The ontology of music depends on the physical perception of sound as a means of contemplation and worship.
The sound of Indian music is replete with colourful stories of culture and chaos. It is a language as potent as it is resplendent, echoing harmoniously the country’s diversity. Be it the sonorous sounds of maestro Ravi Shankar’s sitar or mellifluous voice of the lilting Lata, Indian music is indeed manna for the soul that unwittingly leaves one yearning for more.
Music of the sub-continent and specifically India is one that is steeped in history, and religion. It is a binding force that culturally brings people from all sections of society closer together. Intertwined with an array of religions, Indian music has traditionally illustrated an individual’s spiritual aspirations.
According to one encyclopaedia of religions: “Sound in its infinite varieties is of crucial importance to Indian religious thought. The universe itself is constituted of and by sound, and the omnipresence of sound envelops daily life. Hearing and listening to sound, therefore, are required of the individual to negotiate a path through life. Accordingly, the ontology of music depends on the physical perception of sound as a means of contemplation and worship. In Hinduism, the primacy of hearing and listening for devotion is clearly evident in the term given to the foundational sacred scriptures, śruti (literally, “something that is heard”), which also refers to the fine divisions of pitch in Indian melodic modes, or rāgas.”
In a similar manner, Indian Sufism – which was essentially inspired by Rumi’s swirling dervishes – was a melodic depiction of ardent devotion. Mysticism inspired ritualistic chants of the Gitanjali as well as hymns and qawalis born in the Chisti school of Sufism (and even before), with imminent follower Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya interspersing prayers with dulcet lyricism. Another Sufi poet, musician, politician and philosopher belonging to 13th century India, Amir Khusro created tuneful fusions from Turkish, Persian and Indian music, introducing uniquely harmonious reverberations to the world.
A subgenre of Hindustani melody, is the age-old saccharine sounds of Carnatic music. The South Indian melody was stylistically different altogether when compared to the North’s Persian and Sufi inspired music. According to hinduonline.co: “The present form of Carnatic music is based on historical developments that can be traced to the 15th-16th centuries AD and thereafter. From the ancient Sanskrit works available, and the epigraphical evidence, the history of classical musical traditions can be traced back about 2,500 years. “Carnatic” in Sanskrit means “soothing to ears”. Carnatic music is completely melodic music, with improvised variations.
The main emphasis is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in a singing style (known as gāyaki). And then there is the rich, exuberantly chaotic folk music that symphonically represents the joys and hardships of rural life.
While the Punjabi Bhangra unveils the triumphant vibe relished in desi weddings and festivals, the cacophonic Gujrati dandiya retraces memories of Raas and celebrates the mighty Durga with its ‘sword dance.’ Contemporary or modern Indian music has witnessed numerous transformations, with fusion becoming a buzzword in recent times. Heavily influenced by Jazz and Rock, music maestros in India have been experimenting with titillating blends of Western melodies and sounds.
According to an article on Indian fusion music: “Indian fusion music came into being with rock and roll fusions with Indian music in the 1960s and 1970s. But it was limited to Europe and North America. For some time the stage of Indian fusion music was taken by Pt Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro. Pt Ravi Shankar began fusing jazz with Indian traditions along with Bud Shank, a jazz musician. Soon the trend was imitated by many popular European and American music exponents. In the year 1965, George Harrison played the song, “Norwegian wood” on the Sitar.” The more mainstream popular music finds a vociferous voice emerging from one of India’s biggest industries – the silver screen. Heavily supported by music that makes up about 72 per cent of music sales in the country, the film industry takes its inspiration from both classical and contemporary music.
Showcasing this diverse array of soulful sounds, vibrant voices and mellifluous music, it is in fact the Indian cinema that’s encapsulated a wealth of tunes, showcasing the harmonic Eldorado India has to offer. From Baray Ghulam Ali’s rhythmic expression of adulating love in K Asif’s sweeping epic Mughal-e-Azam, the euphonious songs by genius R.D Burman in the Indian ‘Western’ – Ramesh Sippy’s adventure, cult classic Sholay, to the orchestral rhapsodies of A.R Rehman – all have contributed to recalibrate the universal language of love, peace and harmony, while at the same time celebrating this constant companion of man.
Words: Sabin Muzaffar is the Founder and Executive Editor of Ananke Magazine, a Dubai-based media and development platform fostering inclusive, intersectional conversations. With a vision to democratize access to knowledge, Ananke serves as a catalyst for social impact through storytelling, advocacy, and capacity building.
