The trinity of Carnatic music refers to the three doyens namely Saint Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. It is interesting to note all the three lived during the same period in the late 18th century and they all belonged to the Tiruvaiyaaru town on the Kaveri river belt.
Their contribution to Indian music is unique. Saint Tyagaraja has composed several thousands of kritis or songs on various gods and goddesses in different ragas. The presiding deity of the Tiruvaiyaaru temple is the Pancanadeesvara aspect of Lord Siva and his consort is Dharmambika or Katyayini.
Muthuswami Dikshitar omposed several of his kritis, in fact 90 percent of them in the Sanskrit language where as Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri composed them in Telugu their mother tongue. Syama sastri worked as a priest in the Bangaru kamakshi temple and his song n Sankarabharana raga called 'Sarojadalanetri' is a master piece.
