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Music
& Dance of India |
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| Culture, in India, although
diverse and varied, still binds the country together in
some form of common identification. Indian dance and music
have played a remarkable role in this unification. India
has a great heritage of classical dance and music. Using
the body as a medium of communication, the expression of
dance is perhaps the most intricate and developed, yet easily
understood art form. Music too plays an important role in
the Hindu religion. The tradition of Indian music should
be understood in the context of Indian life and thought.
It is known to be a mystical experience, analogous to yoga. |
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Music
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| Qawwali |
The
classic Pakistani Qawwali music in its present form goes
back to the 12th century, and the poet as well as composer
Amir. But the qawwali music is perhaps even older. Qawwali,
a sufi and religious music is closely connected to Islam.
It is classic, but not in western meaning of the word.
It is strictly built up in different stages. All with
verse and chorus. The first stages activate the links
with the living spiritual guides, the next with the departed
saints and at last with God (Allah). It is believed that
khayal form of music also originated from the qawwali
style of singing.
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| Folk Music |
The
true rhythm of India lies in its folk music - the music
of the masses. The extreme cultural diversity creates
endless varieties of folk styles. Every event of life
has a unique folk song associated with it - then be it
festivals, advent of the new season, birth of a child,
or day-to-day affairs like teasing one's loved one, admiring
nature, etc. Music is an indispensable component of functions
such as weddings, engagements, and births. There is a
surfeit of songs for such occasions. The Indian folk music
has today reached out to touch the hearts of masses across
the globe with its melodious rhythm and endless energy.
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| Ghazal |
Ghazal
has its roots in classical Arabic poetry. Ghazal is an
Arabic word which literally means talking to women. It
grew from the Persian qasida, which verse form had come
to Iran from Arabia around the 10th century A.D. The qasida
was a eulogy written in praise of the emperor or his noblemen.
The part of the qasida called tashbib got detached and
developed in due course of time into the Ghazal. India
has produced some of the exceptional talents in the field
of ghazal singing like Begum Akhtar, Jagjit Singh, Pankaj
Udhas etc.
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| Classical Music |
| The two fundamental
elements of Hindustani classical music are raag and taal.
Hindustani music is the music of North India, involving
both Hindu and Muslim musicians. It is intimately associated
with the north-Indian temple rituals and traces back its
existence in the Shastras or ancient treaties in Sanskrit.
The different forms of Hindustani music are - Dhrupad, Dhamar,
Khayal, Tappa and Thumri. |
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Indian Musical Instruments
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| Sitar |
Probably the most
popular string instrument from India is the sitar. String
instruments have gained popularity because strings are considered
to be the best accompaniment to singing, a prime element
of Indian music.
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| Sarod |
Sarod is another
popular stringed instrument. The body is carved from a single
piece of well-seasoned teakwood and the belly covered with
goat skin. There are four main strings, six rhythm and drone
strings and fifteen sympathetic strings, all made of metal.
These are played by striking with a plectrum made of a coconut
shell.
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| Sarangi |
The name derives
from Sau Rangi meaning 100 colours. It has three to four
main playing strings and about a dozen sympathetic strings.
The instrument has no frets orfingerboard; the strings float
in the air.
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| Esraj |
Esraj is a combination
between saringda and sitar. The base of the instrument is
like saringda while the neck and strings are like sitar.
It gives a sound very much like sarangi without being as
difficult to play. It is quite popular in West Bengal.
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| Tanpura |
It has four strings tuned
to the tonic. The tanpura is known for its very rich sound.
There are three main styles; the Miraj style, the Tanjore
style and the small instrumental version sometimes called
tamburi.
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| Santoor |
Santoor is a North
Indian instrument originating from Kashmir. It has more
than a hundred strings which run across a hollow rectangular
box and the strings are struck by a pair of slim carved
walnut mallets.
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| Vichitra Veena |
The Vichitra Veena
is a stringed instrument like the rudra vina except it has
no frets. It is played with a slide like a Hawaiian guitar.
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| Violin |
Violin was introduced
to India about 300 years ago and is a very important string
instrument in the South of India. It is played in a sitting
position and is held between the right foot and the left
shoulder.
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| Tabla |
Tabla is a pair
of drums. It consists of a small right hand drum called
dayan and a larger metal one called bayan. The function
of the black spots on each of the playing surfaces is to
create the bell-like timbre that is characteristic of the
instrument.
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| Pakhawaj |
Pakhawaj is essentially
a north Indian version of the mridangam and is the most
common north Indian representative of the class of barrel
shaped drums known as mridang. During the last few generations
tabla has usurped its position of importance.
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| Mridangam |
Bears a strong superficial
resemblance to pakhawaj but there are major differences
in construction and technique. It is the most used drum
in South Indian music.
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| Jal Tarang |
This instrument
is a set of china bowls that are filled with water. Each
bowl is struck with a light wooden mallet to cause it to
ring. Jal tarang is not very common and is normally found
in the accompaniment of Kathak dancers.
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| Dholak |
Very popular folk
drum of northern India. It is barrel shaped with a simple
membrane on the right hand side.
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| Pung |
This is a long bodied
drum with both ends covered in skin and plays an important
role in Manipuri dancing when it is played by men and women,
either in a sitting position or standing position.
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| Flute |
Flute is found in
every part of India, carved from bamboo it is made in every
possible size.
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| Shehnai |
A double reeded
wind instrument with a widening tube towards the lower end.
There are eight or nine holes, the upper seven for playing
and the lower ones fortuning. The Shehnai is considered
auspicious and is played on all festive occasions in India.
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Indian Dances
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| Folk Dance |
The Indian folk
dance is simple without being naive, for behind its simplicity
lie both profundity of conception and a directness of expression
which are of great artistic value. The concept of portraying
emotion is generally speaking foreign to folk dance and
what is expressed is natural and original. What is important
here is not the grace of the individual dancer or the virtuosity
of the isolated prose, but the total effect of the overwhelming
buoyancy of spirit, and the eloquent, effortless ease with
which it is expressed. It has intimate relationship with
functions of daily life; food-gathering, harvesting, rites,
rituals and beliefs. The popular folk dances of India are
Ruk Mar Nacha, Purulia Chhau, Rangoli Bihu, Singhi Chham,
Karma, Cheraw Dance, Hojagiri, Bardo Chham, Chang Lo, Lahoo
and Thang Ta in the East. Bhangra, Charkula, Ghoomar, Spaw
Dance and Kinnauri Nati in the North. Kalbelia Dance, Koli,
Tarangmel, Dandiya Raas, Garba, Tippani Dance, Panthi, The
Padhar Dance, Dharmar and Hamchi Dances in the West. Devarattam,
Dollu Kunita, Thapetta Gullu, Garadi, Lava Dance and Nicobarese
Dance in the South.
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| Bharatanatyam |
Bharata Natyam,
originating in Tamil Nadu, has movements of pure rhythm,
rendering a story dramatically in different moods. For a
long time, Bharat Natyam was performed only in temples by
dancers in service of the temple, the devadasis. The dancers
must learn the language of gestures, mudras - so as to express
feelings, movements and characters in the stories which
she narrates through dance.
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| Kathak |
The Kathak dance
form originated in the north. The influence of the Mughal
tradition is evident in this dance form, and it has a distinct
Hindu-Muslim texture. The word Kathak, derived from 'Katha',
literally means storyteller. Today, the maestros of this
dance form include Birju Maharaj and Uma Sharma. Kathak
has an exciting and entertaining quality with intricate
footwork and rapid pirouettes being the dominant and most
endearing features of this style. The costumes and themes
of these dances are often similar to those in Mughal miniature
paintings.
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| Kathakali |
Kathakali, a well-developed
dance-drama of Kerala is a performance where the actors
depict characters from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata
and from the Puranas (ancient scriptures). The dancers adorn
themselves in huge skirts and headdress, wearing a most
intricate style of make-up. Kathakali draws heavily from
drama and is danced with elaborate masks and costumes. Like
Bharatanatyam Kathakali also needed a resurrection in the
1930s. The great poet Vallathol rediscovered Kathakali,
establishing the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1932 which lent
a new dimension to the art-form in South India.
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| Manipuri |
Protected for years in a valley
of exceeding beauty, Manipuri is the art expression of every
man, woman and child of Manipur. The musical forms of that
culture reflect the worship of Vishnu. It is around episodes
from his life that the faith of the people is entwined.
The sanskirtan and the rass are revered musical traditions
enacted appropriately at different times of the year by
the community as a whole. Manipuri is not aggressive. It
is tender and almost reticent on the one hand, and extremely
vigorous on the other. A continuity of movement and a restraint
of power are underlying features of the style.
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| CHAKIARKOOTHU |
This dance form
is believed to have been introduced to Kerala by the early
Aryan immigrants & is performed only by the members
of the Chkiar caste. A highly orthodox type of entertainment,
it can be staged inside temples only & witnessed by
the Hindus of the higher castes. The theatre is known as
Koothambalam. The story is recited in a quasi-dramatic style
with emphasis on eloquent declarations with appropriately
suggestive facial expressions & hand gestures. The only
accompaniments are the cymbals & the drum known as the
mizhavu, made of copper with a narrow mouth on which is
stretched a piece of parchment.
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| MOHINIYATTAM |
Mohiniyattam, the
female semi-classical dance form of Kerala is said to be
older than Kathakali. Literally, the dance of the enchantress,
Mohiniyattam was mainly performed in the temple precincts
of Kerala. It is also the heir to Devadasi dance heritage
like Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi. The word 'Mohini'
means a maiden who exerts desire or steals the heart of
the onlooker. There is a well known story of Lord Vishnu
taking on the guise of a 'Mohini' to enthrall people, both
in connection with the churning of the milk ocean and with
the episode of slaying of Bhasmasura. Thus it is thought
that Vaishnava devotees gave the name of Mohiniyattam to
this dance form.
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| Odissi |
The ambience of Orissa, the
philosophy of Lord Jagannath and the sculpture of the 13th
- century Sun Temple of Konarak, are reflected in its dance
form – Odissi. Perhaps the most lyrical style of dance in
India, Odissi follows unique body norms; the iconography
of a whole culture is echoed in its structure. The tribhanga,
a three-bend posture, interlinking a people’s philosophy
with the physical, is a series of triangles which are not
only physically difficult to execute, but which also call
for immense restraint and finesse on the part of the artist.
The numerous postures of the style reflect specific moods
and adorn the carved panels of the Konark Sun Temple.
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| Chhau |
The Chhau dance
is indigenous to the eastern part of India. It originated
as a martial art and contains vigorous movements and leaps.
Some Chhau dances use large stylized masks. The depiction
of birds and animals is a distinctive feature. There are
also heroic dances with sword, bow or shield, with which
dancers demonstrate their dexterity. In recent times, Mayurbhanj
Chhau has become popular as a medium of choreography, with
its wide range of postures and movements that adapt well
to modern as well as traditional treatment.
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