Ode to a Musical Genre

Sangeet, a treasure so vast,
With śruti and svara, its foundation steadf’st.
A melodic journey, where rāgas take flight,
In tala's rhythmic cycles, it finds its delight.

In the realm of sound, where melodies bloom,
Saraswati's heart, in a vibrant room.
From the ancient past to the present's embrace,
It weaves tales of devotion and grace.

At its core, the śruti, pitch's sweet song,
A relative measure, where harmony belongs.
Perceived by the ear, it's a mental embrace,
In the listener's mind, where it finds its place.

Svara, the notes, in their purest form,
Each a jewel in this musical storm.
Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni's sweet call,
In Aarohana and Avarohana, they rise and fall.

Rāga, the mode, the melody's grace,
In Purandara Dasa's hands, it found its space.
Sponsor’d by the mysore mah’rajas now a fount of the mass’s
The Trinity, Tyagaraja, Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri,
Their compositions, a celestial key.

With vocals at the center so clear,
Guiding us through melodies, to the ear they steer.
Accompanied by carnaticiz’d west’n violin, a melodic delight,
In rhythm's embrace, the mridangam takes flight.

Tambura's drone, through the night it hums,
A constant reminder of the musical sums.
Unmistakable voice of the vedas as they stir the senses!
As the performance unfolds, it all comes alive,
Carnatic music, where souls come alive.

In the melakarta system, ragas find their place,
A formula that grants them identity and grace.
Into sampoorna ragas, the system did sway,
A classification that's in use to this day.

Seven notes, sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni's sweet call,
In arohanam and avarohanam, they rise and fall.
Janaka ragas, the melakarta's noble kin,
Janya ragas, their descendants, in melodies they spin.

Raga alapana, the soul's improvisati’n true,
A canvas so vast, where creativity shines through.
Pancharatna kritis, jewels in Carnatic's crown,
Sarumati, Mokshamu Galada's renown.

Sriranjani's beauty, Brochevarevere's grace,
In Hamsadhani's rhythm of Vatapi Ganapatim, they find their place.
Pantuvarali's majesty, Raghuvara Naanu's call,
In Bhairavi’s Kamakshi, and heaven’y Kalyani, hearts enthralled.

Abheri's allure, Nagumomu's sweet tune,
Each raga a story, a unique monsoon.
Bhavayami Raghuramam, in Saveri's embrace,
A hymn to the lord, a celestial space.

Carnatic music, a journey profound,
In its rhythms and melodies, we're spellbound.
A legacy of devotion to my dad, of art's purest form,
In the world of sound, where souls transform.

So let it echo, this music divine,
In every heart, in every shrine.
Carnatic music, a gift so grand,
A treasure for all, in every land.