A Brief Introduction to Carnatic music

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Indian music includes various genres like folk, film, pop, and classical music. Each represents a unique aspect of India’s musical heritage.

Key Takeaways on Carnatic Music

• Origin: Carnatic music, primarily from southern India, is rooted in religious themes and influenced by the Bhakti movement of the 15th-16th century.
• Ragas: The use of specific note patterns, ragas guide the melody and are classified into Melakarta and Janya categories, forming the backbone of compositions.
• Talas: Rhythm patterns known as talas dictate the beat cycle of a composition, with over 108 possible combinations providing various rhythmic frameworks.
• Compositions: Key forms like Varnam and Kriti highlight the melodic and lyrical structures, essential for both performance and understanding the rich musical tradition.
• Learning: Traditionally taught through the gurukula system, modern technological advancements now offer online lessons, making Carnatic music more accessible to global learners.

Indian classical music, millions of years old, is divided into Hindustani and Carnatic Music. These two forms evolved into distinct genres over the centuries.

Carnatic music, the classical music of southern India, originates from Karnataka. Influenced by the 15th-16th century Bhakti movement, it prominently features religious themes. This style emphasizes vocal music, specifically performed in gayaki (singing style).

Carnatic music history shows that swaras, or notes, originated from bird and animal sounds. Carnatic compositions typically use 3 to 7 notes.

Carnatic music of India is often seen as the music of deities – devas and devis. It offers a rich musical experience deeply connected to sentiment. Each composition reflects the unique personality of the composer.

You can’t just play or sing the musical notes exactly as they are; you must understand the composer and create the effect they intended.

Earlier, Carnatic music was taught traditionally in the gurukala system where students lived with their gurus (teachers) to learn the art. Now, with technological advancements, students take daily or weekly lessons in online Carnatic music classes like those on Acharyanet.

Start by understanding the basics of Carnatic music.

Important Elements of Carnatic Music

Raga

A raga defines a set of rules for creating a melody. It indicates if a scale should ascend or descend, which notes to emphasize, use sparingly, or sing with gamaka (a vibration or oscillation of a note).

Sampoorna ragas in Carnatic music contain all seven notes and follow a classification system called the Melakarta. There are 72 melakarta ragas in total.

The ragas are grouped into sets of 6 called chakras (wheels) based on the scale degrees — median and supertonic. They fall into two categories: Janaka ragas (parent ragas or Melakarta) and Janyaragas (descendant ragas).

Tala

Tala is the count of beats played or sung in a composition. Each tala has a circle with a fixed number of beats that rarely change in a song.

They’ve certain components that, when combined, create over 108 different rhythms. Carnatic singers use hand patterns—up, down, and circular—to maintain timing.

Talas have three main parts: laghu, dhrtam, and anudhrtam. These form 7 basic groups:

• Rupaka tala
• Matya tala
• Dhruva tala
• Jhampa tala
• Ata tala
• Triputa tala
• Ekatala

Complex talas can also include elements like guru, plutam, andkaakapaadam.

Compositions in Carnatic Music

There are many types of compositions. Geethams and Swarajatis are basic learning exercises. Varnam, Kriti, Javali, Padam, and Thillana are also popular types.

Varnam and Kriti (Keerthanam) are the most commonly sung compositions. Let’s explore them further.

Varnam

Varnam shows which scales and notes in a raga to emphasize. It’s a method for approaching notes and classical phrases. Despite various types, all varnams share common sections: an anupallavi, pallavi, muktayisaras, chittaswaras, and a charana.

These varnams, typically sung quickly, start a composition to grab attention. However, it’s good practice to sing them at different speeds.

Kriti

Kriti, a type of Carnatic song, consists of three units:

• Pallavi – This is denoted as a refrain, repetition of one or two lines in western music.
• Anupallavi – It is the second verse. These are also two lines.
• Charana – This is the verse that wraps the song up.

Other kriti structures may include the chittaswara, a passage with notes but no words. It follows the charana and is sung quickly.

The Journey of Carnatic Music

Carnatic music has evolved through three major periods:

The Ancient

Indian classical music was born between the Vedic period and the 4th century AD. Bharata’s Natyasastra introduced the fundamentals—Swara, Tala, and Pada—during this time.

The Medieval

Between the 5th and 16th centuries AD, Carnatic music advanced significantly. In the 6th century AD, the term raga emerged from the Sanskrit text Brihaddesi, created by Matanga, a Buddhist monk. Later, in the 7th century AD, Kudimiyanmalai inscriptions featured South Indian musical notes.

In the 12th century AD, Hindu poet Jayadev composed Gita Govinda, featuring 24 songs, each with different sets of ragas. By the 15th century AD, Thiruppugazh introduced more complex and unique verses, becoming a key work of medieval Tamil literature.

The Modern

The modern period spans from the 17th century AD to today. During this era, Carnatic music gained admiration across the country. In 1660 AD, Venkatamakhi, an Indian poet and musician, created the Melakarta.

In the 18th century, the Three Jewels of Carnatic Music–Muthuswami Dikshitar, Tyagaraja, and Syama Sastri–emerged. The 19th century saw the impactful works of Manikka Mudaliar and Subbarama Dikshitar, whose Sangeeta Chandrika and Sangeeta Sampradaya Pradarsini earned high praise.

The Carnatic music has been refined over the centuries, now attracting international visitors to its concerts.

Learning Carnatic Music

Purandara Dasa, the grandfather of Carnatic music, created a teaching method. This system includes graded exercises called swaravalis and exercises with the seven talas called alankaras.

The initial stages include geethams (simple songs) and swarajatis. As the student progresses, varnams and kritis are introduced. This process can take years before the student is ready for concerts.

The learning structure across the southern regions teaching Carnatic music gradually increases in complexity.

Each guru’s teaching style stands out. The way musicians interpret composers’ visions is key to grasping intricate musical details.

Learning Carnatic music is challenging, especially with the changes since the late twentieth century. Students today also balance their academic careers.

With technological advances, students now have greater access to learning opportunities. Many experts offer online Carnatic music classes, making it easier for those who can’t attend in-person lessons.

Carnatic music has greatly contributed to music and gained prestige. If you want to become a Carnatic musician, start your research and seek recommendations to find the right guru. All the best!

Author Bio: Reema Krishnan, a content creator at Acharyanet, helps Carnatic music learners with 400+ video lessons from gurus. As a music enthusiast and history buff, she provides valuable insights appreciated by musicians and music lovers of all ages. She volunteers with music therapy groups and enjoys baking in her free time.