With reference to cultural history of India, consider the following statements : 1. Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna. 2. Tyagaraja created several new ragas. 3. Annamacharya and Tyagaraja are contemporaries. 4. Annamacharya kirtanas are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venkateshwara. Which of the statements given above are correct ?
- A.1 and 3 only
- B.2 and 4 only
- C.1, 2 and 3
- D.2, 3 and 4
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, 2 and 4 only. Tyagaraja created several new ragas, and Annamacharya's kirtanas praise Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala.
Tyagaraja (1767–1847) of Thiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu is one of the Trinity of Carnatic music, with Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. He was a devotee of Lord Rama, and most of his kritis, written in Telugu, are addressed to Rama; the Pancharatna Kritis are his best known. He is credited with bringing several new ragas into use. Annamacharya (1408–1503), the 'Pada-kavita Pitamaha', was a court poet of the Tirumala temple and composed thousands of sankirtanas on Lord Venkateswara.
Statement 1 is wrong because Tyagaraja's kritis praise Rama, not Krishna. Statement 3 is wrong because Annamacharya lived in the 15th century and Tyagaraja in the 18th-19th, about three centuries apart. So A, C and D, which include 1 or 3, are wrong.
Exam tip: Tyagaraja = Rama bhakti, Telugu kritis; Annamacharya = Venkateswara, 15th century.
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