Official Answer Key & Detailed Solution
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Correct Answer: Option (B) — 2 and 4 only
Concept & Option Breakdown
Standard Reference Verified- Statement 1 is incorrect: Most of Tyagaraja's kritis and devotional compositions were dedicated to Lord Rama, not Lord Krishna.
- Statement 2 is correct: Tyagaraja was an innovator in Carnatic music who composed hundreds of kritis and created/popularized several new ragas (such as Kharaharapriya and Harikambhoji).
- Statement 3 is incorrect: Tallapaka Annamacharya lived in the 15th century (1408–1503), whereas Tyagaraja lived in the 18th–19th century (1767–1847); they were not contemporaries.
- Statement 4 is correct: Annamacharya composed thousands of sankeertanas in praise of Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati.
Elimination: Tyagaraja is iconic as a Rama bhakta (Statement 1 is false). Annamacharya belongs to the early Vijayanagara era (15th century), whereas the Carnatic Trinity (Tyagaraja, Dikshitar, Syama Sastri) flourished in the 18th century (Statement 3 is false). Eliminating 1 and 3 instantly yields (b).
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