Venkataramana Bhagavathar | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 15 December 1874 | (aged 93)
Other names | Wallajapet Venkataramana Bhagavathar |
Occupation | Carnatic composer |
Venkataramana Bhagavathar (1781–1874) was a direct disciple of Saint Thyagaraja[2] and a composer of Carnatic music.[3][4] Bhagavathar composed his songs in Saurashtra language and has left behind a number of kritis.[5][6]
Bhagavathar was born in 1781 to a Saurashtra Brahmin[3] family in Ayyampettai in present-day Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu.[7] He was born to Nannusamy as a fifth child making him the grandson of Kuppaiyer who was a priest, belonging to Dadheecha gotra from Ariyalur in present-day Tiruchirappalli district.[8] Bhagavathar was a scholar, composed more than 150 keerthanas and is well versed in Sanskrit, Telugu, and Saurashtra. He was one of the prime disciples of Saint Tyagaraja. His son, Krishnaswamy Bhagavathar, was also a disciple of Tyagaraja. It was the father-son duo who preserved many of the keerthanas of Tyagaraja and passed them on to posterity.[7] He is popularly known as Walajahpet Venkataramana Bhagavatar after he settled in Wallajapet, a small town in Vellore district.[4][3]