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Discover the art of Niraval, one of the most expressive forms of improvisation in Carnatic music. This module offers students a foundational understanding of Niraval techniques, helping them develop creativity, musical insight, and confidence as they begin their journey into this refined aspect of manodharma sangeetham.
Prerequisite:
Students who are already familiar with Kalpanasvara and Raga alapana singing.
No. of session: 10 (1 hour /session)
Class size: Individual
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Session 5
Session 6
Session 7
Session 8
Session 9
Session 10
Step into the fascinating world of Ragam–Tanam–Pallavi (RTP), the pinnacle of creative expression in Carnatic music. This module provides students with a foundational understanding of RTP structure, manodharma (improvisation), and presentation techniques, serving as an ideal starting point for those aspiring to explore and master this advanced art form.
Prerequisites:
This module is for students who are already familiar with Kalpanasvara, Raga alapana and Niraval singing.
No. of sessions: 15 (1 hour/ session)
Class size: Individual
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Sessions 4, 5, 6 & 7
Sessions 8, 9, 10 &11
Sessions 12,13,14 & 15
Dr. Subhashini Parthasarathy
Explore the rich world of Padams and Javalis, renowned for their lyrical beauty, emotional depth, and expressive melodies. Padams are slow, graceful compositions that portray devotion and divine love through nuanced emotions, while Javalis are lighter, more vibrant pieces that capture the charm and subtleties of human relationships. This module helps students enhance their bhava (expression), musical interpretation, and understanding of some of the most sophisticated and aesthetically rewarding forms in the Carnatic repertoire.
Prerequisite:
This module is for students who have learnt a good number (atleast about 20-25) of kritis already.
No. of session: 10 (1 hour /session)
Class size: Individual
We will be dealing with two Telugu padams, one Tamil padam, and three Javalis.
In each of the classes a brief musical analysis of the Padam and javali composition will be dealt with, followed by an outline of the meaning of the lyrics and the rendering of the composition.
Session 1
Rama rama—— Bhairavi — Adi tala— Kshetrajna
A brief biography on Kshetrajna with the musical and lyrical aspects followed by the Pallavi of the padam.
Session 2 and 3
The anupallavi and charanam will be taught.
The whole composition will be rendered.
Session 4 and 5
Iddariloni—- Kambhoji— Misra Chapu— Muvvanallur Sabhapatayya
A brief biography and some characteristic features followed by Pallavi and anupallavi of the Padam
Charanam and summing up the Padam.
Session 6 and 7
Nittirayil— Pantuvarali— Adi- Ghanam Krishna Iyer
Brief details on Tamil padakaras and rendering of Pallavi and anupallavi.
Charanam and rendition of the whole composition
Session 8
Samayamidhe— Behag— Rupakam— Patnam Subramanya Iyer (Javali)
The salient features of the Javali will be discussed with a brief highlight about the composer.
Session 9
Taru maru— Nattakurinji- Adi— Pattabhiramayya (Javali)
This javali is unique because it brings out the view of the nayaka who thinks of consoling his beloved whom he is guilty of hurting.The details about pallavi,anupallavi and charanam will be taught.
Session 10
Yamuna Kalyani- Adi— Dharmapuri Subbarayar (Javali)
Guru Ramya Srinivasan
Introduction
Explore the timeless compositions of Purandara Dasa, revered as the Father of Carnatic Music. This module introduces students to a selection of his beautiful devaranamas and compositions, offering insights into their devotional essence, musical richness, and enduring relevance in the Carnatic tradition.
Prerequisite
This module is for students who have learnt a good number of kritis already (atleast about 30 kritis).
No. of Sessions: 10(1hr)
Class Size : Individual
Content
Note: The above list of kritis is subject to modifications depending on the student’s abilities and preferences.
By Smt. Ramya Srinivasan
Introduction:
This module will provide a complete insight on the great compositions of GNB and Annamacharya.
Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramaniam (6 January 1910 – 1 May 1965), popularly known as GNB, was an Indian Carnatic singer. He innovated the art through emphasis on laya control and reducing the gamakas which eventually made Carnatic music appeal to the lay and the learned alike. He was a torch bearer and his style of singing “GNB bani” is still popular among many musicians and his compositions are admired and rendered by several musicians.
Taḷḷapāka Annamācārya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century poet saint and is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called Sankeertanas in praise of the God Venkateswara. He is the earliest known composer in Carnatic music.
Prerequisite:
This module is for students who have learnt a good number (atleast about 20-25) of kritis already.
No. of session: 10 (1 hour /session)
Class size: Individual
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Session 5
Session 6
Session 7
Session 8
Session 9
Session 10
Varnams are one of the main fundamental learning pieces in Carnatic music. Known for their complex structure, they contain lyrics as well as swara packages including Pallavi, Anupallavi, Muktayi swaram, Charanam and Chittaswarams. Most varnams encapsulate the true essence of the raga including how each note should be stressed, the raga scale etc. Some of these rare raga varnams were composed by not so famous composers and thus haven’t been extensively passed down over generations. Through this module our aim is to make these exemplary compositions as popular as the other Varnams that are regularly performed/taught.
Prerequisite
Students with prior knowledge of at least 5 Adi talam and 2 Ata tala varnams.
No. of session: 10 (1 hour /session)
Class size: Individual
The Rare Varnam module is made of 2 Parts
Content :
SESSION 1
SESSION 2
SESSION 3
SESSION 4
SESSION 5
SESSION 6
SESSION 7
SESSION 8
SESSION 9
SESSION 10
Rare Varnams – Part 2
Content:
SESSION 1
SESSION 2
SESSION 3
SESSION 4
SESSION 5
SESSION 6
SESSION 7
SESSION 8
SESSION 9
SESSION 10
Guru Smt. Sripriya
Koteeswara Iyer was a renowned Tamil composer of Carnatic music and the grandson of Kavi Kunjara Bharati. He received musical training from distinguished musicians such as Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar and Patnam Subramania Iyer.
His greatest contribution was composing kritis in all 72 Melakarta ragas, a pioneering achievement in Carnatic music. These compositions, collectively known as Kanda Ganamudam, are dedicated to Lord Muruga and carry his signature, “Kavi Kunjara Dasan.”
Koteeswara Iyer’s compositions are admired for their musical richness, poetic beauty, and devotional depth. He played a major role in popularizing the Vivadhi Melakarta ragas, which were once considered difficult for concert performance. Owing to his mastery of the raga Todi, he was affectionately known as “Todi Koti.” His contributions remain an important part of the Carnatic music repertoire.
Prerequisite: Should have learnt the basics (sarali varisai to varnam) and 10 small kritis and 15 kritis with sangathis and understanding of the Melakartha Ragas and their scales clearly.
No. of Sessions : 10(1hr)
Class size : Individual
Content
5 Kritis will be chosen from the Melakartha chart depending on the ability of the student to sing.
Session:1
Session:2
Session:3
Session:4
Session:5
Session:6
Session:7
Session:8
Session:9
Session:10
Note:
The number of kritis is subject to modifications depending on the student’s abilities and preferences. Revision of the krithis will depend on the time availability.
Guru Smt. Sripriya
Muthuswami Dikshitar was one of the Carnatic Music Trinity and a renowned composer known for his scholarly and devotional compositions. His kritis, composed mainly in Sanskrit, are rich in raga bhava, gamakas, and poetic descriptions of deities and temples. He used “Guruguha” as his signature (mudra) in all his compositions.
Among his notable works are the Panchalinga Kritis, a set of five compositions dedicated to Lord Shiva in the five Pancha Bhoota (five elements) temples:
Ether (Akasha) – Chidambaram
Air (Vayu) – Kalahasti
Fire (Agni) – Tiruvannamalai
Earth (Prithvi) – Kanchipuram
Water (Jala) – Jambukesvaram
These kritis are admired for their musical excellence, spiritual depth, and depiction of the five elemental manifestations of Lord Shiva.
Prerequisite: Should have learnt the basics (sarali varisai to varnam) and 10 small kritis and 15 kritis with sangathis.
No. of Sessions : 10(1 hr)
Class size : Individual
Content
Session:1
Session:2
Session:3
Session:4
Session:5
Session:6
Session:7
Session:8
Session:9
Session:10
Note: The above list of kritis is subject to modifications depending on the student’s abilities and preferences.
Guru Dr. Sreyas Narayanun
Svāti Tirunāḷ Rāma Varma was born into the Venad dynasty of the Matrilineal royal family of Travancore, which is now a part of Kerala. He lived for 33 years from 16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846. He was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore, British India. He was a brilliant music composer and is credited with over 400 classical compositions in both Carnatic and Hindustani style.
Prerequisite: This would be suitable for students who have learnt Varnams and Krithis and can sing with proper sruthi and Tala without flaw.
No. of Sessions: 10 (1hr)
Class Size : Individual
Content: List of kritis
Session planning –
Note: The above list of kritis is subject to modifications depending on the student’s abilities and preferences.
Guru Dr. Subhashini Parthasarathy
The rich tradition of Tamil music, extending from the ancient period to the time of the Tamil Trinity, is generally divided into four epochs.
Content: Through this module, participants will study selected kirtanas composed by various composers in a wide spectrum of ragas.
.
Prerequisite: Should have strong hold in the basics and know tamil language. Should have learnt at least 5 varnams and 15 kritis.
No. of Sessions : 10 (1hr)
Class size : Individual
List of kritis
Composition -Raagam-Composer
Note: The above list of kritis is subject to modifications depending on the student’s abilities and preferences.
Guru Dr Nirmala Sundararajan and Dr Subashini Parthasarathy
The Nalayira Divya Prabandham is a revered collection of 4,000 devotional hymns, known as pasurams, composed by the twelve Azhwars. Compiled by Nathamuni, it is regarded as the Tamil Veda and forms the foundation of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
Rich in devotion, poetic beauty, and spiritual insight, these pasurams extol the glory of Lord Vishnu, his divine manifestations, and the sacred Divya Desams. The Nalayira Divya Prabandham remains one of the most treasured works of Tamil devotional literature and continues to be recited in temples and homes across the Vaishnava tradition.
Through this module, students will learn selected Prabandham verses composed by the twelve Azhwars and gain an appreciation of the Sri Vaishnava devotional tradition.
Note: These have be specially set to tune by Dr Nirmala Sundararajan
Prerequisite: Should have strong hold in the basics and should have learnt at least 5 varnams and 10 kritis.
No. of Sessions : 8(1hour 15 mins each)
Class size : Individual /Group (5 to 10)
Contents :
Andal
567 – Karpooram Naruma
574 – Unpathu
Thirumangai Azhwar
1074 – Bharadhanum
978 – Enamunaagi
Thondar Adi Podi Azhwar
873 – Pachaimaa malaipol
874 – Vethanool piraayam
Periazhwar
182 – Aniraimeyka
183 – Karuvudai
297 – Nallador Tamarai Poigai
Nammazhwar
3444- Vannamarul Kol
Kulasekara Azhwar
725 – Alinilaip Paalakanaa
726 – Malaiyathanaal
Note: The above list iis subject to modifications depending on the student’s abilities and preferences.
Guru Dr Subashini Parthasarathy
Tyagaraja composed a wide range of kritis, from simple devotional pieces to the grand Pancharatna Kritis. His works reflect great variety in structure and musical design, combining devotion with artistic depth.
This diversity makes his compositions unique among his contemporaries and an enduring treasure of Carnatic music.
Prerequisite: Should have strong hold in the basics and should have learnt at least 5 varnams and 15 kritis.
No. of Sessions : 10 (1hr)
Class size : Individual
Content
This module contains 9 kritis in a variety of Ragas. In each of the class a brief musical analysis of the composition will be dealt with, followed by an outline of the meaning of the lyrics and the rendering of the composition.
Session:1
The learning begins with a kriti in praise of Lord Ganesha.
-Giriraja Suta – Ragam Bangala.
Session:2
One of the Kritis on Sangita Sastra
– Sobbilu Saptasvara – Ragam Jaganmohini
Session:3
Speaking of the incarnation of Lord Rama, Tyagaraja’s beloved deity
– Evarikkai Avataram – Ragam Devamanohari
Session:4
A composition belonging to the Kshetra Kritis
– Rajuvedale – Ragam Todi
Session:5
A kriti in praise of Mother Tulasi, set in a prati madhyama rāga
– Amma Ravamma – Ragam Kalyani
Session:6
A devotional composition on Lord Shiva
– Siva Siva Siva Yanarada – Ragam Pantuvarali
Session:7
A composition extolling the greatness of the Guru
– Gurulekha etuvanti – Ragam Gaurimanohari
Session:8
A composition describing the Lord in divine repose on Adisesha
– Lali yugave – Ragam Neelambari
Session:9
Utsava Sampradaya Kirtana
– Poola panpu – Ragam Ahiri
Session:10
A brief recap followed by interaction
Note: The above list of kritis is subject to modifications depending on the student’s abilities and preferences.