--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-gb/vocal' title: 'Vocal: Indian classical singing, North and South' author: name: Anonymous updated: '2026-10-31T16:33:16+00:00' type: website summary: 'Indian classical vocal music is singing built on raga and tala. Hindustani in the north has khayal as its main form; Carnatic in the south has the kriti.' image: 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:type': image/svg+xml 'image:alt': KalaSudha --- Main Discipline # Vocal गीत Raga, tala and text in the voice, the model for Hindustani and Carnatic instruments Carnatic & Hindustani The original instrument Sub-disciplines 2 Courses 0 Indian classical vocal music (Sanskrit gita, Hindi geet) is singing built on raga and tala, in two traditions: Hindustani, with forms such as khayal, and Carnatic, with the kriti. [ Explore Courses ](/en-gb/courses?discipline=229) [Sign in to follow](/en-gb/user/login?flag_anon=follow_term-229&destination=/en-gb/markdownify/taxonomy/term/229) [ Share ](/en-gb/share/term/229) ## Rich Heritage Sanskrit music theory starts with the Natya Shastra, a treatise on drama attributed to Bharata and dated to about 200 BCE to 200 CE. North and south began to drift apart in the 12th and 13th centuries, and the **Sangita Ratnakara**, written by Sarngadeva at the court of Devagiri in the early 13th century, is the last major treatise both traditions share. The split was clear by the 16th to 17th centuries. In the north, [dhrupad](/en-gb/vocal/hindustani-classical/dhrupad) peaked in the 16th century. [Khayal](/en-gb/vocal/hindustani-classical/khayal) (also spelt khyal) reached its classic form through Niyamat Khan Sadarang at Muhammad Shah's court, and since the 19th century it has been the most widely performed Hindustani vocal genre. Lucknow gave thumri its familiar form at Wajid Ali Shah's court. In the south, Nayaka and Maratha patrons at Thanjavur shaped Carnatic music from the 17th century. The **Trinity** of Carnatic music, Syama Sastri, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar, were active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Most accounts credit Tyagaraja with perfecting the three-part [kriti](/en-gb/vocal/carnatic-classical/kriti). The concert order most Carnatic singers follow today traces to **Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar**. ## Artistic Philosophy The tradition places the voice first. The **Sangita Ratnakara** treats sangita, the whole art of music, as song, instrumental music and dance, and expounds song first, reasoning that dance follows instruments and instruments follow the voice. Influence has also run the other way: Ludwig Pesch hears vina technique in several Carnatic ornaments. A Carnatic concert sets improvised forms beside its compositions, among them **raga alapana**, an unmetered exposition of the raga, and niraval, melodic variation on one line of text. A Hindustani singer opens with the **alap**, an unmetered unfolding of the raga before the drum enters. Notation records only the outline, so the music passes orally from teacher to student in the **guru-shishya parampara**, through close listening, imitation and long practice. In the north these lineages are called **gharanas**, or schools; Carnatic musicians speak of sampradaya, tradition, and bani, personal style. Carnatic students begin with graded exercises credited to Purandara Dasa. ## Explore Categories Dive deeper into specific aspects of this discipline [ ### Carnatic Classical कर्नाटक संगीत Carnatic music, the classical tradition of South India, builds on raga and tala and centres on the voice and the kriti. Students begin with exercises in raga Mayamalavagowla. 9 items 0 courses ](/en-gb/vocal/carnatic-classical) [ ### Hindustani Classical Hindustani classical vocal music is the singing tradition of North Indian art music. Singers develop a raga through composition and improvisation in khayal and dhrupad. 12 items 0 courses ](/en-gb/vocal/hindustani-classical) ## Featured Disciplines Popular sub-disciplines within this tradition [ Featured ### Varnam A varnam is a Carnatic composition of words and solfa passages that sets out the phrases of one raga. Students learn it before concert pieces, and concerts often open with one. ](/en-gb/vocal/carnatic-classical/varnam) [ Featured ### Viruttam Viruttam (virutham) is a Tamil devotional verse sung to a melody a Carnatic singer improvises in one or more ragas, with no tala, usually just before a song. ](/en-gb/vocal/carnatic-classical/viruttam) [ Featured ### Tarana Tarana is a Hindustani classical vocal composition sung on syllables such as ta, na, dir and tom, set in a raga and tala. It often follows the khayal in a raga presentation. ](/en-gb/vocal/hindustani-classical/tarana) [ Featured ### Ragam–Tanam–Pallavi Ragam Tanam Pallavi (RTP) is the main long improvised form of a Carnatic concert: an unmetered ragam, a pulsed tanam, then one composed line in tala that the performer develops. ](/en-gb/vocal/carnatic-classical/ragam-tanam-pallavi) ## Media Gallery Audio and video performances ### Video Performances (6) [ Live Performance 09:20 ### Ram Chandra Chadhyo Hai Trikut Par \| Pt. Premkumar Mallick \| Dhrupad Vocal 5 months ago ](/en-gb/video/ram-chandra-chadhyo-hai-trikut-par-pt-premkumar-mallick-dhrupad-vocal) [ Live Performance 04:34 ### Raag Shree - Tarana \| Tejaswini Digamber Vernekar \| Purvi Festival 2023 6 months ago ](/en-gb/video/raag-shree-tarana-tejaswini-digamber-vernekar-purvi-festival-2023) [ Live Performance 6:23 ### Aayi Basant Bahaar - Pundit Premkumar Mallick \| Dhrupad \| Vocal \| Purvi Festival 2023 1 year ago ](/en-gb/video/aayi-basant-bahaar-pundit-premkumar-mallick-dhrupad-vocal-purvi-festival-2023) [ Live Performance 18:12 ### Raag Bihag Alap \| Pandit Premkumar Mallick \| Vocal \| Music of India \| Purvi Festival 2023 1 year ago ](/en-gb/video/raag-bihag-alap-pandit-premkumar-mallick-vocal-music-of-india-purvi-festival-2023) [ Live Performance 30:12 ### Raag Shree–Bada Khayal(Vilambit) \| Tejaswini Vernekar \| Vocal \| Music of India \| Purvi Festival 2023 1 year ago ](/en-gb/video/raag-shree-bada-khayalvilambit-tejaswini-vernekar-vocal-music-of-india-purvi-festival-2023) [ Live Performance 06:01 ### Raag Shree Alap \| Tejaswini Digamber Vernekar \| Vocal \| Music of India \| Purvi Festival 2023 1 year ago ](/en-gb/video/raag-shree-alap-tejaswini-digamber-vernekar-vocal-music-of-india-purvi-festival-2023) ## Featured Artists Discover renowned Vocal performers and maestros [ ](/en-gb/artist/tejaswini-digamber-vernekar) ### [Tejaswini Digamber Vernekar ](/en-gb/artist/tejaswini-digamber-vernekar) Khayal Tejaswini Vernekar is a distinguished Indian classical singer, BHU gold medalist & All India Radio graded artist. She has performed widely and trained under eminent gurus, bringing raga mastery to Varanasi, India [View Profile](/en-gb/artist/tejaswini-digamber-vernekar) [ ](/en-gb/artist/premkumar-mallick) ### [Premkumar Mallick ](/en-gb/artist/premkumar-mallick) Dhrupad Pandit Premkumar Mallick is a leading Dhrupad vocalist of the Darbhanga Gharana, known for his profound alap, powerful voice, and deep lineage, carrying forward a centuries-old classical tradition. Prayagraj, India [View Profile](/en-gb/artist/premkumar-mallick) Stay close ## Keep KalaSudha close. Receive news of concerts, learning opportunities, recordings and the work taking shape at KalaSudha. - Concert news - ·Learning opportunities - ·Recordings and stories We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.