Tansen

Tansen, who was a contemporary of the Mughal Emperor, Akbar, is the symbol of the supreme achievements of Indian music. He was not only a great performer but also a great composer and musicologist. He was a pioneer who opened up new vistas by breaking down the conventions of Jatis and Ragas.

Indian music had no system of notations and therefore there is no way of knowing how a musician of yore performed. If Tansen is still a living influence today, it is because of his original compositions of everlasting appeal like Miyan Ki Malhar, Darbari Kanada and Miyan Ki Todi. Dhrupad which was becoming popular at that time was also enriched by Tansen's genius.

The legends about Tansen's ability to start a fire with his singing of the Raga Deepak or to bring down rains with the Raga Megh Malhar may not bear scrutiny of science. But they certainly contain the seed of truth about the immense potentialities of music if invoked by one like Tansen.