A brief history of Indian Classical Music

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BY DALIA RAHUT ON MAY 3, 2012TWITTER

One cannot say exactly when and how music came into existence.
However, history of Indian music can be broadly divided into three
periods: Ancient , Medieval and Modern .

Ancient Period means the Vedic Age which covered upto around 2000 B.C.
Vedic literature says that during those times the sages used to sing and their
wives used to play instruments like Veena. Amongst the four Vedic scriptures,
Samved was primarily music based. The matras in Samved were recited in
vocal form and were known as Samgan. In Samgan three types of swar i.e
tone used were, Anudatta(low pitch), Udatya(high pitch)
and Swarit ( between low and high pitches).
The age of Ramayana and Mahabharata is considered to be the golden age of
Gandarbha music. Possibly during this era, the seven swars known as Sa, Re,
Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni came into being. The seven swars, their root words and
scriptural dieties are given below:
Swar Root Word Deity

SA Swaraj God Agni

RE Rishav God Brahma

Goddess
GA Gandhar Saraswati

MA Madhyam God Shiva

PA Panchama God Vishnu

DHA Dhaibat God Ganesha

NI Nishad God Surya

In the post Vedic era, music was practiced during the Buddhist period. Even
during the Maurya period, music was popular as evident from references in
Mautilyas famous treatise , Arthashastra.
Vatsayan during 200 B.C asserted Indian music to be a total and unique
assimilation of three aspects:
Geetam : vocal music i.e an expression of emotions through tune(vocal)
Vadyam : Percussion instrument music for the rythmic values of music
Nrityam : Dance- visualization with different physical or organic movements
Medieval period
From 7th to the 13th century AD, Indian music played a key role in India and
outside. In 7th century AD, Indian music was used to popularize the Hindu
philosophy and religious ideas. Many scholarly books on music were written;
mention should be made of Jaidevs Gitogobindo and sarangdevs Sangeet
Ratnakar.
Between the 9th and 12th centuries, Indian classical music saw marked
qualitative improvement. From the 11th century onwards when India saw
many advances by the Muslims from middle-east, it influenced Indian music
greatly. Gradually North Indian Music evolved as a separate stream under
their influence.

During Alauddin Khiljees time (1296-1316) the famed Amir Khusro reigned
supreme as a musical genius. It is said that he was the first to use Tabla and
Sitar as percussion instruments and created new Ragas and introduced vocal
music like Kawali and Tarana. Raja Man Singh(1486-1518) reigned the
kingdom of Gwalior and his patronage gave birth to Gwalior Gharana as a
distinct style of Indian music. With the help of the then musicologists, he is
said to have penned Mankuthul. During that era, devotional songs in India
music reached its peak with the marvelous songs of Kabir(1405AD), Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu(1486 AD) and Mirabai(1500 AD).
King Akbar(15556-1605AD) was a keen lover of music and patronized
maestros like Nayak Bakru, Tansen, Tantarang Gopal etc in his court. Tansen
before conversion to Islamic religion was known as Tanna Mishra. His siblings
and pupils were clubbed under a gharana ( a seperate style of Indian music)
known as Saini gaharana, synonymous with their legendary guru Tansen.
He is claimed to have created Ragas in Indian Music like Tansen darbari
Kanar, Miakisarang, Miamalhar etc.

During Akbars time, Tulsidas(1584 AD) penned the famous Ramcharit Manas.
Musical genius like Bilash Khan, Chattar Khan, Makku Khan delighted the
court of Jahangir(1605-1627 AD). King Shahjahan(1627-1658 AD) patronized
musicians like Dirang Khan, Tal Khan, Bilas Khan(son of Tansen) etc.

One cannot deny that the Mughal rulers contributed substantially to the
development of Indian Classical music in their own way. In fact, Kheyal and
also Toppa originated during their regime.

Modern period started from the end of the eighteenth century. This period
saw the gradual overthrowing of the Muslim rulers by the British who were
indifferent to Indian culture and particularly classical music. This led to the
decline of the court sponsored Musicians. Consequently, the musicians kept
their knowledge and practice to themselves confining it within their own
family members.Music became a vehicle of entertainment and was looked
down upon in society. This trend continued till the middle of the 19th century.
During this period, the most notable music lover amongst the weakened
Muslim stat rulers was Wajid Ali Shah, Nawab of Ayodhya. He was dethroned
by the British and sent to jail in Calcutta(Metiaburz). Wajid brought along with
him a large number of poets and musicians. He penned many kheyal and
thumri songs.
The beginning of 20th century saw the revival of Indian classical music.
Amongst those who contributed to this revival, the names of Pt. Bishnu
Digambar paluskar, Pt. Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhananda need special mention.
The process of notation in music invented by Bhatkhanadaji is now followed
by Hindustani classical musicians.

The 20th century witnessed a galaxy of brilliant Indian Classical musicians

like Ustad Faiz Khan, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, Ustad Amir Khan, Ustad Bade
Ghulam Ali Khan, Pandit Onkarnath Tahkur, Biswadeb Chottopadhyaha,
Tarapada Chakravarty, Ustad Alauddin Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, UStad
Enayat Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit V.G Jyog etc.

The legacy left behind by these legendary figures is still nourished carefully
by many ardent students of music in the country.

Ramayana and music

The first Indian epic, Ramayana, was composed by the sage Valmiki. It was written in shloka form. The
word shloka refers to a particular kind of metrical composition known for its brevity, easy tempo and
lilting rhyme.

From the lavish use of musical metaphors in the epic, it is evident that the precise concept of music or
sangeet had been adequately established and appreciated. For example, when Rama describes
Kishkindha, Sugreeva's kingdom, to Laxmana, he refers to the lute-like resonance of the bees, the
rhythmic croaking of frogs and the mridang-like sounds of clouds. Rama was an expert in gandharva,
the 'classical' music of the time.

The term Marga sangeet is also used in the epic to denote the accepted and prestigious mode of music.
There were three important features of Marga Sangeet. It was created and propagated by Brahma and
other deities. It was not meant for entertainment. It was presented before the Gods to please them.

The epic tells us that musical instruments were collectively mentioned as atodya. Four major types of
instruments were identified. A wide variety of instruments were used such as the Veena, Venu, Vansha,
Shankha, Dundubhi, Bheri, Mridang, Panav and Pataha.

The knowledge of music was widespread. Ravana the demon-leader was proficient in music. So was
Sugreeva, the monkey-leader. Occasions of festival music were known as samaj. There were professional
classes of musicians such as Bandi, Soota, Magadha and others, whose repertoire included songs in
praise of heroes, their deeds, their clans or dynasties.

Ramayana, as an oral epic, was also propagated according to the musical

norms perfected in the oral tradition. This was the pathya mode of music
making, ideal for narration. This was the form employed by Rama's sons Kush
and Lava, when they sang a narrative song in Rama's praise at his court
accompanied by only a lute. Even today, the story of Rama, when
traditionally narrated in India in different languages and regions, follows the
norms laid down by the ancient Sage.
The use of technical terms in popular literature signifies that knowledge in the concerned field of study is
widespread in society. Musical terms such as pramana, laya, tala, samatala , kala , matra and shamya
regularly feature in the epic.

Pathya sangeet

Pathya in Indian musicology describes a special mode of making music. Bharata laid down six main
features of Pathya:

1) seven notes (saptaswara)

2) three basic locations for tone-production (sthanas)
3) four fundamental ways of empowering tonal arrangements (varnas)
4) two basic intonation modes (kakus)
5) six embellishments (alankaras)
6) six aspects (angas).

Pathya sangeet was not expected to entertain. Its aim was to inform and instruct. Even today wandering
musicians create Pathya sangeet.

Mahabharata and music

Krishnadvaipayana Vyasa composed the epic Mahabharata in 24000 shlokas. There is less about music in
the Mahabharata than in the Ramayana. Possibly human life had become more complex and problem-
ridden during the time of the Mahabharata, leaving less time for music.

Mahabharata used the term gandharva instead of sangeet. The epic therefore referred to a more specific
kind of music. Musicology, or the science of music was called gandharvashastra. Superhuman beings
called Gandharvas were the expert practitioners of this music. Both gandharvas and their consorts, the
apsaras were experts in singing, playing musical instruments and dancing.

Arjuna, one of the heroes in the Mahabharata had learnt these musical arts from Chitrasen gandharva.
Kings maintained their own music schools to train princesses and their maids-in-waiting in the
performing arts.

The names of the seven basic musical notes (shadja) have been clearly
mentioned in the Mahabharata, which was composed around 400 BC. The epic
therefore bears testimony to the long living tradition of Indian Classical music.

The use of music in festivals and other social occasions brings out the
importance given to music in human life. There were, in fact, many classes of
professional musicians like the gandharvas who catered to various musical and
cultural needs.

Music in Buddhist literature

Valuable insights into the evolution of music can also be gained from Buddhist literature and sculpture in
India and in the countries to which the religion spread. In basic religious texts like Thergatha and
Therigatha language was used in a way conducive to music making.

Jatakas are stories written in Pali around 300 BC about the previous births of Buddha. The jatakas
describe Buddhist monks singing and dancing to the accompaniment of instruments like the veena,
vepamei, tunak and panak. They contain a wealth of material of musicological interest.

Sculptures based on Buddhist lore are a major source of information on music. Sculptures in Bharhut
(200-150 BC) and Sanchi confirm that music flourished during the Buddhist period in spite of theological
opposition. The opposition was because music was seen as a distraction.

Music in Jain sources

Jain literary sources interpret the prevalent music in important periods in

Indian cultural history. Both Buddhist and Jain sources often focus on
those strata of society otherwise not described in Sanskrit texts. Hence it
is critical to examine the Jain sources. At the same time, many terms are
clearly derived from the Sanskrit tradition indicating an overall musical
continuity.

For example, the Sthanangsootra lists the merits and demerits of vocalists. Interestingly, these nearly
tally with Naradiya-shiksha. Jain texts list many instruments not mentioned elsewhere. Rayappasenaijja
lists instruments in 18 classes. In all 63 instruments are itemised- bhambha, mukund, machal, kadamb
and many others. Buddhist and Jain texts cover a wider gamut than the Sanskrit texts and very often
include instruments used in folk music.