---
title: "Indian Music: Hindustani & Carnatic Systems Guide"
description: "Distinguish the Hindustani and Carnatic systems of Indian classical music through raga, tala, gharanas, instruments, key texts and exponents for focused UPSC."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/upsc-art-culture-indian-music-hindustani-carnatic-systems"
---

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Indian music: Hindustani & Carnatic systems

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# Indian music: Hindustani & Carnatic systems

UPSC lesson on the Hindustani and Carnatic systems of Indian classical music: raga, tala, gharanas, instruments, key texts and exponents.

## A single root, two streams

Indian classical music traces its theoretical foundation to the *Samaveda*, whose chants set the melodic seed, and to Bharata's *Natyashastra* (c. 200 BCE–200 CE), which codified the 22 *shrutis* (microtonal intervals) and the *jati* and *grama* systems. The medieval synthesis appears in Sharngadeva's *Sangita Ratnakara* (13th century, composed in the Yadava court at Devagiri), the last great text recognised as authoritative by **both** the northern and southern traditions before they bifurcated.

The split crystallised after the 13th century. The **Hindustani** tradition of north India absorbed Perso-Arabic and Central Asian influence through the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal courts; **Amir Khusrau** (1253–1325) is credited by tradition with the sitar, the tabla and forms such as the *qawwali* and *khayal*. The **Carnatic** tradition of the south remained more text-bound and devotional, consolidated by the *Sangita Saramrita* and especially by the codifying genius of **Venkatamakhin**, whose *Chaturdandi Prakasika* (1660) established the **72 melakarta** (parent scale) scheme still used today.

## Raga and Tala: the twin pillars

Both systems rest on two organising concepts. The **raga** is a melodic framework—a set of ascending (*aroha*) and descending (*avaroha*) notes, characteristic phrases (*pakad*/*sancharas*), and emotive identity—built from seven *swaras* (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni). Hindustani practice organises ragas into ten **thaats** (Bhatkhande's classification, early 20th century) and assigns them to *prahars* (times of day) and seasons; Carnatic music organises ragas under the 72 melakartas with their *janya* (derived) ragas.

**Tala** is the rhythmic cycle. Hindustani talas (e.g. *Teentaal* of 16 beats, *Jhaptaal* of 10, *Ektaal* of 12) are marked by *tali* (claps) and *khali* (wave); Carnatic uses the *suladi sapta tala* system of seven talas with five *jatis*, generating 35 combinations, counted on the fingers and palm. The Carnatic *mridangam* and Hindustani *tabla* are the principal percussion partners.

The decisive distinction is emphasis. Hindustani music privileges **improvisation and slow elaboration**—the unmetered *alap*, the *jor* and *jhala*—giving the soloist vast latitude. Carnatic music is more **composition-centric**, built around the *kriti* and the structured *raga-tana-pallavi*, with improvisation woven tightly around a fixed text. Hindustani performance foregrounds the individual; Carnatic foregrounds the composed song and its devotional content.

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