Jayadeva was a great composer, poet and musician. He was one of the royal poets during the reign of Maharaja Laksmanasena, the last Hindu king of Bengal. Jayadeva lived in the middle or the end of the 12th century A.D.

The celebrated song-book "Gitagovinda" is an highly acclaimed masterpiece created by Jayadeva. The Gitagovinda inspired the Carnatic composers in South India and also a host of poets all over India who produced numerous imitations of Gitagovinda. The Gita Govinda uses the metaphor of "lover and the beloved" to explain the soul's relationship with God.

Kshetrajna (17th Century AD)

is undoubtedly the most outstanding composer of padams in the Telugu language. He is referred to as the father of padams. Very little authentic material is available to construct the life of Kshetrajna. All that one can say with an amount of certainty is that he lived in the first half of the 17th century A.D.

Kshetrajna was prolific composer. In one of his padams, he himself mentions the number as 4500. But today, in spite of arduous effort on the part of music-lovers and scholars, about 350 only are available to us.

Purandaradasar (1484 AD - 1564 AD)

Purandaradasar is said to have been born in the year 1484 A.D. in a place called Pandharpur in Karnataka state. He was a money-lender by profession and was known for his miserliness.

Renouncing his riches and worldly pleasures, Purandaradasar proceeded to Hampi and there became the chief disciple of the great Vyasa Raya who is said to have conferred on him the name "Purandara Vittala" which became his Mudra or signature. He is stated to have composed 4,75,000 songs. His songs are both in Kannada and Sanskrit. Only a few of his songs are available now. We find in his songs an excellent combination of music, rhythm and alliteration and he is considered the greatest of the lyric poet of Karnataka. Thyagaraja praises Purandaradasar in his musical play "Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam".