Mysore Sadashiva Rao Explained

Mysore Sadashiva Rao (Mysore ;) or Sadasiva Rao was a notable Indian vocalist and composer of Carnatic music. He was a member of the court of the king of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III.

Biography

Very little is known about Sadashiva Rao's early days. He was born in a Marathi-speaking Deshastha Brahmin family[1] which had settled in modern-day Andhra Pradesh. It is believed that he was employed as a clerk in his early career before he travelled to Walajahpet near Madras where he ended up training under Venkataramana Bhagavatar, a pupil of Tyagaraja (1767–1847), one of the Trinity of Carnatic Music. It is also said that Rao once met Tyagaraja when the composer travelled to Walajahpet on a pilgrimage and briefly stayed with his disciple.

Sadashiva Rao travelled with two brothers, the merchants Kopparam Chinnamuni Swamy Setty and Padda Muniswamy, to Mysore, brought Sadashiva Rao to Mysore. By the time he was 30, Rao had found a place in the Mysore Wodeyar durbar. The royal patronage coupled with wealthy admirers and disciples allowed Rao to live comfortably for the rest of his life. He was also known for his charitable work.

Notable among Rao's many disciples were Veena Seshanna, Veena Subbanna, Shamanna (of Bettadapura), Venkatesayya, and Ganjam Suryanarayana. It is known that he had a daughter whose son T. Venkata Rama Rao became an actor on the stage popularly known as "Curtain" Rama Rao.

Compositions

Sadashiva Rao has composed mostly in Telugu. He went on a pilgrimage of south India and composed krithis at all the temples he visited. Some of his compositions are, Devadideva (Mayamalavagaula), Gangadhara Tripuraharana (Purvikalyani), Paramabhuta Maina (Khamas) and many padavarnams including the famous Ye Maguva Bodhinchara set in the Raga Dhanyasi. Sadashiva Rao used the mudra 'Sadashiva'.

Composition Raga Tala Language Audio Links
dEvAdi dEva nanu kAva samayamu ra Mayamalavagowla Adi Telugu
paramAdbhutamaina nI sEva Kamas Khanda Jati Triputa Telugu
sākēta-nagara-nātha Harikambhoji Rupaka Sanskrit M.S.Subbulakshmi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=razC37HQzvM
vAcAma gOcarunDani Atana Adi Telugu Palghat Rama Bhagavatar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dukmiiniiXw
gaṅgā-dhara tripura-hara śrī sāraṅgā-dhara pūrvi kalyāṇi rūpakaṃ Sanskrit
kamalā-kānta śrī kṛṣṇa-ananta susvānta Sanskrit
kṛpā-kara śrī guru mādhava-rāya todi Sanskrit
pālaya māṃ siddhivināyaka shuddha dhanyāsi Sanskrit
nannu brOcutaku inta tAmasamaRitigowlaRupakamTelugu
sāmrājya dāyakēśaKambhojiTriputaSanskrit
mahadēva kāñcīpurādhīśa pāhi māṃSuratiRupakamSanskrit
māmava saraswati vara tāmarasāsana yuvatiMargahindolaAdiSanskrit
SrI kāmakOti pIthasthitESaveriAdiSanskrit
SrI shanmukha janakaShankarabharanamAdiSanskrit

See also

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Krishnaraja Wodeyar III: A Historical Study. R. Gopal. Es Narēndra Prasād. Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Karnataka]. 2010. 88. Besides Veena Shamanna belonging to Brahmin Brihatcharana groups, veena player Padmanabhaiah of Chikkanayakanahalli taluk, Chittur Sadashiva Rao (Mysore Sadashiva Rao) belonging to Maratha Deshastha Brahmin sect of Andhra Pradesh were the main musicians of the king's court..