Classical Music

Natya Shastra, attributed to Bharat Muni, is the foundational text of Indian performing arts, including classical music.

Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri are collectively known as the Trinity of Carnatic music for their immense contribution to the genre.

Hindustani music evolved with Persian and Central Asian influences, whereas Carnatic music is considered more indigenous and preserved in its traditional form.

Purandaradasa is credited with codifying Carnatic music into its current pedagogical structure, earning him the title 'Pitamaha' (Father).

Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande classified thousands of ragas into 10 fundamental scales known as Thaats.

Raga Bhairav is a morning raga, while Yaman is usually performed in the evening and Malkauns late at night.

Alap is the introductory, slow, and unmetered melodic improvisation that explores the notes and mood of a raga.

Pandit Ravi Shankar was a legendary Sitar player, and Ustad Alla Rakha was his iconic Tabla accompanist.

Tala is the rhythmic framework of a composition in Indian classical music.

The Sarod is a fretless string instrument played with a plectrum (java), known for its deep, resonant sound.

The Kirana Gharana, associated with legends like Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, is known for its focus on melodic purity and 'sur' (pitch) perfection.

The Vadi is the king note of the raga, used most frequently, while the Samvadi is the secondary important note.

The Mridangam is the primary rhythm instrument in Carnatic music, providing the beat for the performance.

Dhrupad is the oldest genre of Hindustani classical music, characterized by its slow, meditative, and spiritual tempo.

Miyan Tansen was one of the Navratnas in Akbar's court and is credited with creating several ragas like Mian ki Malhar.

Indian music divides the octave into 22 Shrutis, which are microtonal intervals, providing the basis for the nuances in ragas.

Pandit Ravi Shankar played a pivotal role in introducing and popularizing Indian classical music globally, particularly in the 1960s.

The Shehnai is a double-reed wind instrument traditionally played at auspicious occasions and in classical concerts.

The Gwalior Gharana is considered the mother of all Khyal gharanas and is known for its rigorous training and structured presentation.

The Tanpura is a string instrument that provides the continuous drone (tonic note), serving as a sonic anchor for the performer.

A Bandish is a fixed melodic composition in a specific raga and tala, forming the core of a vocal or instrumental performance.

A raga that uses all seven swaras in both its ascent (arohana) and descent (avarohana) is known as a Sampurna raga.

Ustad Alauddin Khan founded the Maihar Gharana and was a legendary multi-instrumentalist who mentored many of India's greatest classical musicians.

Tappa is characterized by its quick, intricate, and subtle movements of notes, traditionally originating from the camel drivers' songs of Punjab.

The Melakarta system is a collection of 72 fundamental ragas in Carnatic music, providing a framework for categorizing all possible ragas.

The Sarangi is a bowed, short-necked string instrument known for its ability to mimic the nuances of the human voice.

The 'Sam' is the first beat of a rhythmic cycle (tala) and is the focal point where the performer and the percussionist resolve their improvisations.

Thumri is a 'light-classical' genre that prioritizes the emotional content (bhava) of the lyrics, usually based on romantic or devotional themes.

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma is credited with transforming the Kashmiri folk instrument, the Santoor, into a major concert instrument for Hindustani classical music.

The Vadi is the most important note in a raga, while the Samvadi is the second most important note, often separated by a fixed interval.

The Gwalior region of Madhya Pradesh is historically recognized as a major center for the preservation and development of the Dhrupad genre.

In instrumental music, the Jod follows the Alap and introduces a steady, rhythmic pulse without the formal cycle of a tala.

A Gharana is a social organization of musicians or dancers linked by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style.

The Vichitra Veena is a fretless plucked string instrument used in Hindustani classical music, played by sliding a glass piece over the strings.

Khali (meaning empty) refers to the beat in a rhythmic cycle where the percussionist does not emphasize the stroke, often indicated by a wave of the hand.

Bhairavi is a Sampurna-Sampurna raga, utilizing all seven notes in both Aaroh (ascent) and Avroh (descent) in the Bhairavi Thaat.

A standard Carnatic Kriti is composed of three sections: Pallavi (opening), Anupallavi (second part), and Charanam (the final section).

Avanaddha Vadya refers to instruments where a membrane is stretched over a hollow body, such as the Pakhawaj, Tabla, or Mridangam.

Rasa represents the 'essence' or 'flavor' of art, intended to evoke specific emotional states (Bhava) in the audience.

M.S. Subbulakshmi was a legendary Carnatic vocalist, widely celebrated for her contribution to music and her title Gana Kokila.

The Sarangi is a bowed string instrument known for its vocal-like resonance, whereas the Sarod is a fretless plucked string instrument.

Raga Darbari Kanada is a grave, heavy raga traditionally assigned to the late night (midnight) hours.