Tansen (born c. 1500, Behata or Gwalior, India—buried 1586/89, Gwalior) was an 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 1500—some sources have the date as early as 1492 or as late as 1520—in Gwalior, possibly in the nearby village of Behata. He is said to have been a follower of the poet and musician Swami Haridas and served in the court of Rewa.
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” (“fire”). The raga was rarely performed, because it was believed to have the potential to generate such heat that its singer 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 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.
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.