Walking down the crowded streets of Thanjavur today, one can still find a measure of peace at the Bangaru Kamakshi temple, home to Goddess Kamakshi. Along with being a place of worship to the throngs of devotees and visitors, the Kamakshi temple is also home to one of the Trinities of Carnatic Music (Sangita Trimurti) - the musical genius and composer Shyama Shastri.
Born to Visvanatha Iyer and Vengalakshmi in a Tamil Brahmin family at Tiruvarur on April 26, 1762, Venkata Subrahmanya popularly known as Shyama Shastri was the eldest of the three jewels of Carnatic music - the distinguished trio of composer-musicians of Carnatic music including Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Shyama Shastri himself. ...