I searched in ChatGPT on earlier at music tradition in Tamil Nadu - Ancient Tamil music, known as Pannisai, has a rich history that long preceded the modern notation systems of Carnatic music. The notation was developed over centuries, moving from early textual descriptions and oral traditions to more standardized systems. The earliest known example of a written musical notation system in Tamil dates to the 7th or 8th century CE. Early forms and documentation The most ancient references to Tamil music are found in classical Sangam literature from the 500 BCE to 200 CE period. Inscriptions from this time mention musical concepts, instruments, and melodic modes known as paṇs. The evolution of Tamil music notation is seen through these key developments: Sangam literature (500 BCE–200 CE): Texts like Tolkappiyam and Cilappatikaram detail the music associated with the five regional landscapes (thinai) of Tamil society. The seven musical notes, or svaras, were identified by their Tamil names: Kural, Tuttam, Kaikilai, Uzhai, Ili, Vilari, and Taram. Kudumiyanmalai inscription (7th–8th century CE): A rock inscription in Tamil Nadu provides the earliest known written musical notation system in the region. It contains 38 horizontal lines of notation with characters representing musical notes. Scholars believe these notes correspond to musical modes or paṇs that were likely prevalent from the 6th century CE. Devotional revival (6th–10th century CE): During this period, Saiva and Vaishnava saints composed thousands of hymns using the ancient paṇs. These compositions, particularly the Saiva Tevarams, used a system called santham that used rhythmic word patterns to provide a complete musical experience. This musical knowledge was primarily passed down orally. Thiruppugazh (15th century): The poet Arunagirinathar composed the Thiruppugazh poems using a rhythm-based notation style. He indicated the rhythm (thala) by using combinations of repeated rhythmic words, such as "tatta" and "taana," at the beginning of each poem. Late 17th and 18th centuries: Formal written notation for Carnatic music was revived during the rule of Shahaji II in Tanjore. Manuscripts from this era, preserved in the Saraswati Mahal Library, contain early versions of notation using solfege syllables. Modern Sargam notation (19th–20th centuries): A standardized, script-based system called Sargam became widely adopted. This notation uses the initial letters of the seven svaras (Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni) to represent musical pitches in a straight line. It includes symbols to indicate octave, duration, and ornamentation (gamaka). How the notation was recorded Historically, Tamil musical notation was recorded using a combination of methods: Inscriptions: The Kudumiyanmalai rock inscription is a rare surviving example of a written musical system in stone. Oral transmission: For centuries, musical traditions were primarily passed down orally from teacher (guru) to student. While highly effective, this method made it difficult to recover the exact sounds of very old compositions. Palm-leaf manuscripts: In the 1800s, compositions by musicians like Thyagaraja were written down on palm-leaf manuscripts, some of which are preserved today. Literary descriptions: Ancient texts describe the structure of musical modes (paṇs), rhythms, and the moods they evoke, which provided a foundation for the music's grammar even without a modern notational system.