Bangalore Naagaratnamma (बन्गलोरे नागरत्नंम्म)

Bangalore Naagaratnamma – Born as a Devadasi, she was a liberated woman in her times, having learned Sanskrit. She performed bharatanatyam and had a great influence on the arts in South India. She was also responsible for building the memorial to Thyagaraja and establishing the Trust that allows performances at Tiruvayaru each year on his birthday, defying cultural norms that prevented women from performing. It is said (from her will) that she had a dream in 1921 in which Tyagaraja appeared, which spurred her to devote herself to him and to music. She also published a book of poems by a woman author (and in so doing defied the British), “Radhika Swanthanamu” (Appeasing Radhika, 1910). She learned music from Munuswami Appa of Bangalore, a violinist. Her house still stands in George Town. Her compositions include an ashtotram on Saint Tyagaraja, an article “Sri Tyagaraja swami sannidhi puja,” as well as songs.