Module 2: A short history · Lesson 2

From treatises to Purandara Dasa

◐ Confidence: medium Last verified: 12 Oct 2026

The Sangita Ratnakara (13th century)

By the 13th century a major treatise had gathered together the older ideas: the Sangita Ratnakara by Sarngadeva, written under King Simhana of the Yadava dynasty at Devagiri, in what is now Maharashtra. It covers the notes, microtones, ragas and talas of its time. Both Carnatic and Hindustani traditions treat it as an authoritative text, which is why it appears in both histories.

From scales to families of ragas (16th century)

Over time, theorists looked for ways to organise a growing number of ragas. In 1550 Ramamatya wrote the Svaramelakalanidhi , which sorts ragas under 20 parent scales (called melas). It is an early step towards the idea of parent and derived ragas that you will meet in the raga module.

The Vijayanagara era

The Vijayanagara Empire (14th to 17th centuries) governed much of South India. Its court and temples supported the arts, and Kannada-speaking devotional singers known as Haridasas composed songs in their own language.

Purandara Dasa

The best known Haridasa is Purandara Dasa, who died in 1564. He is celebrated as someone who gave Carnatic music a method of teaching. The graded exercises and simple songs that students start with, such as Sarali varisai and gitams , are traditionally credited to him, including the use of the raga Mayamalavagowla for first lessons. Because of this he is given the title Sangita Pitamaha by many musicologists.

How to remember this period

• 13th century: a great summary of older theory (the Sangita Ratnakara).
• 1550: an early system of 20 parent scales.
• 16th century: Purandara Dasa builds a teaching path that is still followed.

Next, the system gets its famous 72-parent form.