Music of Karnataka
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Karnataka is a state of India with a long tradition of innovation in the fields of both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music.
Basaveshwara, King of Kalyana, leader of the Bhakti movement and Prime Minister of Bijjala, created his Vachanas, an integral part of the Indian classical music's development during this period, which also saw the rise of composers like Chandraja, Shantala, Akka Mahadevi and Allama. Later, Vidyaranya's Sangitasara, Ventamakhin's Chaturdandi Prakashika and Chaturkallinatha's Sangitaratnakara further refined these traditions.
With the rise of Vaishnavism and the Haridasa movement came Karnataka composers like Purandaradasa, whose Kannada language works were complex, devotional and philosophical, as well as Kanakadasa, Vijayadasa and Jagannathadasa. Later came the Wodeyars of Mysore, great patrons of the arts, who helped support composers like Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, Veene Sheshanna, Veene Subbanna, Bidaram Krishnappa, Muthiah Bhagavatar, Bhairavi Kempegowda, Mysore Vasudevaraya and T. Chowdiah.
Hindustani classical musicians from Karnataka include Mallikarjun Mansoor, Bhimsen Joshi, Basavraj Rajguru, Nagarajarao Havaldar and Gangubai Hanagal.
[edit] Contributions to Carnatic music
In earlier times, sangeeta shaastra followed the “Guru-Shishya” tradition, and there did not exist any written text. First classical music began as abhyasa, and it was only later that shaastras were formed. It is estimated that only during the period of Bharatamuni (300 BC) for the first time the theories of sangeeta were documented. It was termed as “Naatya Shaastra”.
For a considerable period of time it was the only authoritative treatise (PramaaNa Grantha) for the whole of India. After that, independent growth of classical music occurred across different parts of India, in different forms. In South India, around 1200 BC, that is around 800 years ago, a scholar by name “Shaarjnadeva” wrote a treatise, which was named as ”Sangeeta Ratnakara”. This is considered to be the first documented work on South Indian classical music.
He hailed from Devagiri (which is now Daulatabad, province of Hyderabad). This region was part of Karnataka desha (majority of Karnataka Desha is currently Karnataka state), during that time. Later, South Indian classical music obtained a well-defined structure (nirdishta roopa) through the works of Maadhava and VidhyaraNya (1350BC). Apart from strengthening the sangeeta shaastras ( sangeeta shaastra pravartane) by writing “Sangeeta Saara”, they were also ministers of the Vijayanagara Empire, and Heads of Shringeri Mutt. Both of them were from Karnataka and kannadigas.
They were followed by Shivayogis (1500) and Purandara daasa (1550) (who is also known Pitamaha of Karnataka shaastriya sangeeta) and other daasas. All of them were from Karnataka.
Among the haridasas Purandaradasa gets the credit for founding the system of teaching Karnataka Music. He composed Sarale (Svaravali), Janti (varase) and Tala Alankaras and a group of songs called Pillari Gitas He introduced Mayamalavagoula raga scale for the beginner. It was also a Mela reference scale and had a large number of ragas grouped under it. The talas employed for the beginner were called Suladi Talas and these talas systematized the conceptual underpinnings for maintenance of rhythm. Haridasas created the Pada form, first developed by Narahari Thirtha. Pada is the prototype of Kriti and Javali and it is retained in its original form in the present day Devaranama.
Haridasas of Karnataka indisputably shaped the music of their time and prepared for the future by influencing the composers who came after them. Tyagaraja acknowledges the unmistakable influence of Purandaradasa Tulajaji the Maharashtra, ruler of Tanjore (1729-35 A.D.) writes of the music of Haridasas in his book Sangita Saramrita. He venerates Vyasaraya and Purandaradasa as great composers. Songs of Haridasas were very popular in Tamilnadu as recently as 19th century. Eminent exponents of Hindusthani Music have popularized the Kannada songs of Haridasas.
After them, around 1650 AD South Indian classical music got a new lease of life from Govinda Deekshit. Even Govinda Deekshit was from Karnataka. He was a minister in the court of King Achyuta Nayaka of Tanjavore. He wrote a Grantha “Sangeeta Sudha”. In his “Sangeeta Sudha” he has quoted a lot about “Sangeeta Saara” by Maadhava- VidhyaraNya. His son was the renowned Venkata Mukhi. He wrote “ChaturdanDee Prakaashika”, which even today is a novel work. “ChaturdanDee Prakaashika” for grammar of sangeeta is like how “PaaNini” is for Sanskrit grammar. It is important to mention at this point that even Kshetrajna who wrote “Shrungaara padas” (also deals with theory of sangeeta shaastra) with pseudonym of “Muvva Gopaala” was also around this time (1650). Around 150 years after Venkata Mukhi, arrived two of the Divine Trinity- Tyagaraaja, and Muttu Swamy Deekshit. It is very crucial to note that both of them followed the Shaastra Paddati set by Venkata Mukhi. During the time of VidhyaraNaya there were 15 meLakarta raagas, which became 22 during the time of Venkata Mukhi. Even for today’s classification of raagas, these 22 meLakarta raagas act as a base. Apart from above mentioned theorists many other theorists like kallinatha, raamaamaatya, somanatha, etc, have contributed a lot to the development of South Indian classical music. Majority of them, if not all, were from Karnataka.
From Sharngadeva to Venkatamakhi (about 650 years) the southern system of music was expanded and established on a firm footing by mostly people from Karnataka. Many Kannada words like Thavi, Ela,Ovi,Kaivada- have gone into the descriptive lexicon. In the final analysis people from Karnataka formulated and codified the music (Shastrakartas), the Andhra musicians added the innovation and experimentation (Lakshyakartas), and the Tamil musicians presented the music in all its glory (Prayogakartas).
[edit] References
- Satyanarayana, R. “Karnataka Music,” Ananya: A Portrait of India. Association of Indians in America, 1997.
- Viji Swaminathan, ed. Essays on Indian Classical Music and Dance. Philadelphia: Sruti, 2003.
- Kruti Shreni, D.V.G. “Namma Sangita,” D.V.G.Kruti Shreni Volume 10. Karnataka: Directorate of Kannada and Culture, 1999.
- Thirumale Sisters, Karnataka Sangita Darpana.Bangalore: Sinivasa Prakashana, 2001.
