Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavatar

Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavathar (also spelt Bagavathar) (1912–2004) was a Carnatic musician, musicologist, Harikatha exponent and composer.

He served Carnatic music for over seven decades. He was a disciple of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer in music and Madurai Narayana Bhagavatar and Smt Saraswathy Bai in Harikatha.

He performed more than 1000 music concerts and 7000 Harikatha performances all over India. He started composing from his teens and has composed more than 3000 songs in many languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit. He composed different musical forms such as Geetham, Varnam, Krithi, Javali, Padam, Thillana, Ragamalika and Harikatha. The first edition of his compositions are published in Tamil in the book 'Sangeetha Ratna Mala'. Sambasiva Bhagavatar's musical discourse of Muthuswami Dikshitar charitram, Ramana Maharshi Charitram, Purandara Dasa charitram and Seetha Kalyanam are brought out in CD's. His compositions (Sahityams) are released in cassettes and CD's.

His composition "Neerajadalanayana" in raga "Maand" was popularised by his guru Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer.

Sambasiva Bhagavatar was born in Mannargudi in the old Tanjavur district in Tamil Nadu, India in the year 1912 to Rajam Iyer and Meenakshi Ammal. He spent his early years in Mannargudi and later moved to Madras (now Chennai).He studied in Sri Ramakrishna Mission in Mylapore. He then had his carnatic music training through the traditional Gurukulam from Sri Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. He imbibed the spirit of musical style of his Guru Viswanatha Iyer. He was then known as Sambasiva Iyer. He switched over from Carnatic Vocal music to Harikatha Kalakshepam and became known as Sambasiva Bhagavatar.

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