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The sprawling metropolis of Hyderabad is the capital of the Southern Indian state of Telangana.

Once an ocean route to India was discovered, emigres from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa were drawn to the southern shores. This region is especially diverse and refreshingly tolerant of the numerous cultures and subcultures that flourish. The influence of all that diversity is still evident in many aspects of Southern Indian life, from food to the arts. Music The classical music style of Southern India is called Carnatic, which does not use sheet music. The musicians use improvisation, similar to how jazz musicians riff during solos, to play the thousands of songs and melodies passed down through generations. Since 1927, every November, a nine-week music festival has been held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, where amateur and professional musicians gather to perform Carnatic music. The Chennai Music Season has been called the world’s largest—and probably longest—cultural event.

Indian

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