Carnatic Vs Dakshin Sampradaya sangeetham

[VK RAMAN]

When I read review of various concerts, I see all the artists sing songs from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telugu, Marathi (abhang), Surdas, Tukaram, etc. Why then we hold on to the Word "Carnatic - Karnatak". As there any other word that may represent our way of singing songs in various languages. Perhaps there may have been discussion on this topic before, but would like to hear from our August group.

[munirao2001]

Southern Music with primacy for devotional/bhakthi/sankeertana developed in to art music during the reigns of Nayak, Tanjore, Vijayanagaram, Mysore, Pithapuram, Kavetipatnam, Ramanathapuram, Ummayalapuram, Tiruvananthapuram and Cochin Maharajas and Rajas. Major parts of these kingdoms was popularly known as Karnataka, mainly due to Nayaks, the pioneers. A new era began with Dasakoota and Haridasas belonging to Karnataka region.With pioneering work on establishing the tala system and significant contribution on raga, gita and padas, Hardasas inspired. It was strengthened by Bhadrachala Ramadasu, Narayana theeratha and many vaggeyakaras. Annamayya pada poetry also was a trend setter. Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sanskrit were the main languages in vogue. Malayalam and Marathi language lyrics were also in use. Art music took to grandeur stage only with the unparalleled contributions from Kshethrayya and trinity in music-Thyagaraja, Mudduswami Dikshita and Syama Sastri. With British rule and regions getting established, Karnataka Music came to be known as Carnatic music, music belonging to Carnatic region, nomenclature given by the British administration. During the reign of Maratha kings, sants were performing and teaching musical discourse as well as Abhangs and Bhajans.
When the modern kutcheri padhati was established by Ariyakudi, purely devotional section was planned and established, later called and known as 'tukkada' section, unfortunately. Padas, tarangams, bhajans, shlokas, viruthams, thiruppugah, ugabhogas, vachanas, rarely sooladis were adopted as part of this devotional section in primarily art music. Namasankeertanam becoming popular with medley of devotional keertanams in various languages, Kutcheri performers also introduced more and more bhajans and abhangs as novelty and variety in the presentations and gained the popularity.

munirao2001

[Rsachi]

I think historically the southern Indian region was broadly called Karnataka. See Apte:


This name has been found for centuries in the literature of the region which was named as the political state of Karnataka.
Purandaradasa, called the pitamaha of this regional classical musical form, lived in this region.

Other states in the south got their names on other terms of reference. That's all.

[harimau]

When I read review of various concerts, I see all the artists sing songs from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telugu, Marathi (abhang), Surdas, Tukaram, etc. Why then we hold on to the Word "Carnatic - Karnatak". As there any other word that may represent our way of singing songs in various languages. Perhaps there may have been discussion on this topic before, but would like to hear from our August group.

They are also into Fusion music.

Soon, we can expect to hear the deep grunts of the sperm whale presented in the tukkada section by some newcomer who wants to establish his USP (Unique Selling Proposition).

There is always a crowd for that type of stuff, including abhangs, Bengali Baul songs, Rajasthani folk songs and Arabic ululations.

As they say, there is a fool born every minute. The Mylapore Mamas and Mamis are proving the statement to be factual.

[Rsachi]

Hey fiddle fiddle
Mylai maami in the middle
The sperm whale uttered a rumbling moo.
A'bhangist laughed, to see such sport,
D maama swallowed the morsing, uhhoo !

[rajeshnat]

In the days of sangetham.com which got down and never restored and content grabbed by two founders of sangeetham.com, there was a long discussion then on this name carnatic. There were plenty of posts , there is one post where i consolidated different view points in one post then ,adding the same post now(I dont have other posts on this topic)

----------------------the past post below --------------------
Karnatakam or karnataka issai has many sources, consolidating all .

1. The land is carnatic as the british called it , hence the name karnatic

2. karunAdu is ancient name for kannaDa which DRS + humdinger pointed out.

3. karnatakam means ancient in english . The source of ancient could be either in tamil or kannaDa.

4. According to Sanskrit language : karNe aTati iti karNATakam (English: Carnatic). Karnataka sangeetham (Carnatic Music) means which pleases (aTati) the ear (karNam) . The land belong to Carnatic music is called Carnatic region(Entire South Inida).
source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnatic_region

5. Karu' means black and also means central. 'naadu' means country and 'agam' means home. Thus Karunaadu meant central country, as well as black (people) country. The name 'karu naad agam' got anglicized to karunaadaga isai..."

6. Cilappathiharam makes mention of Cavari Puhum Pattinam. During this period the performing arts were very popular and as a matter of routine, dramas and music expositions were held on every full moon night on the banks of the river Cavery, where it merges into the sea. The popularity of these dramas cum music prevailed in the township that was located on Cavery near the sea shore (Kadal Carai) which got its name as Cavery puhum Pattanam and the festivity on the sea shore became known as ‘Carai’ (Shore) ‘nadaham’ (Drama) and ‘issai’ (music), which turned out ‘carai nadaha issai’ to ‘carnadaha isssai’ and anglicized as ‘Carnatic music’."

Source for 5 and 6: http://www.tamilnation.org/culture/music/index.htm