Carnatic or Karnatak or Karnataka Music ?

[arvind.brahmakal]

This topic might have been discussed in the past - after all, what is in a name ? However, found this interesting video of Dr Shatavadhani R Ganesh - educative and useful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enlTGN67ckY

[Rsachi]

More about Dr.Ganesh

[arasi]

Aravind and Sachi,
Thank you for introducing Dr. R.Ganesh to us.

How well he puts it--that a rose is a rose is a rose--how you spell it matters not! Some time ago, we did have a lengthy discussion on this, as if how we say it matters

So, we are all CM lovers who appreciate Karnataka music

[shankarank]

This is one lecture on rasa - and defining a rasika - I found interesting.

https://youtu.be/IvyRTMpGH_U?t=1497 ( skipping introductions).

As regards Vijaya Nagar empire, it was almost made a foot note in our history books.

Anytime we see a dancer of a traditional South Indian genre or a group of IT programmers from Andhra - we should recall the establishment of this empire immediately.

The word Nayakka is appended to places west of Madurai towards Bodi Nayakkanur - places as remote where the oldest Genetic marker of human migration out of Africa into Australia was found - or a mega forest swarm of blanket worms crossing the railway line will put a blanket stop to the moving train.

Thottappa Nayakkanur - My Grandpa served as a railway employee there!

The rest of the history of India is a foot note to me.

[arvind.brahmakal]

Foundations of Indian Culture : wonderful exposition by Shatavadhani Dr R Ganesh in english....for those who have over 20 hours of free time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2aAXN3 ... jEmY#t=585

[kvchellappa]

From when is it called Carnatic music and from when is the present region known as Karnataka called by that name? Wikipedia says: “The Carnatic coast /kɑːrˈnætᵻk/ is the region of South India lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Coromandel Coast,[1] in the modern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, south eastern Karnataka, north eastern Kerala and southern Andhra Pradesh.”
Apte’s dictionary does not list Karnataka.
I read this in a FB comment: “Karna means senses and athaka is pleasing to the senses, leading to the modern day word carnatic. This an expression of the vedic system of thought.”
Is it possible that the development of the whole system of music was in the composite South India, when regional distinctions and bickerings were not marked?
The origin of the term may not be known conclusively.

[MaheshS]

From Wikipedia,

Though several etymologies have been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is that Karnataka is derived from the Kannada words karu and nādu, meaning "elevated land". Karu nadu may also be read as karu, meaning "black", and nadu, meaning "region", as a reference to the black cotton soil found in the Bayalu Seeme region of the state. The British used the word Carnatic, sometimes Karnatak, to describe both sides of peninsular India, south of the Krishna.

[sridhar_ranga]

My personal theory: The Tamil word "KarnaaTakam" means "old fashioned". So, our traditional music came to be called "KarnaaTaka sangItam" for this reason. Nothing geographical about it.

It is another story that modern(!) day use of the word "karnaaTakam" got restricted to lampooning/ caricaturing someone as "anda aaL suththa karnaaTakam" (அவர் சுத்த கர்நாடகம்) (he is so old fashioned)

[sureshvv]

My personal theory: The Tamil word "KarnaaTakam" means "old fashioned".

Words don't just happen. They have a root and other related words. "Karu" also means embryo, so karu nadu could mean original land (from C.R.Selvakumar in r.c.t).

[kvchellappa]

I feel in almost cases, we are rationalising. How it came about is lost in obscurity like Indian history. It appears fairly clear that it does not refer to a region as demarcated today.

[MaheshS]

Dear BR: Does the word ‘Carnatic’ denote the fact that the music was created by Karna? — Maha Bored Thatha

I’m not sure. But I recently came to know that folk music was created by a man who couldn’t find a spoon.

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