![]() ![]() ![]() Subsequently, independent rulers who took over the erstwhile Vijayanagara empire, such as the Nayaks of Madurai, Tanjore and Gingee, also promoted singing in Telugu over other languages when it came to Carnatic music. In the 15th century, Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara empire was a patron of Telugu songs. This was done, according to Sriram, to make sure Telugu, which is believed to be the first language in which Carnatic songs were penned and performed, maintained its position. Even in Carnatic music compilations, Sriram points out that the Tamil songs were found towards the end of books like Sangeetha Parijaatam and Gayaka Lochanam, under a section titled ‘chillarai’, which translates to loose change, or ‘Tukkada’, meaning miscellaneous, minor or insignificant parts. ![]() Tamil songs were rarely performed at concerts. Not considered musical enoughīefore the Tamil Isai movement started, many Carnatic musicians and audiences alike, felt that the language – with its words ending in consonants like ‘Ik’, ‘ip’, ‘ich’ – was not suitable for music. Before the early 1940s, Tamil was not considered to be as musical a language as its counterparts – namely, Telugu, Sanskrit and Kannada. But during the heritage walk at Raja Annamalai Mandram, V Sriram explains how this wasn’t always the case. Listening to devotional songs like Thevaram, Nalayira Divya Prabandham and renditions of Bharathiyar’s poems, one would think it was safe to say that Tamil language and literature has always been a cardinal part of Carnatic music. It has fiercely opposed Hindi imposition Bills, and the preservation of Tamil language, literature and identity has been central to its political ideologies as well as ethos. After all, Tamil Nadu has produced legendary poets like Thiruvalluvar, Ilango Adigal and Subramania Bharati, among others. It might seem strange that the state needed a movement to promote Tamil as a musical language. ![]()
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