Some of the important forms of Carnatic music are: Gitam, Suladi, Svarajati, Jatiswaram, Varnam, Kirtanam, Kriti, Pada, Javali, Thillana Pallavi and Tanam.
- GITAM
- Gitam is the simplest type of composition. Taught to the beginners of music, the gitam is very simple in construction, with an easy and melodious flow of music. The music of this form is a simple melodic extension of the raga in which it is composed. The theme of the song is usually devotional, though there are a few gitas in the praise of musical luminaries and Acharyas.
- SULADI
- Very much like the gitam in musical structure and arrangement, the Suladis are of a higher standard than the gitam. The Suladi is a talamalika, the sections being in different talas. The sahitya syllables are fewer than in the gitas and there is a profusion of vowel extensions. The theme is devotional. Suladis are composed in different tempos vilambita, madhya and druta. Purandaradasa has composed many Suladis.
- SVARAJATI
- This is learnt after a course in gitams. More complicated than the gitas, the Svarajati paves way for the learning of the Varnams. It consists of three sections, called Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam. The theme is devotional, heroic or amorous. It originated as a dance form with jatis (tala, solfa syllables like taka tari kita naka tatin Gina tam) tagged on. But later, Syama Sastri, one among the Musical Trinity, composed svarajatis without jatis, which are brilliant concert pieces, noted for their musical value
- Thumri is a style of Hindustani music. Thumri and Tappa are popular types heard in concerts. The thumri is very lyrical in its structure and presentation. These forms are termed as ‘semi’ or ‘light’ classical. Thumri is a love song and hence the textual beauty is very important. This is closely coordinated with the musical rendition. And keeping in mind its mood, a thumri is usually set to ragas like Khamaj, Kaphi, Bhairavi and so on, and the musical grammar is not strictly adered to. There are two styles of thumri singing: the Poorab or Banaras, which is fairly slow and staid and the Punjab style, which is more mercurial. Rasoolan Devi and Siddheshwari Devi are prominent musicians of this style.
