Carnatic music boasts a rich history intertwined with cultural, spiritual, and social dimensions. Having existed for thousands of years, it has developed into an art alongside Hindustani music that has been heavily integrated into South Indian society and continues to have its own impact on the world today. It serves as a cultural and identity marker for a diverse range of people.
The origins of Carnatic music can be traced back to prehistoric times, through human vocal emulations of animal noises, particularly birds’ singing, with these noises eventually developing into the main eight notes (ragas). The main emphasis in Carnatic music is largely placed on singing, and it’s been passed down orally from generation to generation. Most compositions are in Sanskrit with significant religious and cultural roots, instrumental in preserving cultural traditions. Carnatic music has long been believed to be a divine art form, with roots in deities in ancient mythology, which has increased their importance in Hindu traditions and has received little outside influence. The rhythmic and melodic patterns of Carnatic music have been used in religious rituals, cultural ceremonies, and festivals, as a way to connect people to their spiritual selves.
The terms “Carnatic” and “Hindustani” made their first appearance in the book Sangeeta Sudharka by a king from modern-day Gujarat. It gained refinement and systemization in 1484, with the implementation of exercises for beginners, and spread out of India to places like Sri Lanka, where it became a cultural and identity marker for Colombo and Jaffna bourgeoisies in the 1920s and 30s.
The practice of Carnatic music has become more widespread worldwide over time, as its cultural influence has grown. Having transcended its traditional boundaries, its impact can be seen in several forms of modern music around the world–one notable example being the American folk band The Ghosts of Johnson City, based in Portland. Amos Libby, a member of the band, had a deep connection to classical Carnatic music after being introduced to it from a friend in the United States, and his interest continued to develop after visiting the city of Bengaluru and seeing the city’s vibrant musical scene and its cultural importance.
Having studied Indian and Arabic music for years, the music’s cultural influence merged with traditional American folk music to create the band’s signature style and has also had an impact on cultural elements of folk music, with different cultures merging together to create new paths for music in the US. Now, Amos Libby and Douglas Porter, another member of the band, are opening a musical workshop in the city working with a diverse range of music styles, including traditional Indian and Middle Eastern folk music. Libby says, “The aim is to share this tradition in a simple way. Students should leave the workshop knowing a few new songs and their history and with a sense of our mission as storytellers.”
Another major milestone in the spread of Carnatic music was the first major concert in the United States in 1962, consisting of five classical musicians from Madras who spent two months in the US in the autumn of 1962, performing in New York and Washington DC. The group was led by Sundaram “Veena” Balachander, who was an actor and filmmaker as well as a musician, followed by Natesam Ramani on the flute, Vellore Ramabhadran on the ghatam (a large, earthenware pot used as a percussion instrument), Umayalpuram Sivraman on the mridangam (a two-headed drum), and another musician named Natesan on the thamboura (a four-stringed instrument similar to a lute). The concert was part of a tour sponsored by the Asia Society, founded six years earlier by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller III.
At the concert, music critic Robert Shelton described the concert as “worth 1,000 words” and wrote, “Some day we may all know the differences between the Kalaanidhi and the Karaharariya ragas. Some day it may enhance our understanding to know the origins of the Indian national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’ or that ‘Naadhavindhu Kalaadhi Namo Namo,’ which means ‘In Praise of the God of Melody.’ But for now, the barriers of different universes of discourse in speech and music are less important than simply venturing into this engrossing world of sound.”
Carnatic music, with its deep cultural and spiritual roots, has evolved over millennia and transcended geographical boundaries, influencing various music forms worldwide while serving as a vital marker of identity for diverse communities. Its rich history and ongoing global impact highlight the enduring power of music to connect people across cultures and traditions.
