Mudra (music)
# Mudra (music)

A mudra (IAST: Mudrā; Sanskrit for sign or symbol) is a term woven into compositions in Indian classical music, particularly Carnatic music, that indicates the identity of the composer, a patron, the raga, tala, or style. A composer might use his own name or a pseudonym. Not all composers have mudras, and they do not necessarily relate to the composer's name.

## Etymology

A mudra is a pen name, nom de plume, or pseudonym adopted by a musician to serve as their sign of authorship in a musical composition. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise their gender, to distance an author from some or all of their previous works, to protect the author from retribution for their writings, to combine more than one author into a single author, or for any of a number of reasons related to the marketing or aesthetic presentation of the work. The author's name may be known only to the publisher, or may come to be common knowledge.

All most every time, the penname is inserted in the wordings of the composition or poem in a artistically meaningful way.

## List of Mudras used by Musicians

### Hindustani Musicians

| Mudra (English) | Mudra (Devanagari) | Musician | Translation | Gharana | Details |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Adā-ranga | अदारंग | Firoz Khān of Delhi | "Colors of Grace." | Seniya Qawwal Bacche | 18th-century dhrupadiya in Rangile's Court. |
| Ashiq-rang | आशिक रंग | Mir Saleh | "Colors of Lover | Qawwal Bacche | |
| Achpal | अच्पल | Sheikh Ajmal Khan Sahab | | Qawwal Bacche | Bahadur Shah Zafar Teacher |
| Abhī-raṅga | अभीरंग | Abhijith Shenoy Kerki | "Colors of fearlessness." | Gwalior, Agra, Atrauli | |
| Ālama | आलम | Ālamara Begum Khāsmahal | | | |
| Ahmeda-piyā | अहमदपिया | Alladiya Khan | "Lover of Ahmed." | Jaipur-Atrauli | |
| Akhtara-piyā | अख़्तरपिया | Wajid Ali Shah | | | |
| Amara, Amara-piyā | अमर, अमरपिया | Aman Ali Khan | | Bhendi-Bazaar | |
| Amaradāsa, Amara-piyā | अमरदास, अमरपिया | Navrang Nagpurkar | | Bhendi-Bazaar | |
| Ānanda | आनन्द | Pralhad Ganu | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Ananga-raṅga | अनंगरंग | Acharya Brihaspati | | | |
| Azīza-piyā | अज़ीजपिया | Mehboob Baksh Khan | | Agra | |
| Bhāva-raṅga | भावरंग | Balwantrai Bhatt | | Gwalior | |
| Bindā | बिन्दा | Bindadin Maharaj | | Lucknow | |
| Chakra-piyā | चक्रपिया | Chakradhar Singh | | | |
| Chānda-piyā | चान्दपिया | Chand Khan | | Delhi | |
| Chatura, Chatura Pandit | चतुर, चतुरपण्डित | Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande | | Rampur | |
| Chita-Ānanda | चित-आनन्द | Chidanand Nagarkar | "Elated consciousness." | Agra | |
| Darasa-piyā | दरसपिया | Mehboob Khān of Agra | | Agra | |
| Darasa-piyā | दरसपिया | Shafi Ahmed Khān of Atrauli | | Atrauli | |
| Darpaṇa | दर्पण | Yunus Hussain Khan | "Mirror." | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Deva-raṅga | देवरंग | Daibashish Gangopadhyay | "Divine Colors." | | Musician, Composer, Music director |
| Dhyāna-raṅga-piyā | ध्यानरंगपिया | Mani Prasad | | Kirana | |
| Dila-raṅga | दिलरंग | Azmat Hussain Khan | "Colors of the Heart." | Khurja, Atrauli | |
| Dina-raṅga | दिनरंग | Dinkar Kaikini | "Colors of the Day." | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Gaan-guni | गान-गुणी | B.Krishna Bhat | | Gwalior |
| Gauhara, Gauharapyari | गौहर, गौहरप्यारी | Gauhar Jaan | | | |
| Guṇa-piyā | गुणपिया | Chhota Gandharva | "Lover of Qualities." | | |
| Guṇa-raṅga | गुणरंग | Fayyaz Ahmad Khan | "Colors of Qualities." | Kirana | |
| Guṇi-dāsa | गुणीदास | Jagganathbuwa Purohit | "Servant of Qualities." | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Guṇi-jāna | गुणीजान | CR Vyas | | Gwalior, Agra, Atrauli | |
| Guṇiye | गुणिये | Vasantrao Kulkarni | | Gwalior, Agra, Atrauli | |
| Guru-raṅga | गुरुरंग | Vrajotsavji Maharaj] | | | |
| Gyāna-raṅga | ज्ञानरंग | Aarshin Karande | | Mewati | |
| Govinda | गोविंद | Govindrao Dantale | | Mewati | |
| Hara-raṅga | हररंग | Muhammad Ali Khan | | | |
| Hara-raṅga | हररंग | Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande | | Rampur | Musicologist. |
| Hari-priyā | हरिप्रिया | Harishchandra Bali | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Hinga-raṅga | हिंगरंग | Hussain Ali Khan | "Colors of Hinga." | Kirana | |
| Ināyata, Ināyata-piyā | इनायत, इनायतपिया | Inayat Hussain Khan | "Lover of Inayat." | Rampur-Sahaswan | |
| Ibrāhīm-piyā | इब्राहीमपिया | Ibrahim Khan of Tonk | | Rampur-Sahaswan | |
| Jasa | जस | Pandit Jasraj | "Glory." | Mewati | |
| Jyōti-raṅga | ज्योतिरंग | Rajaram Shukla | | | |
| Khush-rang | खुशरंग | Ustad Muzaffar Khan | | Sikanderabad Delhi Gharana | |
| Khusha-raṅga | ख़ुशरंग | Aslam Hussain Khan | | Hapur, Khurja | |
| Kharaharapriya-dāsa | खरहरप्रियादास | Bholanath Bhatt | | Benares | |
| Krishṇa-dāsa | कृष्णदास | Master Krishnarao | | Gwalior, Agra, Jaipur-Atrauli, Kirana | |
| Lalana-piyā | ललनपिया | Nandalal Sharma | | | |
| Lāla-raṅga | लालरंग | Chaman Lal Varma | | | |
| Madhura-piyā | मधुरपिया | Gokulotsavji Maharaj | | | |
| Magana | मगन | Chinmoy Lahiri | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Magana-piyā | मगनपिया | Mashiyat Khan | | Agra | |
| Manahara | मनहर | Murli Manohar Shukla | | | |
| Manahara-piyā | मनहरपिया | Abdullah Khan | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Manahara-piyā | मनहरपिया | Prem Prakash Johri | | | |
| Mana-raṅga | मनरंग | Bhupat Khan | | Seniya | |
| Mana-rang | मनरंग | Maste Khan Sheikh Mazhar | | Qawwal Bacche Sikandrabad | |
| Mana-raṅga | मनरंग | Mahawat Khan of Jaipur | | | |
| Manapiya | मनपिया | Pamalka Karunanayake of Sri Lanka | | | |
| Mita-raṅga | मितरंग | Deviprasad Kharwandikar | "Colors of Measure." | | |
| Mohana-piyā | मोहनपिया | Aqeel Ahmed Khan | | Agra | |
| Nāda-piyā | नादपिया | V R Athavale | "Lover of naad." | Gwalior, Agra | |
| Nāda-raṅga | नादरंग | Dilip Chandra Vedi | "Colors of naad." | Patiala, Agra, Atrauli | |
| Nāda-raṅga | नादरंग | Sandeep Ranade | "Colors of naad." | Mewati | |
| Nātha-piyā | नाथपिया | Vilayat Khan | | Etawah | Sitarist. Enayet Khan's Rajput name was "Nath Singh." |
| Niguṇa | निगुण | Neelkanth Abhyankar | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Prāṇa-piyā | प्राणपिया | Vilayat Hussain Khan | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Pranava-raṅga | प्रणवरंग | Omkarnath Thakur | "Colors of Om." | Gwalior | |
| Prema-piyā | प्रेमपिया | Faiyaz Khan | "Lover of Affect." | Agra | |
| Prema-dāsa | प्रेमदास | Latafat Hussain Khan | "Servant of Affect." | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Prema-raṅga | प्रेमरंग | Sharafat Hussain Khan | "Colors of Affect." | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Prema-raṅga | प्रेमरंग | Ratnakar Ramnathkar | "Colors of Affect." | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Qadara-piyā | क़दरपिया | Mirza Bala Qadar of Rampur | | Thumri composer. | |
| Ratana-piyā | रतनपिया | Ata Hussain Khan | | Agra | |
| Rāma-dāsa | रामदास | Zahoor Khan | | Khurja | |
| Rāma-raṅga | रामरंग | Ramashrey Jha | | | |
| Raṅgile | रंगीले | Ramzan Khan | | Rangile Sikandrabad Rangeela Gharana | |
| Rasa-dāsa | रसदास | Arun Kashalkar | | Gwalior, Agra, Atrauli, Jaipur-Atrauli | |
| Rasa-dāsī | रसदासी | Veen Vishwaroop | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Rasa-piyā | रसपिया | Babanrao Haldankar | | Agra, Atrauli, Jaipur-Atrauli | |
| Rasa-raṅga | रसरंग | Bade Inayat Hussain Khan | | Gwalior | |
| Rasa-raṅga | रसरंग | Anwar Hussain Khan | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Rasika-piyā | रसिकपिया | Dhruv Tara Joshi | | | |
| Rasika-raṅga | रसिकरंग | Ashok Ranade | | Gwalior | Musicologist |
| Rasika-raṅga | रसिकरंग | Deepak Chatterjee | | | |
| Razā-piyā | रज़ापिया | Raza Ali Khan | | Patiala | Nawab. |
| Saba-raṅga | सबरंग | Ghulam Abbas Khan | | Agra | |
| Saba-raṅga | सबरंग | Bade Ghulam Ali Khan | | Patiala | |
| Saba-rasa | सबरस | Ghulam Maulvi Khan | | Patiala | |
| Shok-rang | शोक रंग | Bahadur Shah Zafar | | | Last Mughal Emperor |
| Sadā-raṅga | सदारंग | Niyamat Khān of Delhi | | Seniya Qawwal Bacche | Descendant of Tansen, dhrupadiya in Rangile's Court. |
| Saguṇa-piyā | सगुणपिया | Yashpal | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Sajana-piyā | सजनपिया | Khadim Hussain Khan | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Samajh-Dil | समझदिल | Ustad Nazeer Ahmed Khan | | Qawwal Bacche, Delhi Gharana | Nizam's Court Singer |
| Samajha-dila | समझदिल | Enayat Khan | | Etawah, Agra | |
| Sanada-piyā | सनदपिया | Tawakkul Husain Khan of Rampur | | Jaipur | Thumri composer. |
| Sanehī-piyā | सनेहीपिया | Gulam Qadar Khan | | Agra | |
| Sarasa-piyā | सरसपिया | Kale Khan | | Agra | |
| Sarasa-raṅga | सरसरंग | Qayam Khan | | Agra | |
| Shakīla-piyā | शकीलपिया | Nanhe Khan | | Agra | |
| Shōk, Shōka-raṅga | शोक, शोकरंग | Kumar Gandharva | | Gwalior | |
| Shōri, Shōri Miyān | शोरी, शोरी मियाँ | Miyan Ghulam Nabi Shori | | Lucknow | |
| Shubha-raṅga | शुभरंग | Shubhada Paradkar | | | |
| Shyāma-raṅga | श्यामरंग | Dayam Khan | | Agra | |
| Shyāma-raṅga | श्यामरंग | Jitendra Abhisheki | | Atrauli, Khurja | |
| Subha-raṅga | सुभरंग | Shankarlal Mishra | | | |
| Sughara-piyā | सुघरपिया | Bhaiya Ganpatrao | | Gwalior | |
| Sujana-dāsa | सुजनदास | Yashwant Mahale | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Sujanasuta | सुजनसुत | K. G. Ginde | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Sujāna | सुजान | Haji Sujan Khan | | Agra | |
| Sujāna, Sujāna-piyā | सुजान, सुजानपिया | S. N. Ratanjankar | | Agra, Atrauli | |
| Sura-raṅga | सुररंग | Amir Khan | | Indore, Kirana, Bhendi-Bazaar | |
| Taan-Ras | तनरास | Ustad Taanras Khan | | Qawwal Bacche Delhi Gharana | Founder Of Delhi Gharana Last Mughal Singer |
| Tana-raṅga | तनरंग | Vishwanath Rao Ringe | | Gwalior | |
| Vyākul | व्याकुल | Vyakul of Ayodhya | | | Guru of Ramashreya Jha |
| Vedī | वेदी | Dilip Chandra Vedi | "Colors of naad." | Patiala, Agra, Atrauli | |
| Vinōda-piyā | विनोदपिया | Tasadduq Hussain Khan | | Agra | Son of Kallan Khan, Agra Gharana. |
| Vraja-raṅga | व्रजरंग | Vrajotsavji Maharaj | | | |
| Yasha-raṅga | यशरंग | Yeshwantbua Joshi | | Gwalior, Agra, Atrauli | |

### Carnatic Musicians

| Name | Mudra | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| Tallapaka Annamayya | Venkata | |
| Vyasatirtha | Sri Krishna/ Siri Krishna/Krishna | |
| Vadiraja Tirtha | Hayavadana | |
| Sripadaraja | Ranga Vitthala | |
| Jagannatha Dasa | Jagannatha Vitthala | |
| Gopala Dasa | Gopala Vithala | |
| Vijaya Dasa | Vijaya Vithala | |
| Purandara Dasa | Purandara Vitthala | |
| Kanaka Dasa | Adi Keshava | |
| Tyagaraja | Tyagaraja | |
| Shyama Shastri | Shyama Krishna | |
| Muthuswami Dikshitar | Guruguha | Guha is one of the many names of Murugan, the deity at Tirutani, the site of his first composition. |
| Swati Tirunal | PadmanabhaPankajanabha | |
| Bhadrachala Ramadas | Ramadasu | |
| Papanasam Sivan | Ramadasan | |
| Gopalakrishna Bharathi | Balakrishnan, Gopalakrishnan | |
| Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar | Harikesha | |
| Narayana Teertha | Narayana Teertha | |
| Patnam Subramania Iyer | Venkateshwara | |
| Mysore Vasudevacharya | Vasudevā | |
| Mysore V. Ramarathnam | Rāma | |
| M. D. Ramanathan | Varada dasa | |
| M. Balamuralikrishna | HariMurali | |
| Maharajapuram Santhanam | Maharajan | |
| Koteeswara Iyer | Kavi Kunjara dasa | |
| Kshetrayya | Muvva Gopala | |
| Sadashiva Brahmendra swami | Paramahamsa | |
| Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar | Sri Vidya | |
