carnatic

Carnatic music, or Carnatic classical music, is the classical music tradition of South India. It is characterized by a highly developed system of melodic modes (ragas), rhythmic cycles (talas), and a repertoire centered on devotional and poetic compositions. The term Carnatic refers to the southern cultural region of the Indian subcontinent and its historical courts and communities.

The present form of Carnatic music began to take shape during the Bhakti movement and gained strong patronage under the Vijayanagara and later kingdoms. A core lineage of composers, known as the Trinity, established the central repertoire: Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri. They expanded the range of ragas and complex melodic structures and codified many performance practices that persist today. The repertoire also includes a large body of later composers in Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, and Kannada.

Performance in Carnatic music centers on melodic improvisation and stylistic presentation within established raga rules and tala cycles. The main liturgical and concert pieces are kritis, varnams, and padams, performed with elaborate improvisation such as alapana (raga exploration), neraval (melodic re-interpretation within a phrase), and kalpana swaras (spontaneous solfège). The vocalist often leads ensembles that include violin, veena, or other melodic instruments, supported by percussion such as the mridangam and ghatam, with the tambura providing drone.

Although rooted in Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states, Carnatic music has a global presence through concert organizations and diaspora communities. It remains distinct from Hindustani music in its melodic approach, repertoire, and performance practice, while sharing common Hindu devotional and classical influences.