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Tansen |
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Tansen who lived from 1494 or 1506 to 1586 or 1589 was probably the greatest composer musician in Hindustani classical music that ever lived. He was known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab (of Central Asian origin). He was one of the nine jewels (Navaratnas) at the Mughal Emperor Akbar's court. Born Ramtanu Pandey, Akbar gave him the title Miyan (an honorific, can mean learned man, uncle, etc.)
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Tansen was born at a time when a number of Persian and Central Asian motifs were fusing with Indian classical music. Tansen's influence created the Hindustani classical music genre enriched by descendants and disciples in the succeeding years. Almost all gharanas of Hindustani classical music claim some connection with the Tansen lineage.
Tansen was born into a Hindu Brahmin family, most probably in the village Behat near Gwalior. Makrand Ram Pandey his father was a poet and also an accomplished musician, who was for some time also a temple priest in Varanasi. Tansen's name as a child was Ramtanu. Legend has it that Tansen used to imitate animal calls and birdsong.
Tansen was Swami Haridas, the legendary composer from Vrindavan's disciple and specialized in the dhrupad style of singing. From Haridas, Tansen acquired not only his love for dhrupad but also his interest in compositions in the local language. Tansen was also spiritually mentored by Ghaus. The earlier training with Swami Haridas in the Bhakti tradition and the interaction with Ghaus in the Sufi tradition led to a fusion of these streams in the work of Tansen. Tansen was also influenced by other singers in the Gwalior court. With passage of time, Tansen reached Akbar's court or darbar who conferred on him the title of “Miyan”. Tansen's blood descendants known as the Senia gharana enjoyed considerable prestige in musical circles for many centuries.
In musical influence, Tansen can be compared only to prolific Sufi composer Amir Khusro (1253 to 1325), and to bhakti tradition composers such as Haridas or Kabir. Many of Tansen's raga compositions are mainstays of the Hindustani tradition e.g. Miyan ki Mand, Miyan ki Sarang, Miyan ki Todi, Miyan ki Malhar, Darbari Kanada, Darbari Todi and Rageshwari. Tansen's raga compositions by many a worthy artist are at albums of India.
Among the legends about Tansen is one about bringing down the rains with Raga Megh Malhar and starting fires with legendary raga Deepak]. Other legends talk of his ability to bring wild animals to listen with attention (or to talk their language).
Tansen was buried in the mausoleum complex of his Sufi guru Shaykh Muhammad Ghaus in Gwalior and every year in December, an annual festival, the Tansen Samaroh, is held in Gwalior to celebrate a phenomenon that can only be called “Tansen”.
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