What is the history of Tan sen?

Answer 1

"Where the genius of Tansen sat at Sadhana... symbolising the endeavour of the individual artist and the fusion of two cultures - Hindu and Muslim, to enrich Indian Art."
Music is the base of life. Without music life is devoid of the colours. The emotions and sentiments in life finds expression in music. Music was born with the birth of the Universe. In India music is there in its veins and in the life line of its society. In the Indian mythology special place has been given to the musicians and even God are addicted to music. Music provides the relationship between God and Human beings.

In India the musicians create the effect of seasons through ragas, the feelings of the seasons are incorporated in the ragas. One such musician was the legendary "Tansen". He was said to have performed miracles with his ragas. He painted pictures, brought rains, lighted fire with his singing. One of the stories about him goes that while watching birds in the jungle he noticed that by the whistling of birds in the dusk twigs caught fire. Tansen then experimented with ragas and formulated the raga Deepak. This raga when sung caused fire in the area of performance. During this time Akbar was the Emperor and his rivals forced Tansen to sing the raga so that every thing gets burnt. But Tansen asked for some time and in the mean while he taught a lady the raga to bring rains. This was raga Megha Malhar.

On the fixed day when Tansen was performing every thing got heated up. the lamps started glowing but nothing caught fire. This was because the lady was singing Megha Malhar which brought rains to douse off the fire. Such was the magic of Tansen who could alter the course of nature with his ragas. India has produced masters like Tansen.

Answer 2

Tan Sen became a court musician for the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556-1605). Tan Sen made attempts to bring Hindu and muslim music styles together. He created the ragas Miyan ki Malhar and Darbari.

There are numerous popular accounts of Tansen's musical abilities. It is said that he could charm the beasts of the forest with his singing. Another story existing in variant accounts tells of how the Emperor ordered him to sing the rare raga Dipak—the raga of fire. Tansen, fearing for the consequences, demurred, but when the Emperor insisted and he began to sing, his body began to be consumed with fever. One version has Tansen having to sing immersed in the river up to his neck to prevent his being consumed by fire; another has him having to sing the raga which he is said to have created for the rainy season (Miyan ki Malhar) immediately afterwards to bring down the horrific fever generated by the previous raga.

Tansen was also said to have had 2 wives; one Hindu and one Muslim. At least one of his sons Bilas Khan became a musician.

http://www.multied.com/WH1400-1900/Art/TanSenCourtMusician.html
http://www.mughalgardens.org/html/music10.html

Answer 3

Profile
One of the legendary figures in the history of Indian Classical Music, Tansen was the court musician in the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Almost every Gharana try to trace their origin to Tansen, though some try to go further back to Amir Khusro himself. But, it is likely that Tansen and his guru Swami Haridas really started Drupad style of singing.
Tansen was born near Gwalior to Mukund Mishra, a poet, in 1520. He was interested in music from an early age and leanrned under Swami Haridas of Brindaban and later under Mohammed Ghaus.

Tansen served as the court musician to King Ramachandra of Mewa and then later to Emperor Akbar as one of the Navarathas (nine jewels). Stories and legends about Tansen's musical powers abound, including the ones which say how he was able to create rain by singing rag Megh or light a lamp by singing rag Deepak. He was given the title Mian by emperor akbar and usually Tansen is referred thus.

Tansen is credited with creating many ragas like Mian-ki-Malhar and Darbari Kanhra. He also composed several hundred drupad bandishes.

There is some controversy regarding conversion of Tansen to Islam. Some beleive he was converted to Islam while some others think that out of great respect Akbar had for Tansen, he left him alone.

Tansen's son Bilas Khan, became a famous musician himself and created the Raga Bilaskhani Todi. Saraswati Devi, the daughter became a famous dhrupad singer.