TranslateWhen: January
The Thyagaraja Aradhana is held every January at Thiruvaiyaru near Thanjavur, on the banks of the Cauvery, to commemorate the saint-composer Thyagaraja. Its defining moment is the collective rendition of the Pancharatna Kritis, when hundreds of musicians sit together and sing the five gem compositions in unison before the saint's samadhi.
When
January, on Pushya Bahula Panchami
Where
Thiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur district, on the Cauvery bank
Duration
About five days
Main highlight
Mass rendition of the Pancharatna Kritis
Concerts run from morning to night across the days of the aradhana, with performers ranging from students to the most senior names in Carnatic music. On the principal day, musicians assemble at the samadhi at dawn and sing the five Pancharatna Kritis together, accompanied by a large ensemble of violins, mridangams and other instruments.
Thyagaraja, one of the trinity of Carnatic composers, lived and composed at Thiruvaiyaru in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The aradhana was revived in the early twentieth century and has since become the most important annual gathering in the Carnatic music calendar. Performing at the aradhana is unpaid and treated as an offering.
Thiruvaiyaru is about 13 kilometres from Thanjavur, easily reached by road. Attendance is free and open to all. Thanjavur is the practical base, and the visit combines well with the Brihadeeswarar Temple, Swamimalai and Kumbakonam. The Pancharatna day begins very early, so plan to arrive before sunrise.
