Carnatic music,
Karnāṭaka saṃgīta or
Karnāṭaka saṅgītam is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of
India:
Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka,
Kerala, and
Tamil Nadu. It is one of two main subgenres of
Indian classical music that evolved from ancient
Hindu traditions, the other subgenre being
Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form because of Persian and Islamic influences in northern India. 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
gāyaki (singing) style.