Bharatiya or Indian Shastriya Sangeet Styles

Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music. The style is sometimes called North Indian classical music or Shastriya Sangeet. It is a tradition that has been evolving since the 12th century CE, in North India. Today, it is one of the two subgenres of Indian classical music, the other being Carnatic music, the classical tradition of South India.

Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern India. It is one of two main subgenres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu traditions, the other subgenre being Hindustani music.

The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gayaki (singing) style.

Although there are stylistic differences, the basic elements of sruti (the relative musical pitch), swara (the musical sound of a single note), raga (the mode or melodic formula), and tala (the rhythmic cycles) form the foundation of improvisation and composition in both Carnatic and Hindustani music. Although improvisation plays an important role, Carnatic music is mainly sung through compositions, especially the kriti or kirtana.

A form developed between the 14th and 20th centuries by the Trinity of Carnatic musician refer to the outstanding trio of composer musicians of Carnatic music being Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri.