Thansen is a legendary symbol of classical Indian music. Heralded as one of the greatest musicians of all times, Tansen was also a pioneer who opened up new avenues in song and composition by breaking down the convention of the traditional jatis and ragas of Hindustani classical music. He was not only a great performer, but also a highly accomplished composer and musicologist. Tansen found great patronage in the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and came to be renowned as one of the “nine game” of his court.

Indian music had no system of notations and therefore there is no way of knowing how musicians performed in the past. Tansen is still a living influence today because of his original composition like Miyan Ki Malhar, Darbari Kanada, Miyan Ki Todi and Dhrupad, which are everlasting in their appeal and are enriched by Tansen’s typical genius.

The legends of Tansen’s ability to start a fire with his rendition of the raga Deepak or to bring down rains with Raga Megh Malhar may not bear scrutiny of science perhaps. But they certainly contain a seed of truth about the immense potentialities of music, it invoked by geniuses like Tansen.