Markendeya Rushi Markandeya (Sanskrit: मार्कण्डेय) is an ancient rishi (sage) from the Hindu tradition, born in the clan of Bhrigu Rishi. He is celebrated as a devotee of both Shiva and Vishnu and is mentioned in a number of stories from the Puranas. The Markandeya Purana especially, comprises a dialogue between Markandeya and a sage […]
Archive | Saints
Veda Vyasa Maharshi
Veda Vyasa Maharshi The life history of Veda Vyasa is an interesting and inspirational story. The author of the longest poetic epic Mahabharata, containing one lakh verses in Sanskrit. Veda Vyasa was the first and greatest acharya of Sanatan Dharma. He is responsible for classifying the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas and recited the […]
Kancherla Gopanna (Ramadasu)
Kancherla Gopanna (Telugu: కంచెర్ల గోపన్న) (c 1620 – 1680 CE), popularly known as Bhadradri Ramadasu or Bhadrachala Ramadasu(Telugu: భద్రాచల రామదాసు), was a 17th century Indian devotee of Lord Rama. He is one among the famous vaggeyakaras (same person being the writer and composer of a song) in the Telugu language, the others being Tyagaraja, Annamayya, […]
Veena Kuppayyar
Veena Kuppayyar Veena Kuppayyar (1798–1860) was an exponent of Veena and a composer of Carnatic music. He was a student of the famous composer Tyagaraja. Kuppayar composed his songs in Telugu language and has left behind a number of popular kritis Early life Veena Kuppayya was born in a Telugu Brahmin family in Tiruvottiyur, near […]
Tiruvarur Ramaswami Pillavi
Ramaswami Pillai was an Indian composer. He was born in Tiruvarur to Kamala Tyagesam Pillai and Vasantammal, a family of Nayinar adiyar associated with the Tyagesa temple at Tiruvarur. Ramaswami pillai blossomed into a composer and a penta linguist and retired to Vaidheeswaran koil where he spent the last days of his life. Ramaswami Pillai […]
Subbaraama Dikshitar
Subbaraama Dikshitar Subbarama Dikshitar (1839–1906) was a Carnatic music composer. He was the grandson of Baluswami Dikshitar, a brother of Muthuswami Dikshitar. He was a great composer in his own right, but is more famous for his Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini, a book detailing the works of Muthuswami Dikshitar and a reference on many other Carnatic […]
Lingaraj Urs (லிங்கராஜ் ஊர்ச்)
Lingaraaj Urs (Tamil: லிங்கராஜ் ஊர்ச்) was knowing the penchant of Bakshi Lingaraj Urs to become a Vaggeyakar, Chikka Rama Rao sang Tyagaraja’s “Chakkani Raja” and added the mudra “Lingaraja Vinuta” in place of Tyagarajanuta and convinced Bakshi that it was one of his forgotten kritis.
Agastya
Agastya (Tamil:அகத்தியர் Akattiyar, Telugu:అగస్త్య, Sanskrit:अगस्त्य, Malay: Anggasta, Thai: Akkhot) is one of the the Saptarishi (सप्तर्षि saptarsi a meaning “seven sages”) who are extolled at many places in the Vedas and revered Vedic sage who created the Tamil language on instructions from Lord Skanda. Agastya and his clan[who?] are also generally credited with uncovering many […]
Tyagaraja (త్యాగరాజ)
Kakarla Tyagabrahmam (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ) (May 4, 1767–January 6, 1847), colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya, was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. Tyagaraja was born in 1767 in Tiruvarur, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, to Kakarla Ramabrahmam and Sitamma in a Telugu Brahmin family of the Mulukanadu subsect.He was […]
Purandaradasa (ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ)
Purandaradasa Purandara Daasar – Purandara Daasar was a great composer of Carnatic music before the time of the Trinity of Tyagaraja, Dikshitar and Shyama Sastri. His songs were not in unreachable Sanskrit, but instead he preached the Vedas to millions by singing in Kannada. He was the one who standardized the early lessons in music […]