Saint Thyagaraja, creator of the Pancharatna Kritis, along with Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Shastri are considered to be the 'Musical Trinity' of Carnatic Music.
The Pancharathana Krithis are mandatorily sung at every Thyagaraja Aradhane was composed by Saint Thyagaraja, Pancharatna Kritis refer to a set of five kritis in carnatic music. In praise of Thyagaraja’s beloved deity, Lord Ramachandra, they are all set in Adi Talam, where each ragam represents the mood of the song and the meaning of its lyrics. In the pallavi section of the Ragam Tanam Pallavi, they are set in the style of a Ragam Tanam Pallavi with the charanas substituting for the kalpana swaras. The Pancharatna Kritis of Thyagaraja consist of Jagadananda Karaka - Raga Nata, Dudukugala - Raga Gaula, Sadhinchene - Raga Arabhi, Kanakana Ruchira - Raga Varali, Endaro Mahanubhavulu - Raga Sri
The five Ghana ragas of Carnatic music are essentially the ragas or melodic forms of the Pancharatna Kritis called the ghanapanchaka they are most suited to playing tanam on the veena.
I was recently at Thiruvaiyaru in Tanjore district, thanks to my boss Srinivas Rengabashyam who was pleasantly surprised and kind enough to accede to my request and arrange a visit to this holy place. The annual Thyagaraja Aradhana is held as a mark of respect and thanksgiving to the saint, Carnatic musicians from all over the globe get together and pay their reverence to the Saint by singing the Pancharatna kritis on the Pushya Bahula Panchami (the day the saint attained Samadhi) day. Vocalists and instrumentalists of various stature come to Thiruvaiyaru on the banks of the river Cauvery and take part in the aradhana festival which is celebrated every year.
Hear it once and you will be mesmerized for life, the magical compositions of Saint Thyagaraja
