History of Music in India: Ancient Traditions to Modern Innovations

Introduction

The history of music in India is deeply rooted in ancient traditions, spanning thousands of years across diverse regions and cultures. From the sacred hymns of the Vedas to the rich classical traditions, India’s musical heritage is a testament to its cultural richness and spiritual depth.

Origin and Development of Music

• At the Indus Valley Civilization sites, musical instruments, including the seven-holed flute and Ravanahatha (string instrument), were found.
• The first proper mention of the art of music was made by Panini in 500 BC.
• Bharata’s Natyashastra (200 BC and 200 AD): contains the first reference to musical theory. 
  • It mentions 22 keys or Shrutis. 
  • Scales, melodic forms, tala, and musical instruments are all covered in Natyashastra. 
  • Two standard scales were recognised and referred to as gramas.
  • Subsidiary scales are derived from each gram, known as Moorcchanas.
• Vedic Literature: The Rig-Veda’s psalms were referred to as the Richas. 
  • Religious chants were found in the Yajur Veda. 
  • Sama Veda contains all seven notes of the raga Kharahapriya. 
  • The Gandharva Veda, or the science of music, is an Upaveda of the Sama Veda.
  • In Aitareya Aranyaka, the instrument Veena’s pieces are mentioned. 
  • The Jaimini Brahmana mentions dance and music. The Kausitaki Brahmana blends dance, vocal, and instrumental music as an art form.
• Sangam Period: During the Later Vedic period,  Sangama was a type of ritualistic music which involved chanting of verses that were usually set to musical patterns. The epics were set to a narrative type of music called the Jatigan.
  • Silappadikaram written by Illango (2nd century) provides an endless stream of informative musical material.
  • Brihaddesi written by Matanga (6th-8th century) explains aspects such as Nada, Shruti, Swara, Tana,etc. 
• The 11th-century text Sangeeta Makaranda was composed by Narada Nanda, who enumerated 93 ragas and classified them into feminine and masculine forms. 
• Sangeeta Ratnakara by Sarangadeva (13th century)  mentions approximately 264 ragas. It recognises, characterises, and categorises the numerous microtones.

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Elements of Indian Music

• Indian music stands on three main pillars: 
  • Raga 
  • Tala 
  • Swara. 
• Swara: It refers to  ‘note’ or ‘degree of scale’ in composition. Twelve of the twenty-two notes are called Swarasthana, and the remaining notes are played in ragas.
• Raga: It signifies the basis of melody.
• Taala: It signifies the basis of rhythms. The tala is one of India’s distinctive contributions to musical rhythm. 
  • Tala is a system of time units arranged cyclically. 
  • The laghu, guru and pluta are the fundamental units of time division.

Other Elements

• Rasa: The emotions evoked through the singing and playing of instruments are called Rasas. Ex: Shringara Rasa.
• Thaat: It is a system associated with the classification of the ragas in different groups. Ex: Bilawal, Asavari etc.
• Samay: Every raga has a designated time for performance.

Musical Forms

• They are divided into two broad categories:  
  • Anibaddha (open or free) 
  • Nibaddha (closed or bound) Sangeeta.
• Anibaddha Sangeeta: It is one which is not restricted by meaningful words and tala. It is a free improvisation. The finest form is the alap.
• Nibaddha Sangeeta: The earliest known nibadha is the Prabandha giti. Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda is the best-known prabandha.

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Conclusion

• The history of music in India is a journey of cultural evolution, blending ancient traditions with modern innovations. 
  • It serves as a reflection of India’s rich heritage, spiritual ethos, and creative dynamism, captivating audiences worldwide with its timeless melodies and rhythms.