Chembai Sangeetholsavam
Encyclopedia
Chembai Sangeetholsavam is an annual Carnatic music
festival held in Guruvayur
by the Guruvayur Devaswom (similar to the Thyagaraja Aradhana at Thiruvaiyaru
) as a kind of homage to Chembai
Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, one of the titans of Carnatic Classical Music.
Chembai had conducted the festival in the temple town on his own for about 60 years. He used to invite all the great Carnatic Musicians to perform in the temple town and in course of time, the scale of the festival rivalled the Thiruvaiyaru Thyagaraja Aradhana, which is recognised as one of the most important festivals of homage paid to Saint Thyagaraja. The Guruvayur Devaswom decided to take charge after his death in 1974, and renamed it as Chembai Sangeetholsavam in his memory.
About 2000-2500 musicians participate in this festival every year, and it is held for about 12-15 days culminating on the Guruvayur Ekadasi
day, when all the musicians sing 5 favourite songs of Chembai and also the Pancharatna Kritis
of Thyagaraja.
The festival is getting more popular year after year and its scope has increased from three days in its inception to about 12-15 days now.
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
festival held in Guruvayur
Guruvayur
Guruvayur is a municipal town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It houses the famous Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, the fourth biggest temple in India in terms of the number of devotees per day.-History:Guruvayur, according to the legends may be 5,000 years old as the Guruvayur...
by the Guruvayur Devaswom (similar to the Thyagaraja Aradhana at Thiruvaiyaru
Thiruvaiyaru
-External links:**...
) as a kind of homage to Chembai
Chembai
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar was a Carnatic music singer from Palakkad . Known by his village name Chembai, or simply as Bhagavatar, he was born to Anantha Bhagavatar and Parvati Ammal in 1896, at Kottayi near Palakkad on Janmashtami day, with Bharani star in the month of Chingam...
Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, one of the titans of Carnatic Classical Music.
Chembai had conducted the festival in the temple town on his own for about 60 years. He used to invite all the great Carnatic Musicians to perform in the temple town and in course of time, the scale of the festival rivalled the Thiruvaiyaru Thyagaraja Aradhana, which is recognised as one of the most important festivals of homage paid to Saint Thyagaraja. The Guruvayur Devaswom decided to take charge after his death in 1974, and renamed it as Chembai Sangeetholsavam in his memory.
About 2000-2500 musicians participate in this festival every year, and it is held for about 12-15 days culminating on the Guruvayur Ekadasi
Guruvayur Ekadasi
Ekadasi, the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight, is very auspicious to the Hindus. Of the 24 Ekadasis in a year, the Vrishchika Ekadasi has got special significance in Guruvayur. It falls in the Mandala season . The Navami and Dasami are also very important...
day, when all the musicians sing 5 favourite songs of Chembai and also the Pancharatna Kritis
Pancharatna Kritis
A pancharatna kriti is one of a set of five kritis in Carnatic classical music, composed by the 19th century Indian composer, Tyagaraja. Four of the five pancharatna kritis are composed in Telugu language, and one in Sanskrit....
of Thyagaraja.
The festival is getting more popular year after year and its scope has increased from three days in its inception to about 12-15 days now.