Carnatic music, known as Karnāṭaka saṃgīta or Karnāṭaka saṅgītam in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. It is one of two main subgenres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu texts and traditions, particularly the Samaveda. The other subgenre is Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form because of Persian or Islamic influences from Northern India. The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gāyaki (singing) style.
A kriti is a form musical composition in the Carnatic music literature. The Sanskrit common noun Kriti means 'creation' or 'work'.
Varṇam is a type of composition in the Carnatic music system that encapsulates the key features of a raga, and considered as a foundational element in the learning path. Varnams capture the essence of the ragam in terms of typical swara patterns used, vishesha prayogas, highlighting the main notes, etc. This forms the basis for creative presentation (manodharma) of the raga in the form of raga aalapana, kalpana swarams and neraval.
A pallavi is a refrain in carnatic music. It is the first part of any formal composition (Krithi) which has three segments – Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam. Pallavi is usually also an abbreviation of Ragam Thanam Pallavi. It is considered as the opening verse of Varnam.
Charanam in Carnatic music is usually the end section of a composition which is sung after the anupallavi.
In Indian classical music, chitte swara are a set of solfa passages. These are sung after the anupallavi and charanam, in the krithis which enriches the beauty of the composition. Chitte in Kannada means butterfly. The swaras enhance the beauty of the song like butterflies. This is usually done by the performers and not by the composers and in Carnatic music is an important improvisation aspect.
A Tillana or thillana is a rhythmic piece in South Indian Carnatic music that is generally performed at the end of a concert and widely used in classical indian dance performances. It was popularised by Dr. M Balamuralikrishna, Lalgudi Jayaraman and some other musicians A Tillana uses tala-like phrases in the pallavi and anupallavi, and lyrics in the charanam.
Antarā is the equivalent of a verse in Hindustani classical music.
Kshetrayya (Telugu:క్షేత్రయ్య) was a prolific Telugu poet. He lived in the area of Andhra Pradesh in South India. He composed a number of padams and keertanas, the prevalent formats of his time. He is credited with more than 4000 compositions, although only a handful have survived. He composed his songs on his favourite deity Krishna (Gopala) in Telugu.
The Kamalamba Navavarana Kritis by Shri Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776-1836) are some of the most famous pieces of music in the Carnatic system of Indian classical music. They are treasures which embody not only the technical brilliance of the composer but also offer a peep into the advaitic school of Hindu philosophy and elements of Tantric rituals.
Kancharla Gopanna, popularly known as Bhakta Ramadasu or Bhadrachala Ramadasu, was a 17th-century devotee of the Hindu god Rama, a saint-poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He is a famous Vaggeyakara from the Telugu classical era. He was born in the village of Nelakondapalli in Khammam district, and orphaned as a teenager. He spent his later years in Bhadrachalam and 12 years in solitary confinement at the Golconda prison during the Qutb Shahi rule. Different mythical stories about his life circulate in the Telugu tradition. He is renowned for constructing the famous Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple and pilgrimage center on the banks of river Godavari at Bhadrachalam. His devotional kirtana lyrics to Rama illustrate the classical Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam genre composed mostly in Telugu, some in Sanskrit and with occasional use of Tamil language. These are famous in South Indian classical music as Ramadaasu Keertanalu.
Oothukkaadu Venkata Kavi or Oottukkaadu Venkata Subramanyar was one of the pioneering composers in Indian classical Carnatic music. He lived in South India in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu. Also known by the name Oothukkaadu Venkatasubramaniya Iyer, he composed hundreds of compositions in Sanskrit and Tamil of which over 500 are available. These were handed down from generation to generation by the descendants of the composer's brother's family.
Kavi Kunjara Bharati (1810–1896) was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in a family with long involvement in music and scholarship.
"Rangapura Vihara" is a popular Carnatic song composed in Sanskrit by Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776-1835) and dedicated to Sri Ranganathaswamy of Srirangam.
Geetam, (Sanskrit: गीतम्; gītaṃ) the simplest music form in Carnatic music, was created by Purandara Dasa in order to introduce talas with sāhityaṃ (lyrics).
Swarajati is a form in Carnatic music, which is helpful before learning a varnam. It has pallavi, sometimes an anupallavi, and at least one charanam. The themes of swarajathis are usually either bhakti, love or courage. It is a composition which usually has a pleasing melody and are suitable for singing in early lessons, musical concerts and dance concerts. The most popular and the oldest known Swarajathi is in Huseni raga, hau re raa bhagaya in Telugu by Melattur Veerabhadrayya. Swarajatis have been composed in numerous raagas - Bilahari, Hamsadhwani, Kalyani, Janjuti, Kamas, etc.
Carnatic music terms are briefly described in this page. Major terms have their own separate article pages, while minor terms are defined / described here.
Amr̥tavarṣiṇi is a rāgam in Carnatic music, created in the early nineteenth century by Muthuswami Dikshitar. It is an audava rāgam in which only five of the seven swaras are used. It is a janya rāgam, fairly popular in Carnatic music. There is a belief that Amr̥tavarṣiṇi causes rain, and that the Carnatic composer Muthuswami Dikshitar brought rain at Ettayapuram, Tamil Nadu, India by singing his composition, Aanandaamrutakarshini amrutavarshini.
Narayana Ninna Namada is a Kannada composition in Carnatic music by Purandara Dasa in the 16th century. It is set in the Shuddha Dhanyasi raga and the Khanda Chapu tala. It emphasizes the value of reciting God's name.
