Geetam, (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

: गीतम्; gītaṃ) the simplest music form in

Carnatic music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

, was created by

Purandara Dasa Purandara Dasa (IAST: Purandara Dāsa; (1470 – 1564) was a composer, singer and a Haridasa philosopher from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a follower of Madhwacharya, Madhvacharya's Dwaitha, Dvaita philosophy. He was one of the chi ...

in order to introduce '' talas'' with '' sāhityaṃ'' (lyrics). Gītaṃ literally means "song" in

Structure

A gītaṃ is a simple devotional melody song with same tempo throughout the song. There is no "anga" change, repetition and Sangati in gītaṃ. Gītaṃs usually have 10/12 avarthanams. Though gītaṃs have no absolutely defined divisions of

pallavi A pallavi is a refrain in carnatic music, commonly associated with South India. It is the first part of any formal composition ( Krithi) which has three segments – Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam (which can be one or more). Pallavi is usuall ...

, anupallavi or charanas, they may be observed in some cases. Some gītaṃs contain sections rather than the defined divisions (pallavi etc.). They often have no sangatis or variations, with each

swara Swara () or svara is an Indian classical music term that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, a note, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave, or ''saptanka''. More comprehensively ...

taking one syllable of the sahitya. The gītaṃ is sung without repetition from the beginning to end. However most gītaṃs are concluded by repeating a portion of the opening part. Gītaṃs are set in medium tempo and contain no ''saṃgatis'' or variations and the flow of the music is natural. The theme of the ''sāhityaṃ'' (lyrics) is to praise God. Students learn these gītaṃs after attaining a course in the preliminary saraḷī svarās and alaṃkārās.

Types of gītaṃs

There are three types of gītaṃs in Carnatic music tradition: * ''Sāmānya gītaṃ'': the simple song and it is also called sādhāraṇa gītaṃ or sancāri gītaṃ. * ''Lakshaṇa gītaṃ'': the ''sāhityaṃ'' (lyrics), instead of praising God, enumerates in so many words, the lakshana of the raga, in which it is composed-giving among other details, its vakra svarā, graha, nysa, aṃśa svarā and its parent raga ( mēḷakarta rāga). Most lakshaṇa gītaṃs have been composed by

.Royal Carpet: Glossary of Carnatic Terms G
/ref> * ''Suladi gītaṃ'':

Classification of gitams

* Pillari Gitams : These are the gitams in praise of Lord Ganesha. * Sanchari Gitams : These are the ones in praise of other gods like Shiva or Vishnu

Some well known gītaṃs

#''Vara Vīṇā Mr̥dupāṇi'' (

) in

Mohanam Mohanam is a raga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale). It is usually described as a ''janya'' rāga of Harikamboji (28th Melakartha Raga). ...

Raga (Janya of 28th Mela

Harikambhoji Harikambhoji (pronounced harikāmbhōji) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 28th ''Melakarta'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system. One of the first scales employed ...

) - Rupaka Tala #''Śrī Gaṇanātha (Laṃbōdara)'' (

) in

Malahari Malahari is a Carnatic raga. This raaga is a ''janya'' of the 15th ''Melakarta'' raga Mayamalavagowla. This raga is known to be a morning raga which brings out a sense of calmness.''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of ...

Rāga (Janya of 15th Mela

Mayamalavagowla Mayamalavagowla (pronounced ) is a raga of Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is classified as 15th '' melakarta'' raga under Venkatamakhin's '' melakarta'' system. Originally known as ''malavagowla'', "maya" was p ...

) - Chathushruti Jati Rupaka Tala #''Analekara'' in

Shuddha Saveri Shuddha Saveri or śuddha sāveri is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music) and Yakshagana music. It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a ''janya'' rāgam (derive ...

Raga (Janya of 29th Mela

Sankarabharanam Sankarabharanam may refer to: * ''Sankarabharanam'' (1980 film), an Indian Telugu-language musical drama film * ''Sankarabharanam'' (2015 film), an Indian Telugu-language crime comedy film * Sankarabharanam (raga), a rāga in Carnatic music ...

) - Tisra Jati Triputa Tala #''Kamala Jaḍala'' (Telugu) in Kalyani Rāga 65th Mēḷakarta Rāga)- Tisra Jati Triputa Tala

References

External links

Sivakumar Carnatic Music Archive Geetam collection
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116060619/http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/Homepages/shivkuma/personal/music/varnams/index.html , date=16 January 2009
The Pulijalas
Carnatic music Carnatic music terminology