Even in a music community where young masters and child prodigies are now the norm, Ramana Balachandhran is a rarity....
The plain white tag around the neck of the tanpura says simply: 1890, Miraj, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. Around it,...
The sour golugu berries/And shark fish and mullet/When I eat the fish you appear in my dreams/My dark and handsome sweetheart/You bring such a good catch. In 1938, a delightfully piquant Telugu folk song, titled Golakondoyi, made its debut on All India Radio, and as we would say today, went...
Hindustani classical music, with its intricate melodies and emotive expressions, has been shaped over centuries by the diverse cultural and...
A tiny one-bedroom flat tucked into a quieter lane of Chennai’s Mandavelli neighbourhood is something of a pilgrimage destination for...
Mian Tansen, born as Ramtanu Pandey in the late 15th century, stands as a legendary figure in the realm of Hindustani Classical Music. Renowned as the ‘Sangeet Samrat’ or ‘Monarch of Hindustani Music,’ his life, spanning nearly a century, is a tale of musical brilliance, royal patronage, and a cultural...
The Nāṭya Śāstra, originally written in Sanskrit (नाट्य शास्त्र) and found in Kannada (ನಾಟ್ಯಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ) and Telugu (నాట్య శాస్త్ర) translations, stands...
Jayadeva, also spelled Jaideva, remains a luminary figure in Sanskrit literature, flourishing during the 12th century. His indelible mark lies...
Rithvik Raja, among the younger stars of the Carnatic vocal scene, has an astonishing estimate to share. Of the around 1,000 Carnatic classical concerts scheduled in Chennai this festive season, close to 650 feature musicians under 30. The figure is stunning because classical music around the world has a grey...
N Rajam is surprised that you see a quartet of women violinists from across three generations of a family as...
Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form originating from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is renowned for its intricate footwork,...
Indian classical music, with its rich tapestry of melodies, rhythms, and emotions, stands as a testament to the country’s cultural heritage. Rooted in tradition and honed over centuries, this art form has been nurtured and passed down through generations. However, the landscape of Indian classical music has not been exclusively...