Tamil Music is the music and dance of the Tamil Nadu region in India, and it began at the most sacred of places, the temples. In these temples, large groups of people would be appointed to sing divine songs for worship. In these temples, kings and rulers would visit to hear the divine music of the Tamil Nadu region by listening to short musical programs of the famous Tamil music.
The temples were considered as safe heavens for musicians, and they relied on total divine grace in their musical devotion. As the music started to popularize, more and more people would accompany these musicians with their own styles, this was the catalyst of the formation of choruses. It is in this time that the instrument called Sarangi came to use, and it never stopped until the late 19th century.
Carnatic Music
Source: Trio-School of Music, Dance, and Languages
Carnatic music is the most popular form of music in the entire southern region of India, including the Tamil Nadu region. When people speak of Carnatic music, it is also meant the music of the Tamil Nadu. It is a form of classical music that has 72 basic scales on the octave. This music has a rich variety of melodic motion, with both melodic and rhythmic structures varying and compelling.
Carnatic music is one of the oldest and richest musical traditions in the world. It is highly adored for its effectiveness in building positive mental discipline. Tamil music, in general, has the ability to eliminate negative mental habits and help organize thoughts.
In the 1940s, there was a huge incentive by key people in the Tamil Nadu region to raise awareness for Tamil Music and it’s musicians. With large concerts taking place all over Tamil Nadu, a lot was done by the people organizing this movement to try and yet again popularize Tamil Music. If you haven’t listened to any Tamil Music, a great place to go where you can do just that and even download Tamil songs is the website called masstamilan.
Nowadays, even without a proper movement, Tamil music is celebrated and listened in the entire region of Tamil Nadu and is present in various aspects of people’s lives.
Folk Music
Source: Indian Link
Tamil music has its own folk variation, and judging by the tune, it is remarkable. Tamil folk music has very ancient classical ragas or melodies such as: Manji, Sama, Navaroz, Kalyani, Karaharapriya, Thodi, and Madanam-k-kria. All of this classical regas is used in Tamil folk songs with a variety of instruments as well.
Musical Notation of TheTribes
Source: Silambam Houston
The hill-tribes of the southern regions of Tamil Nadu have a great fondness of the Tamil music. These “tribes” are well-known for the preservation of the ancient culture of Tamil Nadu and according to many of these tribes; the melodies of Tamil Nadu are derived from the cooing of birds. The tribes such as the Pulayar are natural preservers of the famous regional Tamil music and they name the talam and melodies after their deities. An example would be the Karaganachi talam, the Mangalanada talam, the Kundhanada talam, etc.
