7

Indian Classical Music

CARNATIC MUSIC

There are seven main talas in Carnatic music. They are:

1. Dhruva
2. Mattya
3. Rupaka
4. Jhampa
5. Triputa
6. Ata
7. Eka

The three main parts or angas that make up a tala are:

1. Laghu (clap and finger counts): notated I
2. Drutam (clap and wave): notated as O
3. Anudrutam (beat): notated as U

Note:

There can be different numbers of beats in a laghu, which is known as jathi. Also, not all talas have all angas.

An important set of vocal exercises to build vocal strength and understand talas is the sapta-tala alankaras, three of which were introduced in Grade 7. In Grade 8, we will learn to sing and keep tala for the remaining four —

Mishra Jathi Jhampa Talam Alankaram

I₇ U 0 = 7 + 1 + 2 = 10 Beats

Thrisra Jathi Triputa Talam Alankaram

I₃ 0 0 = 3 + 2 + 2 = 7 Beats

Khanda Jathi Ata Talam Alankram

I₅ I₅ 0 0 = 5 + 5 + 2 + 2 = 14 Beats

Chatushra Jathi Eka Talam

Alankaram: I₄ = 4 Beats I₄

SRI GANANATHAM BHAJARE

Before singing this song, sing the arohana and the avarohana. Try keeping the tala as you sing the composition. Rupaka tala is a rhythm cycle of 6 beats.:

This composition is a kriti. There are three main parts of a kriti: pallavi, anupallavi and charanam. After singing the anupallavi, you return to the pallavi line. And after singing the charanam, you return to the pallavi line again. This kriti has an additional portion in madhayama kala, which is sung twice as fast as the rest of the composition.

Sri Gananathan Bhajare

Pallavi

MaDhyama kalam

Anupallavi

Charanam

RAAG ASAVARI

This raga is originated from asavari thaat. In this raga, the notes — gandhar, dhaivat and nishad — are komal, and the remaining notes are shudh. Its vaadi note is ‘dhaivat’ and the samvaadi note is ‘gandhar’. The ‘gandhar’ and ‘nishad’ are missing notes in aroh (ascending order), due to which the jathi of this raga is audav-sampoorna. The singing time of this raga is the second quarter of the day. A raga similar to this is jaunpuri.

Raag Asavari Lakshan Geet Teentala

Sthayi

Kanha mohe aasavari raga sunaye gani ko aarohan me chupaye

Antara

Dhaivat vadi g samvadi madhym sur grah nyas supanchmavrohan sang purn dikhavat

HINDUSTANI MUSIC

Raga Asavari— Teentaal Lakshan Geet

Sthayi

Antara

Raga Asavari, Jhaptal— Sargam Geet

Sthayi

Antara

Note to the Teacher:

Have you listened to the programme Sangita Sarita? Listen to it and you will get multiple ideas of how music is connected with different aspects of life. Try listening to music related to the above ragas through concert, your acquaintances, or any other internet resource. As you hear ragas performed by different artists, you will be able to understand the depth in each ragas.

BHAKTI SANGEET AND SUFI QAWWALI

Devotional music in India has its roots in the Bhakti movement, a significant religious, social and literary movement that swept across India beginning from the 6th century CE, and reaching its peak during the 15th – 17th century CE. It led to a spiritual revival emphasising devotion, and significantly influenced Indian music, leading to the creation of new musical forms like kirtanas and bhajans. Some prominent bhakti poets include Mirabai and Tulsidas in northern India, and Haridasa saints like Purandara Dasa and Kanakadasa in the southern India.

Similarly, Sufism is a mystical dimension of Islam that emerged around the medieval period in India. Sufi saints like Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and Baba Farid focused on inner devotion and spiritual experience as a means of connecting with god. The Sufi Qawwali genre of music arose from this philosophy and continues to be widely practised and performed, especially in Punjab and the western regions of India.

Here is a bhajan by Tulsidas.

Thumak Chalat Ram Chandra

Thumak Chalat Ram Chandra Baajat Paijaniya

Kilak Kilak Uthat Dhave Girat Bhumi Latpataye,

Dhaya Maat God Let Dashrath Ki Raniya

Tulasidas Ati Aanand Dekh Ke Mukharvind,

Raghuvar Chhabi Ke Samaan Raghubar Chhavi Baniya

The following is a Sufi Qawwali that is sung in both traditional and contemporary music.

Duma Dum Mast Kalandar

Ho laal meri pat rayhio bala jhoole laalan, Sindhri da

sehwan da sakhi shabaaz kalandar

Duma dum mast kalandar,

Ali dum dum de andar,

Ali da pehla number

Duma dum mast kalandar

Ho laal meri Ho laal meri …

Char chirag tere baran hamesha, Panjva main baaran aayi bhala jhoole laalan, Sindhri da …

ASSESSMENT

CHAPTER 7: Indian Classical Music

Teacher’s Comments and Student’s Observations