Even After 254 Years, Saint Thyagaraja Still Rocks

Each of the 700 extant songs composed by Saint Thyagaraja in hundreds of ragas have one thing in common – they lend themselves to interpretation. Not just by classical musicians, but by literally anyone. Whether you share his deep devotion for his chosen deity or his love for music, you will find something in his songs to imbibe and interpret. Sumesh Narayanan, a percussionist from Chennai, tells The Quint about the icon.

(The article has been republished from The Quint’s archives on the occasion of Saint Thyagaraja’s birth anniversary. It was first published on 4 May 2016.)