How Indian music and its instruments has evolved through the decades

When I think of Indian music comes to mind, I only think of one word-diversity.

The diversity of India’s culture and it being one of the oldest civilizations in the world has led to the development of different forms of music, ranging from classical to folk forms.

Its eclectic, charming sounds have also been infused with the pop sounds we know so well today.

This hub will show how it has developed from its classical form through the ages and show how it become a part of pop music today. It will - also take readers through the different forms of Indian folk music.

The origins of Indian Classical music can be found in the Vedas, the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. What is fascinating for me is that the different forms of music have influenced each other, so the Carnatic and Hindustani forms of music have folk elements as well. Persian music has also helped to shape the Hindustani classical forms that can sometimes be heard.

The Samaveda, one of the four scriptures, describes music at length. The Rigvedic hymns of the Samagana were often sung by Ugatar priests as they offered the Soma ritual drink, mixed with milk, to various deities. These hymns evolved into ragas, one of the 5 melodic modes of Indian classical music.

These classical forms, together with folk forms, evolved as they merge and are still evolving with pop music joining the mix.

Expressive, elaborate and monophonic (built on a single melody line), Hindustani music is divided into 12 semitones, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa, similar to the Do Re Mi of Western music. Another classical music form, the Canartic, uses Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa.Each tone is about a quarter of that used in Western music.

Indian classical music

Indian classical music falls into two main forms, Hindustani Classical and Carnatic music.

An octave of Indian music is divided into 22 segments call shutris, each roughly a quarter of a tone in Western music. Melody is based on mainly the raga melodic mode.

Indian classical music

Indian classical music falls into two main forms, Hindustani Classical and Carnatic music.

An octave of Indian music is divided into 22 segments call shutris, each roughly a quarter of a tone in Western music. Melody is based on mainly the raga melodic mode.

Hindustani Classical Music

Hindustani classical music came to being in the 13th and 14th century AD, with Persian and folk music influences. The practice of singing the vedas or scriptures based on notes was popular since the vedic times. Hindustani Classical music has diverse influences in contrast her counterpart, the Canartic form. It has been enriched by Persian and Mughal performances.

This form of music can be traced back to the 15th and 16th centuries. It originated from the South Indian state of Karnataka. It is melodic in nature and focuses on the vocals. Even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in a singing style. Puranda Dasa is esteemed as the father of Carnatic music, with Tyagaraja, Shyama Shastry and Muthuswami Dikshitar is considered its trinity.

Artists who perform it today include MS Subbulakshmi, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.

The cosmopolitanism and diversity of India and the country’s many towns and states has led to the development of many subcultures within the subcontinent. Here are some of them.

Bhavageete

Bhavageete, literally emotion poetry, discusses mainly subjects like love,nature and philosophy. It is popular in many parts of India, particularly, Karnakata. Its foundations like mainly in modern Indian poetry by poets and writers of the Kannada language like Kuvempu and D.R. Bendre. The Kannada language, spoken mainly in Karnataka, is widely used in Bhavageete.

This is a fun and popular form of folk music that is enjoyed widely even today by many young people. It is a dance form originating from the Punjab. Folk music and dance of the area, it was performed originally to celebrate a harvest. In the 1950s. a new style that encompassed Men’s punjabi form of dance was developed, and metamorphosed into the modern Banghra we know today.

The traditional music of Assam, it is performed with a Bihu dance, in the traditional festival of Rongali Bihu, the national festival of Assam.

The word Bihu is derived from the language of the Dimasa people who make their living as farmers. The first crops of the harvest are usually offered to Brai Shribrai to wish for peace and prosperity. Hence Bihu has the connotation of peace and prosperity.

This is a form of music popular in the Maharastra and Madhya Pradesh. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is traditional song and dance, performed to the Dholki. It is noted for its erotic sentiment,powerful rhythm and has led to the development of the Marathi Theatre, a performed by women wearing 9 yard long saris. It discusses matters like society, religion, politics and romance.

This music is largely a tribute to nature. It relates largely to the religious and folk traditions of the people of the Uttarakhand and reflects their lives in the mountains of the Himalayas. The main languages are Kumaoni and Garwhali.

This is North Indian dance music largely adapted in pop culture today. It is popular in Western India, especially during the festival of Navartri, held in worship of the Hindu God Durga. It is a folk dance originating from the town of Vrindavan in Utta Pradesh.

There are many forms of Dandihya, but Dandihya Raas is the most popular, where men and women dance with sticks in a circle. The dance, performed in Durgha’s honor, is a staging of a fight between her and Mahihasura, the demon king. The dhoi and complementary percussion instruments are used in the performance.

This is a group of Indian mystic minstrels. They played a form of music using instruments like the khamak, ekatara and dotara. It consisted mainly of minstrels who worshipped the God Vishu and embraced, therefore, a religion known as Vaishnavism. Sufi Muslims, who explored the mystical dimensions of Islam, also formed this group.

This is a group dance named after the Dollu, which is an instrument used in the dance. It is performed by the men of the Kuruba community in North Karnataka. The beat is controlled by a leader who stands in the centre of the circle of dancers with cymbals. The group alternates between dancing to slow and fast rhythms and weaves varied patterns as it dances.

Kolkata, like its North Indian counterpart the Dhandiya, is performed with colored sticks, with men and women dancing in a circle. It is the folk dance of the state of Karnataka. It has two forms, one performed by men and women and the other, more vigorous form danced by men playing rigorously on sticks.

Another dance originating from the Karnataka region, it is energy tapping and performed in accordance with hindu mythology. It gets its name from the legendary warrior, Veerabhadra, created in the anger of Shiva who protested against the insult of his wife-to-be, Dakshayini by her father, Daksha. She immolated herself upon the insults, which incurred Shiva’s wrath. When one of Shiva’s sweat drops fell on Earth, Veerbhadra was born.

Hence, Veeragheese was born. It is a dance performed by Shiva devotees who wear white headgear and a bright red colored dress as they dance. They carry the plaque of Veerabhadra.

Again, there is a wide range of Indian musical instruments that are used by her people to perform lovely music. Here are some of the more commonly used ones.

Sitar

The sitar is the most popular stringed instrument used in India. It is made fro gourd and teakwood, and has 20 metal frets. It has 7 playing strings and 19 sympathetic ones that are not so actively used. Amir Khusu, a musician in the 13th century, moved the strings about to make them more flexible. The most influential Sitar player today is Ravi Shankar, who brought changes and a new perspective.

Another popular stringed instrument, it is formed from teakwood with its belly covered with goatskin. It has four main strings, six rhythm and drone strings and 15 sympathetic ones. It is played with a plectrum made of a coconut shell. It was found in carvings of the 1st century in Ajanta Caves and in the Champa temple. Musician Amir Khusru modified in the 13th century, with Ustad Ali Akhbar Khan making significant changes in its tonal quality.

The dolak is a 2 handed hand drum. It may have cotton rope lacing and be tuned by steel rings or pegs integrated in the laces. It is tuned to a perfect fourth or fifth between the two heads. It is used mainly in classical dance.

The Punjabi Dhol is another double headed drum slightly larger than the dholak. It is played mainly in northern areas of India and Pakistan such as the Assam Valley, Gujarat, Kashmir, Maharashtra, Konkan and Goa, Punjab,Karnataka, Rajasthan, Sindh and Uttar Pradesh. It is played mainly as an accompanying instrument. A barrel drum, it has animal hide with animal hide or synthetic skin stretched over its ends.Tightening or loosening the skin adjusts its pitch. A person who plays it is known as the dholi.

This is a long lute that resembles a sitar without frets. It comes in several sizes and pitches, large and slightly smaller ones for vocalists and a smaller one still for accompanying main instruments like the sitar. It is unique, and does not partake but accompany the melody.

This is a type of trumpet curved in an S shape used in different parts of India such as Uttarakhand.

The vichitra veena is a plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music. It has no frets and played with a slide. It is made of a horizontal arm or crossbar and two large, resonating gourds. Two plectrums worn on the index and middle fingers are used to pluck the strings. It does not allow for much variation around the notes and was used to accompany a style of singing known as the dhrupad.

This is a membranophone percussion instrument (played by striking a stretched membrane) used mainly in Hindustani classical music. It is played using fingers and drums in various configurations.

Indian music today has evolved to incorporate the genres of popular music such as jazz and hip hop. Terminology has developed to include terms such as ‘raga rock’ and Indian Hip Hop.

Indian music in film

Popular songs from films make up about 72% of India’s music scene. A fusion of classical forms of Indian music and utilizing western orchestration to support Indian melodies, composers like R.D. Burman and A.R. Rahman employ the techniques of harmony while maintaining its folk flavor.

Enjoy this song, Jai Ho from the Hit Movie Slumdog Millionaire, that infuses western and traditional Indian elements.

Indian music has been integrated into western forms of pop and jazz. Jazz great John Coltrane recorded a track entitled India for his album Live at the Village Vanguard. George Harrison also played the sitar for his song Norwegian Wood. Jazz innovators like Miles Davis also recorded and performed with musicians such as Khalli Balakrishna and Bhari Sharma. Of late, hip hop has also infused elements of Banghra and Dandhiya.

Indian pop music, a fusion between Indian Classical and Indian folk music, includes modern beats from all parts of the world. it became widely popular in the 1990s because of singers like Usha Utthup, Sharon Phrabakar and Peenaz Masni. Songs like Dahler Mehndi’s Dardi Rub Rub and Ho Jayegi Balle Balle became immensely popular. Popular singers these days in India include the Bhangra Knights and Mehnaz.

Raga rock would be aptly described as rock music with a heavy Indian influence. It was made popular in the 1960s with groups like the Beatles incorporating it into songs like Tomorrow Never Knows. The Byrds increased its popularity with their single Eight Miles High. These artists influenced both Indian, British and American groups to develop a later form known as Indian Rock.

This is a later form of Raga Rock that is influenced by grunge and heavy metal sounds. Many Indian and even Western rock bands can be heard playing it today. Famous band s that support Indian rock are Indian Ocean, Kryptos and Pentagram.

Baba Sehgal is credited as being India’s first rapper when Indian Hip hop started in the 1990s. His famous entry into the music scene of India was with the song Pettai Rap from the movie Kadalan. It catapulted music director Suresh Peters to fame. Since then, rap music has been used as fillers in between songs in Indian movies.

Indian music has indeed grown over many centuries and has fused comfortably with elements of Western music and culture. It continues to grow, with current hip hop elements continuing to shape the scene.

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