Module 7: Composers and figures · Lesson 2

The Trinity

● Confidence: high Last verified: 12 Oct 2026

Three composers, one town

The Trinity of Carnatic music is Syama Sastri, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar. All three were born at or near Tiruvarur in the late 18th century and are celebrated for the originality and quality of their songs. They did not form a school together, and each had a distinct voice.

Syama Sastri (1762 to 1827)

Born as Venkata Subrahmanya, he took the name Syama Sastri. He composed in Telugu and Sanskrit, and many of his songs praise the goddess Kamakshi. He signed his work “Syama Krishna”. He is the oldest of the three and composed fewer songs than the others (around 300 are credited to him). His works are known for rhythmic complexity and for three famous swarajatis , in the ragas Bhairavi, Yadukulakambhoji and Todi.

Tyagaraja (1767 to 1847)

Born in Tiruvarur and living in Thiruvaiyaru, Tyagaraja composed mostly in Telugu, with some Sanskrit, in the language people could understand. His songs are intensely devotional and aim at expression (Bhava ) as well as craft. His best known sets are:

• the five Pancharatna kritis (“five gems”): Jagadanandakaraka, Duduku Gala, Sadhinchene, Kana Kana Ruchira and Endaro Mahanubhavulu;
• musical plays: Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam and Nauka Charitam (Wikipedia and Darbar count two plays; the NIOS textbook counts three, adding Sita Rama Vijayam).

About 700 to 750 compositions are documented (see the box below). His teacher is said to have been Sonti Venkataramanayya.

Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775 or 1776 to 1835)

Dikshitar composed mostly in Sanskrit and signed with the mudra “Guruguha”. His songs often come in sets, such as the Navavarana kritis to the goddess Kamalamba and the Navagraha kritis to the nine planets. He played the veena, and his compositions are known for their gamaka-rich, veena-like style. His brother Baluswami Dikshitar is credited with introducing the violin to Carnatic music (the NIOS textbook credits him together with Vadivelu of the Tanjore Quartet).

How to tell them apart

The mudras are stated in the NIOS textbook for Dikshitar (Guruguha, also given by Darbar) and Syama Sastri (Syamakrishna). That Tyagaraja signs with his own name is stated in Wikipedia’s article on him, and a practitioners’ forum post calls his name his ankita mudra; the forum is shown only as opinion beside Wikipedia.