Bangalore Nagarathnamma and Sadguru Tyagaraja
A review of the book The
Devadasi and the Saint by Sriram. V. Publishers EastWest/ Westland-2007,2018
Sadguru Tyagaraja
is revered as one of the Trinity of Carnatic music, (the other two being
Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri) whose compositions have enriched our
music with their intense devotion, erudition and meaningful lyrics. Every year,
hundreds of musicians and devotees gather at his samadhi at Thiruvaiyaru (Thanjavur
District) and sing his compositions. The serene surroundings of the samadhi on
the banks of the Kaveri throbs with vibrancy and music fills the air. This
year, (2019) Pushya Bahula Panchami, the day he attained moksha, falls on
Friday 25th January. In the morning musicians will pay homage to his
memory and sing the famous Pancharatna kritis (a group of compositions set in
five ragas) in one voice. The event will be telecast live on all national
channels and is observed by devotees all over the world.
The idol of Tyagaraja inside the Samadhi in Thiruvaiyaru taken in 1989
The background of
the present building of the Samadhi and the Aradhana celebrations is recounted
in detail in the fascinating book The Devadasi and the Saint, by Sriram.
V, who describes himself as “a Chennai based entrepreneur and historian of Carnatic
music and Chennai”.
It was the
Devadasi Bangalore Nagarathnamma, a beautiful, erudite musician, dancer, and
writer who was instrumental in building the samadhi and establishing the structure
of the ceremonial Aradhana celebrations.
She valiantly fought
a long and arduous battle against male chauvinism and the prevalent stinging prejudice
against devadasis. She demanded equal respect for women in the music world when
it was considered blasphemous for women to perform in public. Her life was a
roller coaster ride where she this powerful and wealthy artiste faced penury in
her last days. But she never gave up on her dedication to her patron saint
Tyagaraja and her mission in life- a monument at his samadhi.
The author has tapped many
sources and collected invaluable documents to augment the veracity of the
complicated twists and turns in this struggle. It is to his credit that he has explained
the politics behind the events in an easy, lucid manner and with admirable
impartiality.
The book has rare
photographs of the era and we can see Nagarathnamma at various stages of her
life. The editors should have taken care to avoid the several typos that affects
the quality of this book of historical importance.
Sadguru Tyagaraja and the
Devadasi dancers are both subjects close to my heart, so I was specially moved
as this story recounts the decline of the Devadasi system and their fight for
dignity and respect in society.
After reading this inspiring
biography, one feels Bangalore Nagarathanamma’s spirit is also silently paid a
tribute during Tyagaraja Aradhana every year.
[Also read:
