Subbaraya Sastri

Subbaraya Sastri the son and student of Syama Sastri, a renowned figure in Carnatic music. He has been influenced all the three of the musicians now acknowledged as "the Trinity of Carnatic Music": his father, and the master musicians Tyagaraja and Muthuswamy Dikshitar.

Early life

Subbaraya was born in 1803 as the second son of Syama Sastri. He studied music initially from his father. Later Syama Shastri asked Tyagaraja to teach his son and sent Subbaraya to him. He also had the opportunity to learn a few krithis from Muthuswami Dikshitar. He also learnt Hindustani music from Meru Goswami, a musician of the Thanjavur palace, and from Ramadas Swami who was a recluse and who lived in Tiruvidaimarudur near Kumbakonam.

Subbaraya Shastry composed only a few krithis. Sastri composed most of his kritis in praise of the Mother Goddess.