12/12/2021, 22:34 Tansen | Biography, Music, & Legends | Britannica

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Tansen
Indian musician and poet

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BY
Alicja Zelazko
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Born:
c.1500 •
Gwalior •
India

Buried:
1586 or 1589 •
India

Inventions:
rabāb

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Tansen, (born c. 1500, Behata or Gwalior, India—buried 1586/89, Gwalior), Indian musician and poet who was
an important figure in the North Indian tradition of Hindustani classical music. He was greatly esteemed for his
dhrupad and raga compositions and for his vocal performances. His renditions of ragas, a musical form intended
to invoke emotion or nature, were said to tame animals and turn day into night, while his voice could replicate the
roar of a lion or the chirp of a bird.

The details of Tansen’s life are shrouded in legend, including his birth name, but he was probably born about
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12/12/2021, 22:34 Tansen | Biography, Music, & Legends | Britannica

1500—some sources have

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as early as 1492 or as late as 1520—inQuizzes
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Tansen Behata. He is said to keyboard_arrow_left

have been a follower of the poet and musician Swami Haridas and served in the court of
Rewa.
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When Tansen was already a mature musician, he joined the court of the Mughal emperor Akbar, who was well
known for his patronage of the arts. Tansen became one of the navratnas (“nine gems”), a collection of the most
talented intellectuals and artists in the court. His skill was honoured with the title Mian (“Master”).

One story of Tansen’s alleged extraordinary gifts begins with Akbar’s request for him to sing the “Raga Deepak”
bolt FAST FACTS
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(“fire”). The raga was rarely performed, because it was believed to have the potential to generate such heat that its
info ADDITIONAL
singer INFO expand_more
could be consumed by fire. Unable to refuse the emperor’s request, however, Tansen prepared by teaching
his daughter, Saraswati, also a skilled musician, the “Raga Megh Malhar” (“clouds”) to accompany his
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12/12/2021, 22:34 Tansen | Biography, Music, & Legends | Britannica

performance. On the day of the recital, Tansen’s singing caused the court to grow hot and erupt in flames.

Fortunately, Saraswati’s synchronized raga summoned the rain, which extinguished the fire and thereby saved
Tansen and the court.

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Although few compositions can be definitively attributed to Tansen, he is thought to have frequently used the
dhrupad form, which praises heroes, gods, and kings. Tansen was also probably an instrumentalist. Claims that
he invented the rabāb, a stringed instrument, and that he wrote several works of music theory, however, are
unsubstantiated.

Tansen died in either 1586 or 1589. Some sources indicate that he was buried according to Muslim custom,
suggesting that the musician may have converted to Islam at one point. Other sources, however, assert that his
burial followed Hindu tradition. In addition to his daughter, several of Tansen’s sons were also musicians. One,
Bilas Khan, allegedly sang a raga with such feeling after his father’s death that the body of Tansen raised its hand
and blessed him. That raga became known as “Raga Bilaskhani Todi” and continues to be performed as a song of
mourning.

Alicja Zelazko

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