The Music
Carnatic music — the breath behind every dance
No classical dance in South India moves without music. At VSB Kalakshetra, the two are learned together, as they always have been.
Why It Matters
Ragas shape every expression; talas measure every step
Carnatic music is one of the world's oldest living melodic systems. Its ragas are not merely scales but moods — a dancer's bhava is impossible without them. Its talas are mathematical yet flowing, giving classical dance its architecture: every adavu, every korvai, every jati lands within the cycle.
For the dancer, learning music is not optional — it is the language of abhinaya. For the listener, it is a complete art in itself: an alapani that can hold a hall in silence, a kriti of the Trinity that carries centuries of devotion.
This is why music sits at the heart of VSB Kalakshetra. Guru Sri V. S. Janardhanan — a degree holder in Music from the Music College, Chennai, and a vocalist who has performed on more than 20,000 stages — teaches music as the first art, the way his father taught him at the age of two and a half.
What you can learn here
Vocal and instrumental traditions — from the concert stage to the temple drums of Kerala.
Vocal Carnatic Music
The foundation of everything we teach. From varisai and geetham to varnam and kriti — students build voice, sruti discipline and a lifelong bond with the ragas.
Violin
The voice of melody in every Carnatic concert and every dance recital. Sri Janardhanan began violin at the age of eight and accompanies leading dancers to this day.
Veena
The instrument of the goddess Saraswati herself — taught in the classical style, with its deep, resonant gamakas.
Mridangam & Maddalam
The drums that carry the tala. Maddalam holds the pulse of Panchavadyam and Kathakali; mridangam drives Carnatic rhythm.
Edakka
Kerala's hourglass drum, soft as a heartbeat, central to temple rituals and the Melam traditions of Thrissur.
Music for dance, sung by a master
Sri Janardhanan has provided vocal accompaniment for Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi and Kathakali performances, and has sung for and composed music for numerous renowned dancers of Kerala. His devotional album "Ambadikkannan" and many of his dance productions have been released on CD by Sargam Music, Magna Music and Great Music.
Come listen, come learn