- Region: Tamil Nadu state
- Brilliant Composer: Thyagaraja
- Mentioned As: Government of Tamil Nadu
- Introducer of Carnatic Music: Purandara Dasa
Tamil Nadu state’s Carnatic music is known as Classical music among the India’s southern part. This music is a historical tradition of this state. The traditional Carnatic music contains 100 of ragas; each raga is royal treat for the music lover audiences. Majority of song’s nature is devotional, the base of these songs is melody and it has been enjoyed by numbers of people. The grammar of the Carnatic music is depending on the Melakartha Raga structure, it is important factor of the Carnatic music. This was started by the Venkatamakhi during the period of 1620; at that time the Nayaks Empire was ruling over the Thanjavur. Karnataka state’s Purantharadasar is called as Father of Carnatic Music.
He started the basic structure of the learning process of music on inspired by Mayamalavagowla Ragam. The soul aim of Carnatic music is Spiritualism. The holy mixture of the aesthetics and devotional element, these made music an eternal and ethereal.
There are numbers of well-known composers, which has made this music very much rich traditional Carnatic music. Thyagaraja was a brilliant composer; he is associated with the many Sages. Apart from him, Shyam Shastri & Muthuswami Dikshitar is 2 more composers that made 3 strong pillars of this Tamil Nadu state’s music. These 3 excellent composers are associated to Tamil Nadu state and they have reached on the peak point of the Carnatic music due to their own different composition style. Still now, their composing style is alive. Several new composers comes front through following those 3 brilliant composer’s foot steps, many composers emerged on scene containing Ananta Bharati, Subbaraya Shastri, Subbarama Dikshitar, Annaswami Shastri, Vaiyacheri Ramaswami, Patnam Subramania and Ramanathapuram Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar. Within the newer composers, the Papanasam Sivan & Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri are also included.
In Tamil Nadu state’s Carnatic music, every southern Indian language has been practiced, additional the historical Indian classical language Sanskrit. The compositions in Telugu language is highly used by the compositors. Within the Kannada and Tamil Nadu state also the use of Telugu language for composition is high, Malayalam language is used but in some amount. The songs, which are practiced on special occasions, are also more in northern language such as Hindi, Marathi and Braj Bhasha etc languages have been included into the Carnatic music. Languages add more richness to the performances of Carnatic music.
The musicians and performers of the Carnatic music dress their normal traditional southern Indian music style. The men singers generally wear kurta and dhoti. Usually their costumes are made by silk and cotton but on few times the dressing format is maintained with little bit changes or improvisation. The lady singers are usually wear the saris, over that they wear traditional jewellery of south India. The lady singers too majorly wear different types of flowers in hair. The dress code that they are following has been maintained by from the oldest time. During the oldest time, Tamil Nadu state’s Carnatic music was practiced within the temples; till now this tradition is in the practice. Besides from temple, the Carnatic music’s performances are organized in Sadhas that are structures, which store this historical art in a professional manner.
Having a Carnatic music performance is a normal or expected thing of the Southern India’s temples. The concerts of Carnatic music are held especially on the Hindu festivals. Despite this, the frequent practice of the traditional southern musical instrument is done within the Nagaswaram temple. Besides festival occasions, daily rehearsal of Carnatic music is performed by musicians. On the occasion of marriage and other big Hindu Festivals the performance of Tamil Nadu state’s magnificent music is enjoyed. At present, the Carnatic music too has international identity. Numbers of musicians are giving performance internationally.
The cultural growth in many international nations is enhancing like France, USA, South Africa, China, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Germany, Singapore, U.K, Australia etc. many brilliant People have taken the initiative to spread this pure classical music internationally. While last 2 decades, the Carnatic music is being practiced, taught and performed in these numbers of countries. Many foreigners have started learning and performing this Carnatic music.