CHENNAI: If it wasn’t for these three prolific composers/singers, Carnatic music today would not have been so popular. Aiming to restore the original identity of Thiruvarur – the birthplace of the Trinity of Carnatic music and 18th century composers – Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri - and putting it on the global tourism map, popular Carnatic singer Geetha Rajashekar and S. Swaminathan, president of Shri Kanchi Kamakotipeeta Karnataka Sangeetha Mumoorthigal Seva Samithi. have embarked on an ambitious task of refurbishing the houses where Thyagraja and Syama Sastri had lived and also promote a musical trail - the first and unique one in the country. The Kanchi Paramacharya who identified the spot had reconstructed Muthuswami Dikshitar’s house but as this is in a dilapidated condition, the house will be rebuilt.
Perhaps, when the project materialises by next year, it could rival the places that became famous due to Ludwig Van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. “We may require about Rs. 40 to 45 lakh for the entire project and we will convert them into tourist spot. Carnatic music singers and lovers could visit the houses or sing at the samadhi of the outstanding trio,” says Ms Geetha, who is also convener of the festival committee. Realising the potential of Thiruvarur, the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district about 319 km from here, Ms Geetha Rajashekar, who is vice president of BJP Art & Culture Cell, informed that Union urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu responded positively to her request to take steps to develop Thiruvarur as a heritage town under Prasad or Hriday schemes. She also urged him to initiate measures to release a commemorative postal stamp on the 250th birth anniversary of Sri Thyagaraja.
According to Mr Swaminathan, not many are aware that Thiruvarur had produced the Trinity of Carnatic music. The present efforts would go a long way in popularising their rich contribution. “They had composed several thousands of songs in Sanskrit, Telugu and Tamil and had performed at several places. These would also be highlighted,” he said and added that to the Carnatic music world Thiruvarur is as sacred as Ramjanma Bhoomi in Ayodhya for Hindus. All the three houses are under the control of the Kanchi mutt.
“We have also planned a theme park for the 250th birth anniversary of the Sadguru and it shall have a state-of-art auditorium, a Trinity museum, a big library housing both the books and video collection of the immortal composers besides a Trinity Arch. We also want to start a school of music. We need atleast three to five acres land to raise the infrastructure and build roads. Once this is done, the entire place will develop,” adds Ms Geetha Rajashekar. Besides her, Deccan Moorthy is also involved in refurbishing the houses.
