Thread by @veejaysai

Starting a long thread on my recent visit to the ancient temple town of Tiruvarur. The massive temple complex of Lord Tyagaraja and goddess Kamalamba.🙏 Tiruvarur is also the birthplace of the trinity of Carnatic music. Saint Tyagaraja, Muththuswamy Dikshita and Shyama Shastry.

First the wonderful 35 acre large temple complex and the Kamalalayam tank! Lord Shiva is worshiped in the form of a Marakatha Lingam. Separate sannidhis for lord Tyagaraja and Devi Kamalamba.
9 rajagopurams, 80 vimanams, 13 mandapams, 15 sacred wells, 100 independent shrines!

There is enough and more about the temple. Will return to it. My interest was to re-visit the birthplaces of the Trinity of holy Carnatic music. Starting with the eldest among them Sri Shyama Shastri (1762 -1827), Saint Tyagaraja (1767 -1847) and Muthuswamy Dikshita (1775-1835)

An image of the original house where Shyama Shastry was born. He was officially named Venkata Subramanyam at birth and called "Shyama Krishna" at home. Belonged to Bodhayana Sutra, Goutama gotra, born in Chitrabhanu year, Mesha raasi, Krittika nakshatram. 26th April 1762.

The old Agraharam house doesn't exist anymore. In its place is a new modern house. The neighbour looks after it.

The only original things from the old house is the well Shyama Shastry used. It is the best-maintained of the three trinity houses.

Inside the new hall is a beautiful bronze idol of Sri Shyama Shastry donated by Sri P R Ramasubramaneya Rajah of the RAMCO group who was also the late royal of Rajapalayam.

There are also large portraits by S Rajam and few other paintings. 😊 🙏

It is peaceful inside.

From there to the house of Muthuswamy Dikshitar. 'Dikshitar' is a local Tamil way of addressing him. His ancestry was Telugu going back to the great Venkatamakhin who wrote the Chaturdandiprakashika.

Dikshita's house is completely gone. In its place is this building.

The building looks pretty here but in reality it is a sad sight. An open sewage flows outside. Opp. is a municipal dustbin.

Inside is a badly maintained hall that ends with an alter in the far end.

The Rajapalayam Raja also donated an idol of Dikshitar here.

I liked the entrance to the hall which had sculptures of the trinity on the top. A plaque outside says it was constructed sometime in 1955.

Dikshitar a great Srividya Upasaka composed the famous Navavarna Kritis to goddess Kamalamba of Tiruvarur.

Outside the Sannidhi in the entrance to the temple you can find them on the wall in marble plaques along with large paintings. 😊 🙏

Finally to the house where Saint Tyagaraja was born. It is in a better shape from what I remember seeing a decade ago.

The old house has gone. This new structure stays undisturbed thankfully.

Inside the house in the entrance is a beautiful little Tulsi plant.

A small room converted into an alter with the idol of Tyagaraja where a local archaka performs regular pooja. Thanks to the Rajapalayam Raja again for this seva! 🙏

Inside the main hall are large portraits of the saint. One more beautiful than the other!

It is peaceful inside. One can get an archana done.

The pooja also has a small but heavy iron mridangam which was supposedly used by the saint.

Back to the temple!

Saw some beautiful paintings on the ceiling that were not in a great condition.

Why are our ancient temples maintained in such a bad shape?! The Govt. apparently controls temples for earning funds. But obviously it doesn't do much about their upkeep.

How many women can you find in this?

Saw some beautiful sculptures in different parts of the temple.

Have they been documented anywhere? Who knows!

The temple surely deserves a wonderfully detailed book. If not, a good photo-book at least!

The temple complex houses a little museum that numerous sculptures, few musical instruments and palmleaf manuscripts in glass cases etc. Not greatly maintained once again.

Spotted the Makaraveena and Panchamukha Vaadyam there. Do we know anyone who can still perform on these?!