Purandara Dasa (c. 1470–1564) is revered as the "father" or Pitamaha of Carnatic music. He is credited with formalizing the system of teaching Carnatic music by structuring foundational lessons like sarali varisai, janti varisai, and alankaras, which are still used by beginners today.
The Trinity of Carnatic Music, also known as the Three Jewels of Carnatic Music, refers to the outstanding trio of composer-musicians of Carnatic music in the 18th century—Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri.
M. S. Subbulakshmi. Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004) was an Indian Carnatic singer. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour and also the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award in 1974.
Among the Haridasa movement, Purandara Dasa who is known as the Sangeeta Pitamaha (the grandfather of Carnatic music), is credited with the founding of the system of teaching Carnatic music.
Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande is considered as the father of Indian music. He was a renowned musicologist who documented and reorganized the classical Indian music into a logical and accessible system. His contributions to Indian classical music are highly regarded and have had a lasting impact on the tradition.
Purandara - Father of Carnatic Music : Legacy of Haridasas | Ep 21
What is the origin of Carnatic music?
Carnatic music traces its origins back to ancient Hindu temples in South India, where it was performed as a form of devotion. With deep ties to the Vedic scriptures and Bhakti movement, it developed as a medium to express love and reverence towards the divine.
Purandara Dasa, also known as the Father of Carnatic Music, was a legendary composer, poet, and social reformer who left an indelible mark on the musical landscape of South India. Born as Srinivasa Naayaka, he underwent a transformative journey, renouncing his past to dedicate his life to the service of God.
Subbulakshmi, who made Carnatic music a global language of devotion. M. S. Subbulakshmi's fervent Bhakti transformed ancient musical traditions, creating a legacy that continues to inspire music lovers across the world. Watch "Forever A Legend" for her complete story.
The trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri, represents the highest artistic and spiritual achievement in Carnatic classical music. As the three jewels of Carnatic music, their kritis, ragas, and talas form the foundation of performance and pedagogy even today.
Neither tradition is inherently easier or harder; both require dedication. Carnatic music may demand greater precision in rhythmic cycles and composition recall, while Hindustani music might challenge one more in improvisation and melodic exploration. Your difficulty depends on your strengths and learning preferences.
Purandara Dasa, who is known as the "father (pitamaha) of Carnatic music", formulated the system that is commonly used for the teaching of Carnatic music. Venkatamakhin invented and authored the formula for the melakarta system of raga classification in his Sanskrit work, the Chaturdandi Prakasika (1660 AD).
Subbulakshmi, the 'Nightingale of India', was born at Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Her father Subramania Iyer was a practicing advocate and her mother Shanmuga Vadivu, a Veena player.
CARNATIC, or Karnatak (Kannada, Karnata, Karnatakadesa), a name given by Europeans to a region of southern India, between the Eastern Ghats and the Coromandel coast, in the presidency of Madras.
History. Around the 12th-century, Hindustani classical music diverged from what eventually came to be identified as Carnatic classical music. The central notion in both systems is that of a melodic musical mode or raga, sung to a rhythmic cycle or tala.
A tala (IAST tāla) literally means a 'clap, tapping one's hand on one's arm, a musical measure'. It is the term used in Indian classical music similar to musical meter, that is any rhythmic beat or strike that measures musical time.
These ragas have been further assigned in smaller segments called the chakras and within these 12 chakras we have 6 ragas each. In the first 36 ragas we have 6 chakras namely INDU, NETRA, AGNI, VEDA, BAANA, RUTHU. The next 6 chakras for the second 36 ragas are RUSHI, VASU, BRAHMA, DISI, RUDRA, ADITHYA.
Skilled in Carnatic music, Western and Hindustani classical music and the Qawwali style of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahman is noted for film songs amalgamating elements of these and other genres, layering instruments from different musical idioms in an improvisational style.
The earliest forms of Carnatic music are believed to be Marga and Desi. Marga, also known as Gandharva Sangeetham, had a fixed structure and was associated with dance-dramas (Natakam), while Desi was more local and rooted in traditional practices and rituals.
Purandara Dasa (1484–1564) is a prominent composer of Carnatic music. He is widely referred to as the Pitamaha (the father or the grandfather) of Carnatic Music in honour of his significant contribution to Carnatic music.
M.S. Subbulakshmi affectionately referred to as MS Amma was the face of Indian Carnatic music for several decades. She captivated the hearts of billions, not only in Tamil nadu, South India or India but in the entire world.
Notes: Purandara Das was also called as 'Pitamaha' for his significant contribution towards Carnatic Music. He composed Dasa Sahithya. He introduced folk ragas into the mainstream music.
K.C. Reddy, the first Chief Minister of the erstwhile Mysore State, is widely celebrated as the Father of Karnataka for his groundbreaking contributions to the state's development. The title encapsulates the transformative impact he had on Karnataka's socio-economic and political landscape.
M.S. Subbulakshmi is the Carnatic vocalist known as the "Nightingale of India". She was also known as the "Queen of Carnatic Music" and the "Queen of Melody". She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
