Arunachala Kavi (Tamil: அருணாசல கவி) (1711–1779) was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar and Marimutthu Pillai are considered the Tamil Trinity,who contributed to the evolution of Carnatic music.Arunachala Kavi was fluent in Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit. He wrote Rama Natakam, a musical drama based on the Ramayana. The music for this musical was composed by two of Arunachala Kavi's disciples, Kothandarama Iyer and Venkatarama Iyer. The songs contain many Tamil proverbs and sayings.This musical drama was first performed at the Srirangam temple and within a short time it became very popular. Kavirayar was honoured by Maharaja Tulaja, the King of Tanjavur, and by several other patrons of that time. He also composed Seergazhi Sthala Puranam (sirkali), Seergazhi Kovai, Hanumar Pillai Tamil, Ajomukhi Natakam and a few Keertanas.

Jump to: navigation, search Ramachandran Nagaswamy (born 1930) is an Indian historian, archaeologist and epigraphist who is known for his work on temple inscriptions and art history of Tamil Nadu. He started the Chidambaram Natyanjali festival in 1980. Nagaswamy was awarded the "Kalaimamani" award by the Government of Tamil Nadu for his pathbreaking work on Sekkilar's Periyapuranam. He appeared as an Expert Witness in the London High Court, in the London Nataraja case.

For more information-"R. Nagaswamy" Tamil Arts Academy.

Govinda Dikshitar was a scholar, philosopher, statesman and musicologist. He served as a minister under Achuthappa Nayak and Raghunatha Nayak. He lived in a palatial house in Patteeswaram, the remnants of which are believed to exist. This versatile genius and erudite scholar composed Arivamsa Saracharitram and Sangitha Sudhanidhi(a treatise on music). He is credited with the construction and repair of the Amman shrine of Thenupuriswarar Temple at Patteeswaram. The sculpture of Dikshitar and his wife, holding their hands in adoration, are found in the mandap in front of the Amman shrine.Legend associates him with Tirunageswaram, a village located 6 km from Kumbakonam in the Kumbakonam - Karaikal road and also with Patteswaram, 6 km south east of Kumbakonam. The name of his wife is ascertained as Nagamba. But the presence of the idol of Dikshitar in the premises of Patteswaram temple and presence of ruins of his house in the village outskirts confirm his private location to be Patteeswaram. His location is also believed to be Tirupalathurai, near Papanasam. Life like images of Govinda Dikshithar is now worshipped at Patteswaram, with the presiding deity of Linga also called "Govinda Dikshita lingam". Dikshitar spent his early years in vijayanagara kingdom where he attained his education. Dikshita is a Karnataka Brahmin of Asvalayana sutra of Rig veda.

Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan (Tamil: மஹா வைத்யநாத சிவன்) (1844–1893) was a composer of Carnatic music. He was a great exponent of extemporaneous singing. He also composed a ragamalika (garland of ragas - a song that utilises more than one raga) with all the 72 melakartha ragas.Vaidyanatha Iyer was born in the village of Viyacheri in the Thanjavur districts of Tamil Nadu. His father Duraisami Iyer was also a musician and he trained Vaidyanatha Iyer as well as his other sons in Carnatic music. Vaidyanatha Iyer continued his training with some of the well known musicians of his time including Anai Ayya brothers. Later he continued his training under Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbayyar, one of Tyagaraja’s disciples. He was famous for his elaboration of ragas (raga alapana). Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan and his elder brother, Ramaswami Sivan, were the earliest performing duo in the history of Carnatic music as known in the last two centuries.He composed mainly in Telugu and Tamil and used the mudra 'Guhadasa'. Some of his famous compositions are Pahimam Srirajarajeswari (Janaranjani) and Neekela dayaradu (Sarasangi).

Viswanatha Iyer was born in Maharajapuram to Rama Iyer, a singer. He was trained initially by Umayalpuram Swaminatha Iyer, a direct disciple of Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer. Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer had learnt from a direct disciple of Tyagaraja and thus Viswanatha Iyer represents the fifth generation of the Tyagaraja School.A unique feature about his music was his great success in raga elaboration in great detail. The raga alapana of Mohanam was one of his specialties. His has been hailed as the success of 'kalpana sangeetha', music rich with imagination in raga elaboration and swara singing, a specialty of his.His prominent disciples include Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavatar, and his own son Maharajapuram Santhanam.

சித்தமல்லி கிராமத்தில் அவதரித்த மகா புருஷர் - ஸ்ரீசுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகள் என்கிற சுப்ரமண்ய யதீந்திராள். குலசேகர ஸ்வாமி கோயிலுக்கு அருகிலேயே உள்ளது இவரது அதிஷ்டானம். கி.பி 1866-ஆம் ஆண்டில் அவதரித்த இவர், இளம் வயதிலேயே சாஸ்திரம் மற்றும் வேதங்களை கற்றார். மஹாமஹோபாத்யாய மன்னார்குடி ராஜு சாஸ்திரிகளிடம் கல்வி கற்றார். காஞ்சி மகா ஸ்வாமிகளது இறைப் பணியில், தன்னையும் ஈடுபடுத்திக் கொண்டு சேவையாற்றி, மகா ஸ்வாமிகளின் அபிமானத்தையும் பெற்றார்.

ஒரு முறை மயிலாடுதுறையில் யாத்திரை மேற்கொண்டிருந்த மகா பெரியவாள், அருகே உள்ள கிராமமான கோழிகுத்தியில் சரஸ்வதி அம்மாள் என்பவரது இல்லத்தில் தங்கி இருந்தபடி, பக்தர்களுக்கு ஆசி வழங்கி வந்தார். ஒரு நாள், திரண்டிருந்த பக்தர் கூட்டத்தின் நடுவே உரை நிகழ்த்தினார் மகா பெரியவாள். தனது பேச்சில் ஸ்ரீசுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகளை வெகுவாகப் புகழ்ந்தார் மகா பெரியவாள். "பொதுவா ஒண்ணு இருந்தா இன்னொண்ணு இருக்காது. இது உலகத்தோட இயற்கை. கல்வி இருக்கும் இடத்தில் பணம் இருக்காது; பணம் இருக்கும் இடத்தில் கல்வி இருக்காது. கல்வி, பணம் - இவை இரண்டும் இருந்தால் அங்கே குழந்தைச் செல்வம் இருக்காது. கல்வி, பணம், குழந்தைச் செல்வம் - இவை மூன்றும் இருந்தால், அவரது வீட்டில் எவருக்காவது உடல் நலன் படுத்திக் கொண்டே இருக்கும். ஒரு வேளை இவை நான்குமே சுபமாக இருந்தால் அந்த கிரஹத்தில் நிம்மதி இருக்காது. இதை பரவலாக நாம் பார்க்கக் கூடிய நிஜம். ஆனால், இதற்கு விதிவிலக்கானவர் - சித்தமல்லி சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகள். பக்தி, படிப்பு, செல்வம், ஆரோக்கியம் முதலான அனைத்து வளங்களையும் ஒருங்கே பெற்றவர் இவர். இது இறைவனின் அருள்! இப்போது அவருடைய மகளின் கிரஹத்தில் தங்கியபடிதான், உரை நிகழ்த்திக் கொண்டிருக்கிறேன்." என்றாராம்.

வாழ்வில் சகல வளங்களையும் பெற்று, குறைவின்றி வாழந்தவர் சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகள். இவருக்கு ஐந்து மகள்களும், நான்கு மகன்களும் உண்டு. ஒரு முறை சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகள் உடல் நலக் குறையுடன் காணப்பட்டார். அந்தக் காலத்தில் இது போன்ற தருணங்களில், 'ஆபத்சந்நியாசம்' வாங்கிக் கொள்வார்கள். அதாவது, இந்த சந்நியாசத்தை ஏற்றால், மறு பிறவி எடுத்ததாக ஆகிவிடுமாம். இதன் மூலம், தற்போது இருந்து வரும் நோய் உள்ளிட்ட பிரச்னைகளில் இருந்து விடுதலை கிடைத்து விடும் என்பது சிலரது நம்பிக்கை.

ஆபத்சந்நியாசத்தை அவரவரே எடுத்துக் கொள்ளலாம். எனினும் பிறகு சந்நியாசியிடம் சென்று முறைப்படி ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் எடுக்க வேண்டுமாம்.

முதலை ஒன்று, ஆற்றில் நீராடிக் கொண்டிருந்த ஸ்ரீ ஆதிசங்கரரின் காலை கவ்வி இழுக்க .. இந்த ஆபத்தில் இருந்து தப்பிக்க ஸ்ரீஆதிசங்கரர், ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் எடுத்துக் கொண்டாராம் (இதற்கு தன் அன்னையிடம் நிபந்தனை விதித்தார் என்பது தனிக்கதை). இதையடுத்து, முறைப்படி இந்த சந்நியாசத்தை எடுத்துக் கொண்டார்.

சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகளும் ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் எடுத்துக் கொண்டவர். எப்படி?

ஒரு நாள் காஞ்சிபுரத்தில் மகா பெரியவாளைச் சந்தித்து, "எனக்கு ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் வழங்குங்கள்" என்றாராம் சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகள். நீ ஊருக்குப் போ. பண்டிதர்களை அனுப்புகிறேன்" என்றாராராம் ஸ்வாமிகள். இதையடுத்து சில நாட்களில் சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகளின் உடல் நிலை மோசமானது. அப்போது, காஞ்சிபுரம் ஸ்ரீமடத்தில் இருந்து ஸாஸ்திரிகளுக்கு ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் வழங்குவதற்காக இரண்டு பண்டிதர்கள் சித்தமல்லிக்கு வந்தனர்.

ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் எடுத்துக் கொண்டால், மூன்று நாட்கள் மட்டுமே வீட்டில் தங்கலாம். சாஸ்திரிகளோ அப்போது உடல்நிலை முடியாமல் இருந்தார். இந்த நேரத்தில் எப்படி ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் கொடுப்பது என்று வந்தவர்களும் வீட்டில் இருந்தவர்களும் குழம்பினர். எனினும் ஆபத்சந்நியாசம் கொடுக்கப்பட்டது.

இரண்டு நாட்கள் கழிந்தன, 3-வது நாள்... சாஸ்திரிகளின் உடல் நிலையில் நல்ல முன்னேற்றம் தெரிந்தது. மறுநாள், ஆபத்சந்நியாச தர்மப்படி சாஸ்திரிகள் வேறு இடத்தில் தங்க வேண்டும். அதற்காக, மடம் ஒன்றும் தயார் செய்யப்பட்டது. குடும்பத்தினர் மற்றும் உள்ளூர்க்காரர்கள் அனைவருக்கும் ஆசி வழங்கியவர், கிலோ கணக்கில் கற்பூரத்தைக் கொண்டு வந்து ஏற்றச் சொன்னார். கற்பூரம் கொழுந்து விட்டு எரியும்போது, சாஸ்திரிகளின் சிரசில் இருந்து ஓர் ஆத்ம ஜோதி புறப்பட்டு, கற்பூர ஜோதியுடன் இரண்டறக் கலந்து வானவெளியில் செல்வதைக் கண்டதாகச் சொல்வர்.

அதே நேரத்தில் காஞ்சிபுரம் மடத்தில் இருந்த மகா பெரியவாள், "அதோ ... சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகள் மோட்சத்துக்குப் போயிண்டிருக்கார், பாருங்கோ" என்று உடன் இருந்த சிஷ்யர்கள் மற்றும் பக்தர்களிடம் வானத்தைக் காட்டிச்சொன்னா??ாம்.

இது நடந்தது கி.பி. 1933-ஆம் ஆண்டில்! இதுவே இவரது மகாசமாதி வருடம். சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகளது 75-வது வருட ஆராதனை உற்ஸவம் கடந்த 17-12-08 அன்று சித்தமல்லியில் உள்ள அவரது அதிஷ்டானத்தில் நடந்தேறியது.

அதிஷ்டானம் வந்து வணங்கும் பக்தர்களுக்கு இன்றைக்கும் இன்னருள் புரிந்து வருகிறார் சுப்ரமண்ய சாஸ்திரிகள்.

- சக்தி விகடன் . 26-3-09

Semmangudi Radhakrishna Srinivasa Iyer (Tamil: செம்மங்குடி ராதாக்ரிஷ்ண ஸ்ரீநிவாஸ அயர்) (July 25, 1908 - October 31, 2003) was a Carnatic vocalist. He was the youngest recipient of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi awarded by the Music Academy in 1947 and has received many awards including Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India, Sangeet Natak Academy award (1953), Isai Perarignar from Government of Tamil Nadu and Kalidas Samman from Government of Madhya Pradesh. He was affectionately addressed as "Semmangudi Maama" (Semmangudi Uncle) by his disciples. He was also considered the "Pitamaha" or the grand sire of modern Carnatic Music. He was conferred with an honorary doctorate by University of Kerala in 1979.He was born in Tirukkodikaval, Tanjore district as the third son of Radhakrishna Iyer and Dharmasamvardhini Ammal. He lived with his maternal uncle Tirukkodikaval Krishna Iyer, a violin maestro, until the age of four and after his death, moved back to his parents' home in Semmangudi, Tiruvarur District.Semmangudi was widely renowned for his virtuosity as a concert performer. He was famous for the meticulous planning that he put into every concert, including the choice of krithis, raagas and duration. He was also widely acknowledged as a master of improvisation, particularly in the form of niravals.

Thanjavur Quartet or Tanjore Quartet (Tamil:தஞ்சை நால்வர்) were four brothers who lived during the early 19th century and contributed to the development of the Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music. While they excelled in the art of Bharatanatyam, they have also authored a number of Tana varnams and Kritis. The brothers Chinnayya Pillai(Tamil: சின்னைய்யா) (1802–1856), Ponnayya Pillai(Tamil: பொன்னைய்யா) (1804–1864), Sivanandam Pillai(Tamil: சிவானந்தம்) (1808–1863) and Vadivelu Pillai (Tamil: வடிவேலு) (1810–1845) were employed in the courts of the Maratha King Serfoji II at Thanjavur.The four brothers composed numerous varnams and kritis. Some of these are Amba Souramba and Amba Neelamba, Ambaneelambari (Neelambari), Satileni (Poorvikalyani), apart from the navaratna mala.

Utthamadhanapuram Venkatasubramanian Swaminathan was born on February 19, 1855 C.E. in the village of Suriaymoolai in the house of his maternal grandfather near Kumbakonam in present-day Tamil Nadu. He belonged to the Ashtasahasram sub-sect of Iyers.As the Civaka Cintamani was a Jain classic, Swaminatha Iyer went to the homes of learned member of the Jain community in Kumbakonam to get some doubts cleared. He also read the Jain epics and collated several manuscript versions and arrived at a correct conclusion. It was due to his efforts that the Cevaka Cintamani was published in 1887. From that time onwards, he began to search for Sangam classics with a view to editing and publishing them. After the Cevaka Cintamani, the Pattupattu was published.Thus began Swaminatha Iyer's long search for the original texts of ancient literary works during which he regularly worked with S. V. Damodaram Pillai. It was a search that lasted until his death. Many people voluntarily parted with the manuscripts in their possession. Swaminatha Iyer visited almost every hamlet and knocked at every door. He employed all the resources at his command to get at the works. As a result, a large number of literary works which were gathering dust as palm-leaf manuscripts in lofts, storerooms, boxes and cupboards saw the light of day. Of them, the Cilappatikaram, Manimekalai and Purananuru were received by Tamil lovers with a lot of enthusiasm. Purananuru, which mirrored the lives of Tamils during the Sangam period, prompted scholarly research on the subject. In a span of about five decades, Swaminatha Iyer published about 100 books, including minor poems, lyrics, puranas and bhakti (devotional) works.Swaminatha Iyer retired from active teaching in 1919. His research work increased several times after retirement. He travelled from place to place in search of palm leaf manuscripts so as to edit and publish them. From 1924 to 1927, Iyer was the Principal of the Meenakshi Tamil College in Annamalai University, Chidambaram. On health grounds, he resigned the post, came to Madras and continued his research.

The great personality Shri Rao Sahib Arupathy Natesa Iyer an eminent lawyer par excellence.

Arupathy village is situated 6Km from Mayiladuthurai town (on the Mayiladuthurai –Sembanar Kovil road) in Nagaipattinam district. It is a rustic village with a calm and serene atmosphere away from the busy environs of Mayiladuthurai.

The old historical name of the Arupathy Village is "Shadartha Nayanapuram" this was recorded in the final Will of Rao Sahib.N.Natesa Iyyer. Shadartha Nayanapuram means "Lord Shiva who has Three Eyes" stays  here happily.

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Tanjore Ramachandra Anantharaman (25 November 1927 – 19 June 2009) was one of India's pre-eminent metallurgists and materials scientists.Anantharaman's professional career spanning over four decades included the following assignments: Research Associate, Max Planck Institute for Metallurgical Research, Stuttgart, Germany (1954–56), Assistant Professor of Metallurgy, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (1956–62), Professor of Metallurgy, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi (BHU), Varanasi (1962–87). He served BHU as Head, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology; Director, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi, Member, Executive Council, Rector and Acting Vice-Chancellor. After retiring in 1987, he worked as Director, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed University), Patiala (1989–92) and also as CSIR Emeritus Scientist (1987–89, 1993–95) and INSA Senior' Scientist (1995–2000), spending the 1993–2000 period at the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi.

Some of the awards:Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF) during 1979–8 I.Election as President of the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) in 1979.Bhatnagar Medal of the Indian National Science Academy (INS A) in 1982.Distinguished Alumnus Award of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) In 1982.Tata Gold Medal of the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) in 1983.Materials Science Prize of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in 1987.Eminent Teacher of Metallurgy Award on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Department of Metallurgy, Bengal Engineering College, Howrah in 1990.Outstanding Teacher of an Engineering Institution – National A ward conferred by Indian Society of Technical Education (ISTE) and Uttar Pradesh Government in 1991.

Umayalpuram Kasiviswanatha Sivaraman (born 17 December 1935) is an Indian mridangam player. He was awarded with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honor, on the occasion of the country's 61st Republic Day observance on January 26, 2010 and received Honorary Doctorate from University of Kerala in 2010.

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Papanasam Sivan's early years were spent in the Travancore area of Kerala where the kings patronized fine arts. He was born at Polagam Village in the district of Thanjavur, which was home to the illustrious musical trinity of Carnatic music. His given name was Ramaiya. In 1897, when Ramaiya was just 7, his father died. His mother Yogambal, along with her sons, left Thanjavur and were forced to move to trivandram in 1899 to seek the aid of his uncle. At Thiruvananthapuam, Ramaiya learned Malayalam and later he joined the Maharaja Sanskrit college and obtained a degree in grammar.Ramaiya was very religious, and with death of his mother Yogambal in 1910, when he was 20, became even more so. He wandered from place to place visiting temples and singing devotional songs. Ramaiya used to be an active participant in the devotional music sessions at the home of Neelakandasivan in Thiruvananthapuram. Thus he learned many of the musical compositions of Neelakandasivan. In this period, his wanderings would take him regularly to the temple at Papanasam, where he would smear bhasma all over his body. Hence people began to refer him as Papanasam Sivan, the name by which he was to become well known later.He picked up his first music lessons from Noorani Mahadeva Bhagavatar, son of Parameswara Bhagavatar. Later he became the disciple of Konerirajapuram Vaidyanath Iyer, a well-known musician, under whose tutelage Sivan blossomed into a consummate artiste that he was.In spite of his deep knowledge of music, Papanasam Sivan was more interested in the devotional aspect of music. He preferred to sing devotional songs and encouraged other singers take part in sessions of devotional music with him. Papanasam Sivan was a regular in all the major temple festivals in South India with his devotional songs.Later in 1962 Papanasam Sivan received the President award and in 1969 he received the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award bestowed on him by The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai.