs in his honour. Tyagaraja composed Utsava Sampradaya Krithis, which are often sung to accompany temple rituals and Divya Nama Sankeertanas which are sung as a part of concerts and in daily life.
Tyagaraja on a 1961 Indian stamp