19th January 2005 corresponding to Bahula Panchami of Marghazhi Month of Thamizh Year Paarthiba. Music Lovers especially the Carnatic celebrate the birth anniversary of the Greatest Musician of the Carnatic Traditional Culture Saint Thyagaraja who was born on the Tamil Land and sang and sang in hundreds of hymns and songs praising God Rama and carved a niche in the hearts of all musicians for well over a century. All musicians of fame and name congregate at the village Town of Thiruvayaru - on the banks of Cauvery River - and sing the greatest kirthanas - Pancha rathna Kirthanas - to the delight of audience from near and far. Please click the link below to get a detailed life history of the greatest musician of Tamil Nadu. Most of his songs in praise of Lord Rama are composed in the language - Telegu - which was his mother tongue - which language traces its origin to the language Tamil. http://home.att.net/~s-prasad/tyagaraja.htm The festival is celebrated for full five days. All musicians are given an opportunity to sing his compositions individually and collectively with full accompaniments like Violin, Mridhangam, Ganjira, Ghatam, Morsing. Apart from vocalists, violinists, veena players, nadhaswaram players also recite lyrics of Saint Thyagaraja. The whole event is relayed directly by Doordharsan . It is a delight to watch hundreds of musicians sing in a chorus. This year, we saw some of the celebrities like Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, Sudha, Aruna Sairam, Unnikrishnan graced the occasion. Pancha rathna consists of Five Kritis: Most Important amongst the Krithis of Saint Thyagaraja. presently, in addition to the main festival at Thiruvaiyaru, musicians celebrate the festival in different places in Tamil Nadu. A group of enthusiasts hold the festival also in USA. For more details, please click on www.tamilmovieusa.com/links1.html http://tamilmovieusa.com/links1.html