Muthaiah Bhagavathar (1877 - 1945) Biography and Works

Biography

Dr. Harikesanallur Muthaiah Bhagavathar is one of the most important post-trinity composers and an important vocalist as well.

Muthaiah Bhagavathar was born to Lingam Iyer and Anamdam in 1877. After the early death of his father, he was brought up by his maternal uncle Lakshamana Suri of Harikesanallur, who taught his Sanskrit, Vedas and music. He got further musical training from Sambasiva Iyer and his son T. S. Sabesa Iyer, who belonged to the Thyagaraja shishya parampara.

As a vocalist, his big break came when in 1887 he sang before Maharaja Mulam Thirunal of Travancore who honoured him as a court musician. This established him as one of the front ranking musicians of the time. Later he started giving Harikatha performances, for which he earned the name Bhagavathar. This was the time he started composing, which he would use in his Harikatha-s.

The next phase of his life was as a court musician in Mysore, from 1927. Most of his compositions were from this period. Initially he composed mostly in Madhyakala, like Shri Tyagaraja. After 1931, he was influenced by Muthuswamy Dikshitar compositions and started compoing in vilambita kala. In 1936, he was again invited by Maharani Sethu Parvathi of Travancore and he spent several years there. during that time, one of his major contributions was popularising Swati Tirunal compositions. He was also the first prinicipal of "Swathi Thirunal Academy of Music" there.

Apart from being a vocalist and composer, Muthaiah Bhagavathar was also a learned musicologist. He was actively involved in the Annual Conference of Experts conducted by The Music Academy of Madras. In 1930 he was awarded the Sangeetha Kalanidhi by the academy. He also wrote a book on the science of music, Sangeetha Kalpa Dhruma, for which he was awarded Degree of Doctorate in 1943 by the Travancore state.

Teachers & Influences:M. Lakshamana Suri, Sambasiva Iyer, T. S. Sabesa Iyer

Mudra:	Harikesha
Languages used:	Telugu, Sanskrit

Genre Carnatic: Krithi

Compositions:

Adityan Devadidevam	Mayamalavagaula	Adi	Krithi
Ajam haram Ambikavanam	Nilambari	Adi	Krithi
Amba mahavani	Saraswati Manohari	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Ambavanina	Keeravani	Adi	Krithi
Anagham akhilandam	Mandari	Rupaka	Krithi
Anandamana sangeetham	Kambhoji	Adi	Krithi
Anandapuram haram	Vijayasree	Adi	Krithi
Ananthapadmanabham	Malahari	Rupaka	Krithi
Ananthaya sarvaya	Bauli	Adi	Krithi
Andavan darisanamae	Jonpuri	Adi	Krithi
Anekatame	Vijayanagari	Adi	Krithi
Angaraka Mangalamurthye	Ritigaula	Rupaka	Krithi
Aniswaram abhishekaram	Charukesi	Adi	Krithi
Anthakasura subane	Sahana	Rupaka	Krithi
Aparajithe amarasanuthe	Kannada	Adi	Krithi
Apavarga pradam asraye	Pasupatipriya	Adi	Krithi
Arrukkum adangada	Begada	Adi	Krithi
Arya Devi	Sahana	Adi	Krithi
Astamurthim sishtamurthim	Gaulipantu	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Athisayavara	Mandari	Adi	Krithi
Atisundaram avyaktham	Simhendramadhyamam	Rupaka	Krithi
Avan seyalauni	Hamirkalyani	Adi	Krithi
Bale paripahi sahu	Begada	Rupaka	Krithi
Balochanam bhaga	Saurashtram	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Balumo samayannu	Sahana	Khanda Chapu	Varnam
Bhagala Deviya	HanumaThodi	Adi	Krithi
Bhagavate rudraya	Kurinji	Adi	Krithi
Bhajamyaham avyayam	Nagagandhari	Adi	Krithi
Bhakthavalsala paramesvara	Karnataka Bihag	Rupaka	Krithi
Bhandasuravimardini	Manirang	Rupaka	Krithi
Bhargam pasupatim	Jingla	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Bhavapasa mochakam	Pushpalatika	Jhampa	Krithi
Bhujanga Bhushana	Chenchukamboji	Adi	Krithi
Bhutha pataye namo	Nagasvaravali	Adi	Krithi
Bhuvaneswari alita	Mohanakalyani	Adi	Krithi
Bindupeetha kritavase	Huseni	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Chakra ragarathe	Dharmavathi	Rupaka	Krithi
Chakresi pradeepa sri	Chakrapradeepta	Adi	Krithi
Chandamundasiraschethry	Garudadhwani	Rupaka	Krithi
Chandrashekara vibushite	Sankarabharanam	Adi	Krithi
Charuvikrama	Hamsadhwani	Adi	Krithi
Chidanikunda sambhute	Ataana	Adi	Krithi
Dakshatvaraharam	Surutti	Adi	Krithi
Dandina Sri Chandikambe	Salaga Bhairavi	Adi	Krithi
Devam kavachinam	Bangala	Adi	Krithi
Devi damshrakarala	Hamirkalyani	Adi	Krithi
Devi Gaurininna	Gaurimanohari	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Devi Sivadutipradae	Punnagavarali	Rupaka	Krithi
Devi Sri Mahalakshmi	Harinarayani	Adi	Krithi
Devidakshayani	Balahamsa	Rupaka	Krithi
Dhirasikhamani	Ritigaula	Adi	Krithi
Dinamani umasaga	Mayamalavagaula	Rupaka	Krithi
Ennalu tirugu	Mandari	Adi	Krithi
Gamanatham bhaje	Panchamam	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Gamganapathe namo nama	Hamsadhwani	Rupaka	Krithi
Ganesha skanda janani	Nagabhushani	Rupaka	Krithi
Garudavahana	Garudadhwani	Rupaka	Krithi
Giridhanvinam	Kokiladhvani	Adi	Krithi
Girija deviya bhajisetho	Veenadhari	Adi	Krithi
Giripriyam gangadharam	Kathanakuthuhalam	Adi	Krithi
Girisam mahesham	Kaanada	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Gopalanandana	Kathanakuthuhalam	Adi	Krithi
Gurunatha	Pushpalatika	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Hara Maheswara	Begada	Adi	Krithi
Harihara Mahadeva	Jaymanohari	Rupaka	Krithi
Himagiri tanaye	Udayaravichandrika	Adi	Krithi
Himagirisa manomani	Isamanohari	Adi	Krithi
Ikhane tala	Guharanjini	Adi	Krithi
Ithi vela nanne	Kokilabhashini	Rupaka	Krithi
Jagadguru	Gopikavasantham	Adi	Krithi
Jalandharasupeethasthe	Valaji	Rupaka	Krithi
Jannani Ashrita	Ratnangi	Rupaka	Krithi
Japakusuma	Dhanyasi	Adi	Krithi
Jaya jaya basha	Sudha Seemanthini	Adi	Krithi
Jaya Mahishasura	Hamsadhwani	Rupaka	Krithi
Jaya Narayana	Abhogi	Adi	Krithi
Jayadevijaganmathe	Garuda Malhar	Triputa	Krithi
Jvaalajjihve	Darbar	Adi	Krithi
Kadambavanavasini	Bhoopalam	Triputa	Krithi
Kala ratri svaroopini	Urmika/Sudha	Adi	Krithi
Kalati thaya	Udayaravichandrika	Adi	Krithi
Kameswari Sri	Kurinji	Jhampa	Krithi
Kandara mandala madhyaye	Purnachandrika	Adi	Krithi
Kannan manivarnam	Kharaharapriya	Rupaka	Krithi
Kapalinam vande	Hindustani Kapi	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Karangulina Khotparana	Harikamboji	Ata	Krithi
Kartyayani skandajanani	Devamanohari	Adi	Krithi
Kausamba vasanopathe	Karnataka Kapi	Chapu	Krithi
Khanda Paradsive	Yadukulakambhoji	Adi	Krithi
Kripanidhe	Hamsanandam	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Kripasagara	Madhavamanohari	Adi	Krithi
Lalataksha namosthuthe	Natta	Adi	Krithi
Lambodara sodara	Mecha Kalyani	Eka	Krithi
Lambodhara Mahaganesa	Navarasa Kannada	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Madhu kaitabha	Arabhi	Rupaka	Krithi
Madjurapura nayike	Chakravakam	Adi	Krithi
Mahabala girisam	Saranga	Chapu	Krithi
Mahabaladri nilaye	Ramapriya	Adi	Krithi
Mahabaleswara vibho	Saranga	Rupaka	Krithi
Mahadevam	Narayani	Adi	Krithi
Mahaganapathe dehi	Malahari	Rupaka	Krithi
Maharajani mahalakshmi	Amritavarshini	Triputa	Krithi
Mahatripura Sundar	Purnachandrika	Rupaka	Krithi
Mahavishnusodari	Anandabhairavi	Adi	Krithi
Mahishasura	Andolika	Adi	Varna
Manadira kisainda	Sankarabharanam	Adi	Krithi
Manamadanguvade	HanumaThodi	Adi	Krithi
Manamu kavalannu	Sahana	Rupaka	Krithi
Manas sastvasraye	Shanmukhapriya	Adi	Krithi
Manasija janaka	Panchamam	Adi	Krithi
Manasukaragi	Megharanjini	Adi	Krithi
Mangalam pongidum	Maand	Adi	Krithi
Mangalaroopiniye	Jonpuri	Adi	Krithi
Manonmani	Subhapanthuvarali	Adi	Krithi
Mantrini matangatanaye	Hemavathi	Adi	Krithi
Marakathamanichaye	Saindhavi	Rupaka	Krithi
Mavoor valar maharani	Jonpuri	Adi	Krithi
Mavur valamperuga	Sindhubhairavi	Adi	Krithi
Meenalochani Amba	HanumaThodi	Rupaka	Krithi
Moovasaikonde	Kharaharapriya	Adi	Krithi
Mrigapane	Bhairavi	Rupaka	Krithi
Mrithuynjayam mridam	Ramapriya	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Mula prakrithi rupe	Saveri	Adi	Krithi
Muruganukku oeru	Mecha Kalyani	Adi	Krithi
Na punyamu gada	Keeravani	Adi	Krithi
Namo hirayana	Mangalakaisiki	Adi	Krithi
Nava lavanya rupadhaye	Hindolam	Rupaka	Krithi
Navakshara manusutha	Navarathnavilasam	Adi	Krithi
Navaratrotsava	Alankari	Rupaka	Krithi
Navavarana sampoojaye	Guharanjini	Adi	Krithi
Nee padamulanu	Natabhairavi	Adi	Krithi
Needu mahima	Hamsanandi	Adi	Krithi
Ni bhaianana	Kambhoji	Adi	Krithi
Ni padame gathiyanu	Bhairavi	Adi	Krithi
Nilalohita	Malavi	Adi	Krithi
Nilayatakshi nive	Vijayasree	Rupaka	Krithi
Ninnu nammi nanu	Abhogi	Eka	Krithi
Nityakinne nishkalanke	Nattakurinji	Adi	Krithi
Pachiyana turumeni	HanumaThodi	Adi	Krithi
Panchasyayane	Kaanada	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Panchavakthramasraye	Hamsadeepakam	Adi	Krithi
Pankajanabam	Mecha Kalyani	Adi	Krithi
Parama mangalate	Dvijayanti	Chapu	Krithi
Paramapavanane	Megharanjini	Rupaka	Krithi
Paramapurusha	Paadi	Adi	Krithi
Parasu hasthaya	Navarasa Kannada	Rupaka	Krithi
Paripurna paratpara	Kuntalavarali	Adi	Krithi
Pasupathe namosthuthe	Saindhavi	Adi	Krithi
Pasupathi padasevaname	Mecha Kalyani	Adi	Krithi
Pasupathimugram	Arabhi	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Pasupatipriya sati	Pasupatipriya	Rupaka	Krithi
Pinakine maha prabhave	Brindavanasaranga	d	Krithi
Purandara vinuthe	Purvikalyani	Triputa	Krithi
Purarthaye namo	Hindolam	Adi	Krithi
Purusham pushadante	Devamanohari	Adi	Krithi
Rajarajeswari	Garudadhwani	Adi	Krithi
Rathnabhushani	Yadukulakambhoji	Adi	Krithi
Ratnakanjukadarini	Kambhoji	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Rohineeyam	Surutti	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Rundamala lasat	Bhushavali	Adi	Krithi
Sachamara Ramavani	Hamsanandi	Rupaka	Krithi
Sachidananda vigrahe	Devagandhari	Chapu	Padam
Sahajaguna Rama	Sankarabharanam	Adi	Krithi
Sahasra sirsha	Sudha Lalitha	Jhampa	Krithi
Sahasrakara manadithe	Vachaspathi	Adi	Krithi
Sahasraksham sambhavam	Nayaki	Rupaka	Krithi
Sahasrapadam	Kedaram	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Sainapriya Sivasankara	Sama	Adi	Krithi
Sakala sampatprade	Ritigaula	Jhampa	Krithi
Saketha Bhupathe	Mukhari	Adi	Krithi
Sakthi Vinayaka	Sriranjini	Adi	Krithi
Samayamide nannu	Budhamanohari	Adi	Krithi
Sampathprade	Mecha Kalyani	Adi	Krithi
Sankara gangadhara	Sudha Saveri	Adi	Krithi
Sankarisathodari	Gaula	Adi	Krithi
Sannutangi	Vasantha	Adi	Varna
Sarasakshi ni	Mecha Kalyani	Ata	Krithi
Sarasamukhi	Garuda Malhar	Adi	Krithi
Saraswatidevi	Saraswati Manohari	Rupaka	Krithi
Saravanabhava	Pasupatipriya	Adi	Krithi
Sarva mangala rupadhye	Paras	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Sarvajna Samba	Ravichandrika	Rupaka	Krithi
Sarvjagatvyapanam	Manorama	Adi	Krithi
Sasisekhara	Purnachandrika	Adi	Krithi
Sathvikam sankaram	Amritavarshini	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Satideviye	Shanmukhapriya	Adi	Krithi
Sharanam vijaya	Vijayasaraswati	Adi	Krithi
Siddhi Vinayakom	Mohanakalyani	Adi	Krithi
Sikhivahana	Hamsadeepakam	Adi	Krithi
Simhavahana Amba	Simhavahini	Rupaka	Krithi
Siva mahasena janaka	Vasantha	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Siva siva sambho	Mecha Kalyani	Adi	Krithi
Sivam vrishbharudram	Mohanakalyani	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Sivapriya	Sriranjini	Rupaka	Krithi
Sivaramaya sugunalaya	Keeravani	Rupaka	Krithi
Somasundara	Sarasangi	Adi	Krithi
Somasuryagni	Hamsanandi	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Sri Anjaneya	Jaymanohari	Adi	Krithi
Sri bhargavam	Sri	Adi	Krithi
Sri bhavamchinmayam	Garudadhwani	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Sri karijaya	Sri	Adi	Krithi
Sri mahabala saila	Sudha Saveri	Adi	Varnam
Sri Mahaganapathe	Kambhoji	Ata	Varnam
Sri Mahishasuramardini	Hamsagamani	Rupaka	Krithi
Sri Parameswara	Madhyamavathi	Adi	Krithi
Sri Raghuvara chinmaya	Nayaki	Adi	Krithi
Sri Raja Raja varade	Saurashtram	Rupaka	Krithi
Sri rajamatangi	Udayaravichandrika	Adi	Varna
Sri Rama kodandarama	Bhairavi	Misra Chapu	Krithi
Sri Sailabrahmambika	Kamalamanohari	Rupaka	Krithi
Sri Sambasiva sadguru	Gurupriya	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Sri Sambasivaiya	Suryakantham	Rupaka	Krithi
Sri Shuba Devi	Jaganmohini	Rupaka	Krithi
Sri Sive jaya vaibhave	Abhogi	Adi	Krithi
Sri trilokesam	Saveri	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Sri Virabhadram	Kannada	Adi	Krithi
Sri Virupaksha	Gauri	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Sri Vishweswara	Harikamboji	Adi	Krithi
Srichakrapuravasini	Gamanasrama	Adi	Krithi
Srichakravara	Janaranjani	Adi	Krithi
Srikanda dayanide	Malavi	Rupaka	Krithi
Srikantha dayanidhe	Salaga Bhairavi	Rupaka	Krithi
Srimad Simhasaneswari	Sudha Saveri	Adi	Krithi
Srimad Tripurasundari	Madhyamavathi	Adi	Krithi
Srirama jayabhauma	Madhyamavathi	Adi	Krithi
Srisa raravanabhavuni	Sumanpriya	Adi	Krithi
Sritrayimurte	Jayanarayani	Rupaka	Krithi
Sudhamayi sudhanidhi	Amritavarshini	Rupaka	Krithi
Sukshmathanum	Hindola Vasantha	Khanda Chapu	Krithi
Suryacharagni	Sriranjini	Rupaka	Krithi
Tappa mannisotaye	Mayapradeepa	Adi	Krithi
Tappulanaiyu	Bauli	Rupaka	Krithi
Taraka nama	Mayamalavagaula	Adi	Krithi
Teliyakane	Huseni	Rupaka	Krithi
Thaiyidhathil anbiiatha	Jonpuri	Eka	Krithi
Tharakamsivan	Sriranjini	Adi	Krithi
Thim Thathim	Hamsanandi	Adi	Tillana
Thodu nida nive	Punnagavarali	Adi	Krithi
Thom tha thom	Kaanada	Adi	Thillana
Thyagaraja sadguruvai	Hindolam	Adi	Krithi
Tripuranthaka deva	Hindusthani Behag	Adi	Krithi
Umadeva mahanubhava	Mohana	Adi	Krithi
Urraya Avyak taya	Dharmavathi	Rupaka	Krithi
Vageeswari	Saraswati	Adi	Krithi
Vajresi mathe	Andolika	Adi	Krithi
Valli nayaka	Shanmukhapriya	Adi	Krithi
Vanchadomune	Karnaranjini	Triputa	Krithi
Vani nityakalyani	Saraswati Manohari	Adi	Krithi
Vaninivasini	Kedaram	Rupaka	Krithi
Vedamathe vedavinuthe	Natta	Adi	Krithi
Vijayambika	Vijayanagari	Adi	Krithi
Vindhyachala nivasini	Narayanagaula	Triputa	Krithi
Vyomakesam namami	Andolika	Triputa	Krithi
Yagnamayum Sankaran	Bhavapriya	Rupaka	Krithi
Yogini Ganasevitha	Vanaspathi	Adi	Krithi