Hundreds of musicians paid homage to the saint composer Thyagaraja by singing his Pancharathna kritis in chorus at the annual aradhana held at the saint's samadhi on the banks of the Cauvery in Tiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur district, on Monday.
Those who paid homage include artistes such as Sudha Ragunathan, A.K.C. Nadarajan, Flute Ramani, Aridwaramangalam A.K. Palanivel, Srimushnam Raja Rao, Gayatri Girirsh, O.S. Arun and Papanasam Ashok Ramani among others. The attendees at the aradhana included G. Rangaswami Moopanar, president of Thyagabrahama Mahotsava Sabha, Ram V. Thyagarajan, Chairman and Managing Director of Arooran Sugars, Balasubramaniam, Chairman and Managing Director of City Union Bank.
An u nchavrutti procession commenced from the saint’s house to the samadhi prior to the aradhana . Nagaswaram vidwans paid homage by playing for an hour before the Pancharatana kritis were rendered. The traditional custom of playing the composition Chetulara in Raga Bhairavi on the flute, preceded the singing. The musicians sang in chorus the five kritis Jagada Nandakaraka , Dudugukala,Kana kana ruchira , Sadhinchene o manasa and Endaro mahanbavulu . The mornings events concluded with the aarati being performed to the idol of Thyagaraja in the samadhi. Thyagaraja idol will be taken in procession in the evening. The aradhana which began on Friday, January 21, will conclude on Tuesday. Noted Carnatic musicians
who have paid their homage since the aradhana began, include K.J. Jesudos, Vijay Jesudos, Sirkali Sivachidambaram, Kadri Gopalnath and others.
