Carnatic Music Quiz

To teach and learn Indian classical music
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Varsha19
Posts: 2
Joined: 08 Jan 2021, 14:51

Carnatic Music Quiz

Post by Varsha19 »

Namaskaram Dear Rasikas,

I am new to rasikas.org, so this is my first post. I have previously organised some Quizzes on Carnatic Music, and here are some questions which have been taken. Those who are interested can please email their answers to me at- varshav1903@gmail.com . I will be posting quizzes like this every month or so, and I'd really like people to participate.

Please find the quiz questions given below -

1. What is special about the number 72 in Carnatic Music ?

2.This former Diamond Merchant composed a lot of the basic lessons and compositions that we all learn, and he is credited with creating all the Soolaadi Saptha Talams that we all learn. Whom are we talking about here ?

3. Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s brother Baluswami Dikshitar introduced a certain Western instrument in Carnatic music, which is seen in almost every concert. Which instrument is this ?

4. The kriti ‘Sri Venkata Girishamalokaye’, composed by Muthuswamy Dikshitar in the ragam Surutti, is about Lord Venkatesha of Tirupati. The lyrics of the Pallavi of this song are - ‘Sri Venkata Girishamaalokaye Vinayaka Turagaarudham’.Here, whom does Vinayaka refer to ?

5. In this famous composition of Thyagaraja, Lord Rama is described using his thousand names or the 'Rama Sahasranama' , but without even using a single verb. Which composition is this ?

6. Theoretically speaking, if Paras is Mayamalavagowlai without the Suddha Rishabam (R1) in the Arohanam, then what is Todi without the Suddha Rishabam (R1) in the Arohanam ?

7. Fill in the blank - Kambodhi, Harikambodhi, Yadukula Kambodhi, _______ kambodhi.

8. What is the name of the Lalgudi Pancharatnam in the ragam Bhairavi ?

9. This song in the Ragam Poornachandrika has been featured in the Tamil Movie 'Unnal Mudiyum Thambi'. Little do people know that this is an actual Carnatic Kriti, composed by Sri Patnam Subramanya Iyer. Which kriti are we talking about here ?

10. In Carnatic Music, there are multiple compositions written by different composers, which start with the same words. For example - Muthuswamy Dikshitar's Akhilandeshwari in the ragam Dwijavanti and Shyama Shastri's Akhilandeshwari in the ragam Karnataka Kapi. Sri Harikeshanallur Mutthaiah Bhagavatar has composed a kriti in the ragam Mohanakalyani, which starts with the same words as a Muthuswamy Dikshitar kriti in Chamaram (Shanmugapriya). Which kriti is this ?

That is all for now ! You can please email your answers to varshav1903@gmail.com. Looking forward to seeing the replies of other ardent rasikas ! :-) I shall post the answers here in a week or two.

Varsha19
Posts: 2
Joined: 08 Jan 2021, 14:51

Re: Carnatic Music Quiz

Post by Varsha19 »

Namaskaram Dear Rasikas,

It has been a week since I have posted this quiz, and since then, I've received numerous responses, and everyone has done extremely well ! It is time to reveal the answers ! Here are the answers for the quiz -

1. 72 Melakartha Ragams
2. Purandara Dasa
3. Violin
4. Garuda
5. Jagadananda Karaka
6. Desiyatodi
7. Chenchukambodhi
8. Lalithe Sri Pravruddhe
9. Panchanadeesha Pahimam
10. Siddhi Vinayakam

Thank you very much for taking part in this quiz ! Hope you enjoyed it !

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