51
Inference
The rich tradition of the Indian classical music originated in South Asia and can now be found in all corners of the
world thanks to great musicians and artists that have promoted the art form in various countries and have appealed
to not just the diaspora but also to foreigners alike.
In a western influenced world, knowing and understanding our roots in terms of music, makes one realise how vast,
diverse and intricate Indian classical music can be. All thought about- from moods, to emotions to times of the day to
seasons, Indian classical music covers all aspects. It has the ability to inspire and further the practice of music all over
the world.
While it’s arguable whether or not any music that makes the heart happy has the power to heal, Indian classical music
is unique. Indian classical music creates the ideal environment for spiritual and physical healing due to its organic
roots, the alignment of the ragas with the time of day, and its association with a range of emotions.
Indian music is a subjective, spiritual and individualistic art, aiming not at symphonic brilliance but at personal
harmony with the Oversoul. Nurturing your sould while also growing your mind is something that is very important
for all of us given how stressful our lives have become.
52
Glossary
AB
Akar - The singing of melody using the vowel sound aa. It can Baj - A style of playing generally referred to by gharana.
be sung with rhythm as improvisation or without rhythm in Bandish- A composition that consists of words. They are
alap form. taught in order to help understand classical music since it is
Alankar - Exercises of specific note combinations which the bandish itself which characterizes many of the elements
normally possess symmetrical ascent and descent. of the raga.
Alap - The introduction of the raga without rhythm, designed Bayan - The left hand drum of a tabla set.
to set the mood of the raga using its common note phrases. Bol - In musical terms it refers to the words of a composition
Antara - It is the second part of a composition or bandish that or tabla notes.
normally consists of notes in the tar saptak (high scale).
Aroh - The ascent of notes in a raga. C
Anuvadi - Those notes of a raga that are neither highlighted Carnatic - Ancient classical music of South India is known as
nor downplayed are known as Anuvadi notes. Carnatic Music
Asthai - Asthai is the first as well as the fundamental part of a Chakra - As per the Melakarta table of raga classification,
composition, which is repeated during the entire alaap. Chakras are the twelve groups according to which the ragas
Asthan - The octave region of a raga are categorized.
Ati - It denotes an extreme Chakradar - A pre-composed tabla composition which
Avroh -The descent of notes in a raga. normally contains an in-built tihai but is played three times
Avartan - The completion of one cycle of a tal. over and is mathematically calculated to end on the sum of
the underlying time-cycle.
53
Chalan - Chalan is the makeup of a musical composition, F
which embodies the movement of a particular raga.
Chautalaa - Chautalaa is the musical cycle that consists of Filmi Geet - Songs that are specifically used in movies. They
fourteen beats. refer to Bollywood or Hindi film song titles.
D G
Dayan - It is sometimes called dahina. The right hand drum of Gat - An improvisational instrumental composition. Also a
a tabla set tabla composition made up of certain bols specific to the
Deepchandi Tal - Deepchandi Tal is the tabla composition learning style that allows room for improvisation and normally
with fourteen beats follows a kaida in a tabla solo performance.
Dhamar Tal - Dhamar Tal is the fourteen beat Tal that has a Gayaki - A style of singing.
‘5+2+3+4’ vibhag pattern. Geet - Geet is the Indian term for a song or composition.
Dhrupad- The oldest genre of singing Gharana - It is used to refer to a particular style where the
Dhun - A light classical piece normally played in instrumental basis would have been the rigid guru-shishya parampara or
form based on a folk melody. They are most commonly played teacher-disciple learning system.
in 8 matra (beat) cycles. Ghazal - From the Arabic literally meaning talking to women.
Grama - Gramas are the basic notes employed in musical
E tradition
Ektal - Ektal is that Tal of the Indian classical music in which Guru-Shishya Parampara - The traditional teacher-disciple
the 12 matras are divided into 6 vibhags, each of them having method of learning all forms of Indian classical music.
two matras.
54
H Kawali - Sometimes written as ‘qawwali’. Literally means
utterance.
Hindustani - Hindustani Classical Music is the form of Indian Khaali - Literally meaning empty, it is a beat or matra played
classical music that developed in northern parts of India. with a dampened or closed sound.
J Khayal - Thought, idea, conception, imagination, lyric.
Jati - Jati refers to the classification of musical compositions Komal - A flat of an equivalent note or swar. Komal notes are
as per the tones. denoted by a line under the note.
L
Jhaptal - Jhaptal is an Indian rhythmic form with a ten-beat Laggi- A fast rendition of certain pre-composed note
cycle. combinations on tabla in a particular tal to add dynamism and
Jhumra Tal - Jhumra Tal is a slow Indian rhythmic form of 14 effect to accompaniment.
(3+4+3+4) beats. Lakshan - An introduction to the ragas is known as Lakshan. It
comprises of a set of rules and principles.
K Laya- Means the tempo or speed of the tal. Three well-known
general speeds are referred to as vilambit or slow, madya or
Kaida - It refers to rule or law. Integral to learning tabla, it is medium and drut or fast.
a theme or an idea which could use quite simple notes but Layakari- The improvisation of words in a khayal piece
which is then expanded using the specific techniques of the designed to show the tayari (literally readiness or virtuosity) of
style of tabla being learnt. the performer.
Kan - Kan is the grace note of a musical composition. Lehera- A simple melody set to a specific number of beats
Kathak - A style of north Indian dancing which traditionally that repeats itself for the purpose of holding a rhythm for
uses the pakhawaj for accompaniment. a tabla solo performance. It can be played on sarangi but
normally on harmonium.
55
MP
Madhya Saptak - The basic saptak, with middle octave region Pakad- A phrase of note combinations usually no more than
Madhya Laya - Madhya Laya is the medium tempo or speed five notes in length that when played exemplifies the flow or
of the Tal character of the raga.
Mandra - The lower scale notes of the raga, written with dots Pakhawa - In the same mould as a tabla but is formed as a
underneath them. single drum and was used in accompaniment of north Indian
or Hindustani classical music.
Matra - A single beat in a time cycle. Palta - Exercises designed to learn fingering, note and sound
Mohra - The ending phrase of a piece of improvisation in a production of an instrument. Also refers to expansions or
composition. It can also refer to a short tabla composition at variations of a tabla theme called kaida.
the beginning of a tabla solo. Paran - A composition traditionally formed from the
Murchana - The practice of changing the keynote of a raga pakhawaj playing style, designed to describe an action.
whilst keeping the notes intact and thereby forming a new Peshkar - To present. An opening composition of a tabla solo
raga. based on the set rhythm and is played in slow tempo.
Mukra - The opening of an instrumental or vocal composition. Purvang - The lower tetrachord of a saptak which consists of
Sa, Re, Ga and Ma.
N Prati - The term Prati is used to define a sharp musical note
Nom-Tom - Use of the syllables na, ni, re, de, da et al to bring R
out the components of a raga. Normally, nom-tom is used in
alap form in the dhrupad genre of singing. Raga - A melodic structure of fixed notes which has certain
Nyas - The ending note of a particular phrase of notes. The characteristics pertaining to rules about their presentation.
designated pause note of a particular raga.
56
Rasa - The emotional state or quality of the raga and ragini. Sum - The first beat of a time cycle or tal. The most
There are nine rasas in classical music. emphasized beat represented by the symbol ‘x’ above
Rasik - Rasik is name given to the composer of a Rasa. the starting note and is the essence of improvisational
understanding in Indian classical music.
Rela- Rushing. A rela is normally played at the end of a solo Swar- Note or pitch.
tabla performance as a flourish.
T
S
Tabla - From the Arabic ‘tabl’ meaning drum. The traditional
Samvadi - The secondary note of importance in a raga behind percussion instrument played on two separate drums.
the vadi. Tal - A cycle of matras or beats used as a standard for
Saptak - Sapt literally means seven. It is quite simply the accompaniment in Indian music.
Indian classical music scale. It refers to the entire set of seven Tali - Literally means a clap.
swars or notes of the Indian classical scale. Tan - A common improvisational element of classical and light
Sargam - Sargam is the term used to define the scale of notes vocal and instrumental styles using sargam, akar, ekar, ookar.
used in the composition of music. Tarana - A composition using certain syllables which normally
Shastra - Shastra is the treatise or text that explains the ends a presentation of a full raga performance and is sung in
timeless rules and principles behind music. medium or fast (speed).
Shuddha - The pure or natural notes or swars of which there Thaat - Classify all ragas into one of ten parent scales.
are seven in a given saptak. Theka - The particular bols or notes that make up a given tal
Shruti- To hear. The sound intervals that the ear can or beat cycle.
reasonably discern which exist between recognised notes or Thumri - A song normally sung in a language traditional to
swars. the Agra-Mathura region called Brij which can have several
Stai- Sometimes called asthai. It is the opening part of a themes such as love or the stories of Krishna.
composition rarely consisting of notes in the high scale.
57
Tihai - A phrase of notes or bols with or without gaps repeated Avarohi of its derivative Ragas.
three times which normally ends on the sum or the first beat Vibhag - A bar or a sub-division in a tal denoted by a straight
of a time cycle. The gaps must be of equal length in time. line. A vibhag will invariably open with either a tali or a khali
Tirobhav - Tirobhav basically means the process of concealing Vikrit - Vikrit notes are the modified notes used in the raga.
a raga on a temporary basis.
Tivra - A sharp note. Vilambit - The term Vilambit is used to denote the slow speed
Tukra - A pre-composed set of bols or notes ending in a tihai or tempo of the Tal.
on tabla designed to show the virtuosity of the tabla player Vivadi - Vivadi notes are those notes that are either not
and emphasize the sum of a rhythm cycle. included in a raga or are used very rarely.
U
Uttarang - Uttarang is the higher tetra-chord of an octave,
which comprises of Pa, Dha, Ni and Sa notes.
V
Vadi - Vadi is the note that holds the maximum importance in
a raga.
Vakra - Vakra Raga is one of the four Janya Ragas and has
swaras in a non-sequential order.
Varana - The four Varanas are the four basic ways, on the
basis of which musical tones are organized.
Varjit - Varjit note is the note that is deleted from the Arohi or
58 Characteristics of Indian classical music
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66
Music is a social and spiritual activity, especially classical music. Every kind of reverberation arrangement impacts the human
system and our surroundings differently. Characterized by melodic vocals and harmonizing instrumentals, Indian classical music
theory has been built on the cornerstone of expression and spirituality. With a meditative and uplifting quality, Indian classical
music has reached a popularity that makes people want to listen to it more to gain a sense of peace and calmness. Everything
connected to Indian Classical music has a meaning and ideology and creates a mood for the listener. This book looks at the
origin and history of Indian classical music and all the features related to it.