An Icon and a Date

[RaviSri]

Recently I travelled in the Thanjavur region and visited quite a few places. This is not the first time that I am travelling in those parts but this time I wanted to do it with a historical perspective.
Among other places I visited the ancestral house of Guruvammal, wife of Thyagaraja’s grandson on Varahappayyar Lane, South street. It is here that the Rama icon worshipped by Thyagaraja and his ancestors is kept and worshipped by Gurvammal’s descendants. Remember, Gurvammal did not have children, so she returned to her ancestral house in Thanjavur. Her younger brother’s great-grandson (who is named Thyagaraja) is now worshipping the icon. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship carved out of a single piece of panchaloha metals. It depicts the Rama paTTAbhiSheka with Rama and Sita seated on the throne, Bharata and Shatrugna holding the umbrella and fanning respectively. Lakshmana and Anjeneya stand beneath on both sides of the throne in front of the Divine Couple. It is not only visually beautiful but is spiritually powerful too. I had the opportunity of looking at it at very close quarters.
The present caretaker Thyagarajan’s father has recorded in a diary that the icon was brought to Thanjavur in 1897. Thereby we have a date with which we can investigate certain things.
Thyagaraja’s grandson (who was also Thyagarajan) was supposed to have lived for only 22 years according to many biographers of the Saint’s life. According to Subbarama Dikshitar (in vAggEyakAra charitramu), he lived for 35 years. According to the document that was uploaded on a site a few months ago, which was the copy of the original agreement, Thyagaraja and his brother’s son sold a part of their house (probably the back portion) in 1828. This I surmised was for the marriage of his daughter Sitamahalakshmi (hereafter referred to as Seetha). The marriage must have been conducted in 1829 or 1830. Let us assume Seetha was about 13 or 14 years old then. She must have been born in 1814 or 1815. This also gives credence to the theory that Thyagaraja married his second wife Kamala, younger sister of his first wife Parvati when he was more than middle-aged. Thyagaraja scholar William Jackson has alluded to this late marriage in one of his books.
Even if we take grandson Thyagarajan’s life as being 35 years, he must have died in 1865 or thereabouts, assuming that he was born in 1830/31. Then why this delay in Guruvammal returning to her ancestral home? I infer that it must have been because Seetha must have lived upto 1897 and Gurvammal looked after her mother-in-law until her death. Quite possible, because Seetha would have lived for 80 or 82 years like her father.
This is a piece of history, however sketchy, that we have got now. It is a pity that scholars like U.VE.Sa did not meet Seetha. She would have had a wealth of information to share about her father and his compositions.

[RaviSri]

I forgot to add that Guruvammal also brought a painting of Sri Thyagaraja along with the icon. The caretaker at Thanjavur only knows that this painting was done by a Thanjvur palace painter. The painting shows Thyagaraja seated in a 'pallak' with a turban around his head. Whether Thyagaraja posed like that or whether the painter did the painting whilst Thyagaraja was being carried in the pallak by his disciples or whether the painter just sketched the bare face and body and later added the paraphenalia, we do not know.

Whatever, this painting now stands in the puja room at Varahappayyar lane along with the icon. It is clear that later day painters like S.Rajam copied this original.

[ramakriya]

This is quite interesting. Thanks Ravisri.

[vasanthakokilam]

Excellent info RaviSri. Thanks for sharing. Did you take a picture of the painting?

[rajeshnat]

Among other places I visited the ancestral house of Guruvammal, wife of Thyagaraja’s grandson on Varahappayyar Lane, South street. It is here that the Rama icon worshipped by Thyagaraja and his ancestors is kept and worshipped by Gurvammal’s descendants.

RaviSri
I am assuming varahappayyar lane is in tanjore.
I did see in tiruvarur ,a bronze idol that ThyagarAja worshipped . IT was kept in a separate room, I reported that back in this thread http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 0tiruvarur
Are they both the same or are they different , when did you visit tanjore. May be ThyagarAja worshipped more than one idol that is preserved?

[RaviSri]

rajeshnat, The idol I have mentioned is in Varahappayyar lane, Tanjavur, leading from the South street (terku veedhi). This is the original icon that Thyagaraja worshipped. What you might have seen in Tiruvarur cannot be what Thyagaraja worshipped because Thyagaraja is supposed to have left Tiruvarur when he was 10 years old. Thereafter he lived in Tiruvaiyyaru. In Tiruvaiyyaru the priest at the shrine will show you an idol of Rama, Seeta, Lakshmana and Anjeneya and tell you that 'this was the idol worshipped by the bard'. Don't believe it. This idol was not there till about 25 years ago.

The Tanjavur icon is the one worshipped by Thyagaraja. Incidentally, Thyagaraja Aradhana is observed at Varahappayyar lane with Seeta Kalyanam, Dolotsavam for two days before Aradhana and singing of Divyanama kritis and Pancharatnam on Aradhana day. Housewives and sincere musicians of Tanjavur, Trichy etc., who could not (or did not want to) make it big in the cutchery circuit, sing at Varahappayyar lane. The singing of Pancharatna kitis, I have heard, is far removed from the cacophany and artificiality we witness these days. I wanted to go this time but unfortunately could not. Will be going to Tiruvaiyyaru next week, when it will be quiet and the bard would have returned from his one week sojourn in Antartica. Will also visit Tanjavur.

vasantakokilam, they don't allow us to photograph either the idol or the painting. I think we have to respect their sentiments. If someone can paint, I think they'll allow it. I can't paint.

I visit Tanjavur and Tiruvaiyyau at least twice a year (not during the Aradhana). Last time was in September last year.

[tkb]

wonderful information and when we go to Tanjavur we will surely make it and worship Lord Rama of St. Thyagaraja.