Guruguha 1776 - 1835 (59)
What I saw I can not say, What I say can not be understood by you
QUOTES
Muthuswami Dikshitar, better known as Guruguha (1776 - 1835), was an Indian poet, singer and songwriter from southern India, one of the 3 most popular Carnatic musicians in the world. .
He was born on March 24, 1775 in Tiruvarur near Thanjavur, in the present state of Tamil Nadu in India, to a Brahmin family with a musical tradition. His father taught Vedas, poetry, music and astrology and was his first teacher. At a young age, a Yogi ascetic took him under his protection and together they traveled to monasteries in the province where he was taught music, philosophy and yoga. After the yogi's death, he continued to tour the monasteries of southern India on his own, composing music for the deities and temples he visited.
His compositions are known for the depth and soul of the melody, his lyrics praise the divinity of each temple, but Guruguha also introduces philosophical thoughts in his songs, highlighting the inherent relationship between philosophy and polytheistic worship. Most of his compositions are melodic poetry, in Sanskrit. He pioneered the use of the violin, which is now an integral part of most carnal ensembles. His songs contain a lot of information about the history of the temples and their background, thus preserving many customs that are followed in these old sanctuaries.
Gurugoha had no children or wife. He died on October 21, 1835 in Ettayapuram. The total number of songs he composed is about 500, and they are still sung.