General Studies 1

Annamacharya (1408-1503 CE) First known composer of Carnatic Music:  He composed sankeertanas in praise of Lord Venkateswara, a form of Lord Vishnu.  His compositions were mainly in Telugu.  He is widely recognised as ‘Grandfather of Telugu Song-writing’. Purandara Dasa (1484-1564 … Continue reading →

It is a product of Persian influence. It is composed of independent couplets. Though the theme of love is predominant, it also has elements of Sufism in it.

It is believed to have been developed from the songs of camel drivers. It is noted for its quick turns of phrases. Poetry full of expressions of love and physical intimacy is the salient feature of Tappa. It was developed … Continue reading →

It is a light form based on the romantic-religious literature inspired by the Bhakti movement. It became famous under the patronage of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. It employs folk scales, and the text of the songs is of primary importance. … Continue reading →

The structure consists of mainly melody, usually short, repeated many times, with variations and elaborations at the performer’s discretion.  There is a second contrasting melody, usually with higher notes, which is introduced once before returning to the main melody.  It … Continue reading →

The term Khayal has Persian origins and means ‘idea or imagination’. Its origin is attributed to Amir Khusro and Sultan Mohammed Sharqui. Khayal is a delicate and romantic composition. They were composed in the praise of Lord Krishna. It provides … Continue reading →

It is one of the oldest and grandest forms of Hindustani classical music and finds its mention even in Natyashastra. Dhrupad owes its roots to older forms like Prabhanda and Dhruvapada. Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior and Emperor Akbar … Continue reading →

Hindustani Music Mainly practiced in the Northern parts of India. The forms of Hindustani classical music were designed primarily for vocal performance, and many instruments were designed and evaluated according to how well they emulate the human voice. Features The … Continue reading →

Svara:  The basic scale (grama) of Indian music is heptatonic and it has seven notes.  It has seven notes or svara- saa, re/ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni which Indian musicians collectively designate as saptak or saptaka. Sruti A shruti … Continue reading →

Literary Sources Sama Veda: All the seven notes of the raga Kharaharapriya can be found in the descending order in Sama Veda. The science of music called the Gandharva Veda is an Upaveda of the Sama Veda. Aitareya Aranyaka: The … Continue reading →