Indian Art & Culture
Carnatic music
Music genre originating in southern India
Overview
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Most Carnatic compositions are in Telugu and Sanskrit languages. It is one of two main sub-genres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu texts and traditions; in particular, the Samaveda is cited as a key foundation. 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.
Source: Wikipedia — Carnatic music (CC BY-SA)
Key concepts
How Carnatic music connects to the ideas, people and events around it.
The Dravidian languages are a family of languages spoken by 250 million people, primarily in South India, but also in parts of North India, Bangladesh and Nepal, north-east Sri Lanka, and south-west Pakistan, with pockets in Afghanistan and Iran.
South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, occupying 19.
Andhra Pradesh is a state on the east coast of southern India.
Karnataka is a state on the southwestern coast of India. It was formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, and renamed in 1973.
Kerala, officially Keralam, is a state on the Malabar Coast of southern India. It was formed on 1 November 1956 under the States Reorganisation Act, which unified the country's Malayalam-speaking regions into a single state.
Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India.
Telangana is a state in southern India on the Deccan Plateau bordering Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh to the north and Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to the south. It is the eleventh largest and the twelfth most populated state of India.
Telugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it is also the official language. Telugu is a classical language with a recorded history of at least 2,000 years.
Revise Carnatic music
Flashcards and a quick quiz, built from this map.
Questions about Carnatic music
What is Carnatic music?
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Most Carnatic compositions are in Telugu and Sanskrit languages. It is one of two main sub-genres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu texts and traditions; in particular, the Samaveda is cited as a key foundation.
What are the key concepts related to Carnatic music?
The main concepts connected to Carnatic music include Dravidian languages, South India, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Telugu language. Each is linked on the map above with its own summary.
Which exams cover Carnatic music?
Carnatic music is part of Indian Art & Culture, which appears in the syllabus of UPSC CSE, UPSC CAPF, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, SSC GD and 41 more exams.