A pallavi is a

refrain A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeated in poetry or in music">poetry.html" ;"title="Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeat ...

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 ...

, commonly associated with South India. It is the first part of any formal composition (

Krithi A ''kriti'' () is a form of musical composition in the Carnatic music literature. The Sanskrit common noun ''Kriti'' means 'creation' or 'work'. A kriti forms the mental backbone of any typical Carnatic music concert and is the longer format o ...

) which has three segments – Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam (which can be one or more). Pallavi is usually also an abbreviation of Ragam Thanam Pallavi. It is considered as the opening verse of Varnam.

Other uses

Pallavi in

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 ...

is used as an adjective or a verb with appropriate suffix to denote a small and tender red-coloured leaf of a plant or a tendril.Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit
Spokensanskrit.de. Retrieved on 23 February 2017.

References

Carnatic music Carnatic music terminology {{India-music-stub