Gopalakrishna Bharathi

Gopalakrishna Bharathi (Tamil: கோபாலகிருஷ்ண பாரதி) (1811–1881) was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He composed the Kathakalakshepam (Tamil: கதாகாலக்ஷேபம்) Nandanar Charitram, two other works in this genre, and many independent kritis.

Bharathi was a contemporary of Thyagaraja whom he is said to have met, and who asked him whether he had composed anything in the raga Ābhōgi. Bharathi composed overnight one of his most popular kritis in Rupaka Tala, Sabhapatikku Veru. The great Tamil literary figure, U. V. Swaminatha Iyer wrote two sources for Bhaarati's life: a biography of the composer and his own autobiography, which contains references to Bharathi, who was his guru in music.

An annual music festival dedicated to the composer Gopalakrishna Bharathi is held every year at the Vallalar–Medha Dakshinamurthy Temple in Mayiladuthurai, featuring performances of his compositions.

Read more about this composer on Wikipedia.