It's intriguing that many learned individuals ended up settling in the Kaveri river delta. These were people who had achieved great things in their homelands but found peace elusive due to the constant political unrest in southeastern India particularly during the Mughal period.

Historical Background

Before delving into the Mughal impact, it's essential to understand the pre-Mughal context. The Telugu country, roughly corresponding to present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana was home to powerful Hindu kingdoms like the Kakatiyas, the Reddy dynasty, and the Vijayanagara empire. These kingdoms had their own distinct socio-cultural and economic systems. Aurangzeb's oppressive policies targeting the Hindu majority through persecution and control, ignited widespread unrest and tension. In stark contrast to Akbar's inclusive approach, which fostered alliances with Hindus and Rajputs, Aurangzeb's self-centered reign alienated the predominantly Hindu populace. The Mughal empire faced growing threats from emerging regional powers, notably the Marathas and Telugu chieftains.

Despite his efforts, Aurangzeb was unable to suppress these challenges. By the seventeenth century, the foundations of the Mughal empire had begun to erode. The literary elite of southeastern India, in what is now Andhra Pradesh planned to relocate to the fertile Kaveri River delta in Tanjavur. This region was governed successively by Nayak and Maratha kings, known for their peaceful nature and patronage of the arts, including literature, music, and dance. Tanjavur, was historically part of the Chola and Vijayanagara empires. It was a fertile region with a thriving agricultural economy and a rich cultural heritage.  

One of the interesting aspects of this migration is the preponderance of musicians from Telugu-speaking districts who migrated to the Tamil region. Several factors contributed to this phenomenon. Firstly, the Telugu-speaking regions, particularly those bordering the Tamil Nadu, shared a common cultural and linguistic heritage with the Tamils. This cultural affinity facilitated the absorption of Telugu musicians into the Tamil musical milieu. Secondly, the political and economic conditions in the Telugu-speaking regions might have been less conducive to the growth of music compared to the patronage-rich environment of Tanjavur. The allure of the royal court and the promise of a thriving musical ecosystem drew many talented musicians to the Tamil region. The rich poetic traditions of Telugu literature provided a fertile ground for the development of musical compositions. Many renowned Carnatic composers, hailing from Telugu-speaking districts, have enriched the repertoire with their lyrical brilliance and musical depth.

Rule of the Nayaka kings

Originating as governors appointed by the Vijayanagara Empire, the Nayaks eventually established their independent rule. Known for their patronage of arts and literature, they transformed Tanjavur into a cultural and economic powerhouse with architectural marvels, both temples and palaces. However, internal conflicts and external pressures eventually weakened the Nayak dynasty, paving the way for the Maratha conquest in the late 17th century Raghunath Nayak, a profound connoisseur of music and dance. A prolific Telugu author, he was also a master of the vina. Raghunatha Nayak was revered by scholars such as Govinda Dikshita, Cermakura Venkata Kavi, and Kshetrayya, and his court was a haven for musicians. His son Vijayaraghava Nayak, the last ruler of Tanjavur, shared his father's passion for music and dance, and likewise was a distinguished scholar. He attracted numerous scholars to his court. At the king's behest, the renowned Venkatamakhi composed the influential treatise Chaturdandi Prakashika, a work that systemized raga classification of the Carnatic music.

Commencement of Maratha rule

Maratha rule commenced around 1676 AD, notably preserving Telugu as the court language and upholding the Nayak legacy in culture and music. The Maratha kings themselves were learned patrons of dance and music. Ekoji alias Venkoji Bhonsle,(1674-1684)  the first Maratha ruler of Tanjavur, was half brother of King Shivaji. The remarkable feature in his rule was the use of Telugu for cultural and musical aspects. His son, Shahaji (1684-1712) followed him. He is celebrated for his support of renowned musicians and composers of padas, yakshaganas, and dramatic works. He was proficient in several languages like Telugu, Sanskrit,Marathi, Hindi and Persian. He was also a great scholar in Sangita and Sahitya. More than 30 works on drama, padams,and Kavyas have been ascribed to him. Two of his works mentioned here are Bhakti Vatsala Vilasa Natakamu and Parvati Parinayamu. 

Giriraja Kavi, the grandfather of the iconic Tyagaraja, was among the many esteemed poets and composers of this court. Numerous holy men from Maharashtra also migrated to Tanjavur, establishing mutts under royal patronage. These mutts thrived as centers of bhajans, kirtans and Harikatha kalakshepa.

Sahaji's successors, Sarabhoji-I (1712-1728) and Tulaja-I (alias Tukkoji )(1728-1736) also made substantial contributions through their scholarly pursuits. Sarabhoji-I, a renowned scholar, expanded upon his predecessor's patronage by supporting music, dance, art, and literature. His acclaimed work, the Vidya Parinaya Nataka, is a testament to his literary prowess. 

Tulaja-I’s monumental Sangita Saramruta is a cornerstone in the field of music. A musician and composer himself, he significantly advanced the study of music in both Sanskrit and Telugu, bridging theory and practice.  His grand son  Tulaja-II (1763-1787) had a great fascination for vina and was also a great patron of music. Tyagaraja’s guru, Sonti Venkataramanayya -a great vina vidwan was an Asthana Vidwan in his court. Vina Kalahasti Iya -maternal uncle of Tyagaraja  and Pachimiriyam Adiappaiah , composer of Viriboni varna, were also important members of Tulaja -II’s court. This artistic fervor continued with subsequent Maratha rulers, who remained dedicated patrons of music, dance, and the fine arts. 

Sarabhoji II,(1787-1832) a passionate admirer of all arts is credited with establishing the esteemed Saraswati Mahal library. The library boasts a rich collection of ancient manuscripts and rare treasures.  Sarabhoji II was also a skilled composer, known for his Marathi compositions, Devendra Kuravanji and Tristalli Tirthayatra Lavani. He composed dance items such as sabdas, varnams, swarajatis, thillanas, kavuttuvam.

Some of the musicians who were encouraged by Sarabhoji II were Sonti Venkataramayya, the Tanjavur Quartette, Ghanam Krishna Iyer, Venkatasubbaiyer, Vedanayakam Pillai, Gurumurthi Sastri, Vina Subbukutti iyer, Todi Sitaramaiah, Sankarabharana Narasayyar,Vina Kalahasti Iya and Kavi Venkata Suri.  Dance teachers like Subbaraya Nattuvanar and his four sons, Ponnaiah, Chinnaya,Vadivelu and Sivanandam also flourished in his court. They composed many padavarnams, sabdas in praise of Lord Brihadeeswara and also the king.  A well known music contest between Shyama Sastri and Bobbili Kesavayya was held in Sarabhoji II’s court. Like his father, Shivaji-II also continued the noble work of patronizing musicians. He was a lover of lavanis and gave support to the art form. Lavani Venkata Rao was a prominent lavani singer in his court. One of Venkata Rao’s  notable  works is the Bahattara mela ragamalika using 72 mela names from Kanakangi to Rasikapriya.  Unfortunately Shivaji II ended up being the last of the Maratha rulers.

Around the mid 17th century, Tyagaraja’s ancestors migrated from Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh to settle in Tanjavur region.  Their profound knowledge of Sanskrit, Vedas, and Puranas earned them the patronage of the Maratha kings. Tyagaraja's grandfather, Giriraja Kavi, was appointed court musician to King Tulaja and granted land and a residence to support his family. Tyagaraja was born in Tiruvarur in 1767 but later moved to Tiruvaiyaru.

There were other composers  and musicians who also migrated to the Tanjavur district. Among them are the following:

Kshetrayya (1595-1680)  born in Muvva village near Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh, in the 17th century, was a devotee of Lord Venugopala. He was a prolific composer, and created nearly 4200 padams imbued with nayaka-nayaki bhava.  His compositions bear the signature muvvagopala. These compositions, rendered in slow tempo rakti ragas, initially appear erotic but are deeply devotional. Examples include Vadiga Gopaluni in Mohanam and Kondegadu in Surati. He gained prominence at King Raghunatha Nayak's court in Tanjavur.

Narayana Tirtha (1650-1745), renowned for his Sanskrit opera Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini, hailed from Kaza, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh. This masterpiece features exquisite dance sollukattus.  He was a scholar of shastras and music.  Tyagaraja pays homage to Narayan Tirtha  in his"Prahlada Bhakti Vijayamu." Narayana Tirtha also composed the dance drama Parijatapaharana Nataka dedicated to Lord Varadaraja of Melattur. After visiting numerous pilgrimage sites in Andhra and Tamil Nadu, he settled in Varagur, a village on the baks of Kaveri River known for its bhajana tradition. Varagur, near Tiruvaiyaru, became a center of music and dance during  the Nayak rule. Narayan Tirtha’s  samadhi is in Tirupunthurthi,  where a music festival honors him every year. The peaceful atmosphere of his village inspired many tarangams, describing Krishna's life and interactions with gopis. Notable examples include "Madhava mamava" in Neelambari and "Puraya mama Kamam" in Bilahari.

Bhadrachala Ramadasu (1622-1680), born in Nelakondapalli village, Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh, also relocated to Tanjavur. Deeply connected to Tanjavur's culture, he composed numerous pieces on Lord Rama, primarily in Telugu ,and some in Sanskrit. Tyagaraja admired Ramadasu, which is evidenced  in the kriti Kshirasagara sayana in Devagandhari. Ramadasu's popular compositions include Paluke Bangara mayena in Anandabhairavi and Ramajogi mandu konere in Khamas. 

Beyond these luminaries, numerous composers and musicians graced Thanjavur during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Pre-Trinity era figures such as Edda Dasari, Govind Dikshita, Venkatamakhi, Virabhadrayya, Mathrubhutayya, Melter Venkatarama Sastri, Sadashiva Brahmendra, Pachimiriyam Adiappayya, Ramaswami Dikshita, Sonti Venkatasubbaiah, Aruchala kavirayar, Muthu Tandavar, and Marimutha Pillai also flourished in that area. Their compositions served as models for future generations.

Very important works like Sangita Sudha, Chaturdandi Prakashika, Sangita Saramruta and Sangraha Chudamani were produced during the periods when the Nayak and Maratha kings ruled Tanjavur. Contributions of King Sahaji, King Tulaja  Govinda Dikshita, Venkatamakhi played a significant role in  the development of Carnatic music.

The Musical Trinity era witnessed a surge of compositions in Telugu, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Marathi. Characterized by purity, melodic sweetness, and diverse expressions, this period is hailed as the golden age of Carnatic music. The patronage of Nayak and Maratha kings significantly contributed to the growth of music and dance. 

Harikatha kalakshepa became popular during the Maratha regime in Tanjavur. Well known kirtanakar, Meruswami was a pioneer in Tanjavur Harikatha. Harikatha as seen today is an evolution of Maharashtrakirtan. During Shivaji-II time, popularity of Harikatha was at its peak. Stalwarts like Tanjavur Krishna Bhagavatar, Lakshmanachar, Panchapakesha Bhagavatar perfected the art of Harikatha. Harikatha became an integral part of sahitya with moral and spiritual  connotations along with music and abhinaya and it became a means of spiritual excitement and entertainment. Top ranking musicians like Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar, Anantharama Bhagavatar and Vedanta Bhagavatar enjoyed doing Harikatha kalakshepa. 

The Bhajana sampradaya took a strong hold in Tanjavur as a significant contribution to sacred music,and create bhakti. In the days of Maratha kings, abhangs of prominent saints like Tukharam, Namadev,  and compositions of Purandara Dasa, Meera Bai,  Annamacharya, Bhadrachala Ramadasu, Sadashiva Brahmendra, Narayana Tirtha and other sankirthanams were included for bhajans. Maharashtra bhajan singing was a regular feature in mutts in Tanjavur. 

Conclusion

The political instability and turmoil prevalent in the Telugu regions during the medieval period inadvertently contributed to the artistic and cultural flourishing of Tanjavur. The confluence of these factors, supplemented by the munificent patronage of the Tanjavur Maharajas, together with the  shared cultural heritage, was conducive to the setting for musical growth. The linguistic affinity also created a perfect blend for the flourishing of Carnatic music. 

Tanjavur thus emerged as the epicenter of this musical renaissance, attracting musicians from far and wide, and leaving an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and captivate music lovers to this day.