History
of Indian Music
The History of Indian Music
History of Indian music has its origins in divine tradition. The rich
history of Indian music unveils the fact that the divine
sage Narada introduced the art of music to the Earth from
heaven. This is how music is said to have commenced on earth.
According to Hindu mythology, the first ever sound to have been
heard in the universe is the Naadbrahma or Om mantra. This
sound pervades the entire universe. Since it is a manifestation of
the divine power (Brahma), it is the purest sound to be heard. It
is believed that the musician attempts to achieve this very purity
in his 'sadhana' or dedicated pursuit. History of Indian music
unfolds the verity that music gradually changed in shape and
form. In the beginning the music was devotional in content and
was restricted to religious and ritualistic purposes and was
purely used in temples only. Indian music developed from the
ritualistic music in association with folk music and other musical
forms of India and gradually derived its own musical
characteristics.
Indian
Instruments
The Sitar is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the
Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The
instrument flourished under the Mughals, and it is named after
a Persian instrument called the setar (meaning three strings).
The sitar flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries and arrived
at its present form in 18th-century India. It derives its
distinctive timbre and resonance from sympathetic strings,
bridge design, a long hollow neck and a gourd-shaped
resonance chamber. In appearance, the sitar is similar to the
tanpura, except that it has frets.
The Sarod is a stringed instrument, used mainly in Hindustani
music on the Indian subcontinent. Along with the sitar, it is
among the most popular and prominent instruments. The sarod
is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast
with the sweet, overtone-rich texture of the sitar,
with sympathetic strings that give it a resonant, reverberant
quality. It is a fretless instrument able to produce the
continuous slides between notes known as meend (glissandi),
which are important in Indian music.
The sarangi is a bowed, short-necked string instrument from
the Indian subcontinent, which is used in Hindustani classical
music. It is said to most resemble the sound of the human voice
– able to imitate vocal ornaments such as gamaks (shakes) and
meends (sliding movements).
The tabla is a membranophone percussion instrument
originating from the Indian subcontinent, consisting of a pair of
drums, used in traditional, classical, popular and folk music. It
has been a particularly important instrument in Hindustani
classical music since the 18th century, and remains in use
in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri
Lanka. The name tabla likely comes from tabl, the Persian and
Arabic word for drum. However, the ultimate origin of the
musical instrument is contested by scholars, some tracing it
to West Asia, others tracing the evolution of indigenous musical
instruments of the Indian subcontinent.
The Jal Tarang is a melodic percussion instrument which
originates from the Indian subcontinent. It consists of a set of
ceramic or metal bowls filled with water. The bowls are played
by striking the edge with beaters, one in each hand.
The pakhawaj or mridang is a barrel-shaped, two-headed drum,
originating from the Indian subcontinent, a variant and
descendant of the older mridang. It is the standard percussion
instrument in the dhrupad style and is used as an
accompaniment for various forms of music and dance
performances. The pakhavaj has a low, mellow tone, very rich
in harmonics. Set horizontally on a cushion in front of the
drummer's crossed leg, the larger bass-skin is played with the
left hand, the treble skin by the right hand. The bass face is
smeared with wet wheat dough which acts as the kiran and is
the cause of the vivid bass sound the pakhavaj produces.
The ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in various
repertoires across India. A variant played in Punjab and known
as gharha as is a part of Punjabi folk traditions. Its analogue in
Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa. The ghatam
is one of the most ancient percussion instruments of India.
The kanjira, khanjira, khanjiri or ganjira, a South Indian frame
drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. As a folk
and bhajan instrument, it has been used in India for many
centuries. It was modified to a frame drum with a single pair of
jingles by Manpoondia Pillai in the 1880s, who is credited with
bringing the instrument to the classical stage. It is used
primarily in concerts of Carnatic music (South Indian classical
music) as a supporting instrument for the mridangam.
Flute is a simple cylindrical tube of uniform bore and associated
with Indian music since time immemorial. Flutes vary in size.
Flute is held horizontally and is inclined downwards when it is
played. To produce sound or melody one has to cover the
finger holes with the fingers of the left and right hand.
Variations in pitch are produced by altering the effective length
of the air column. Notable flute exponents are Pt Pannalal
Ghosh and Pt Hari Prashad Chaurasia.
The harmonium is a traditional and popular musical instrument
of India. The harmonium has a keyboard of over two and one-
half octaves and works on a system of bellows. The keyboard is
played with the right hand while the left hand is used to
operate the bellows. Harmonium is more popular in North India
than in the South.
Indian Songs
"Musafir"
(from "Sweetiee Weds NRI" soundtrack)
Hmm…
Kaise, jiunga kaise?
Bataa de mujhko
Tere bina!
Kaise, jiyunga kaise?
Bataa de mujhko
Tere bina
Tera mera jahan
Le chalun main wahaan
Koi tujhko na mujhse chura le
Rakh loon aankhon mein main
Kholun palke na main
Koi tujhko na mujhse chura le
Main andheron se ghira hoon
Aa dikha de tu mujhko savera mera
Main bhatakta ik Musafir
Aa dila de tu mujhko basera mera
Jaagi jaagi raatein meri
Roshan tujhse hai savera
Tu hi mere jeene ki wajah
Jab tak hain ye saansein meri
Inpe hai sadaa haq tera
Poori hai tujhse meri duaa
Tera mera jahan
Le chalun main wahan
Koi tujhko na mujhse chura le
Rakh loon aankhon mein main
Kholun palke na main
Koi tujhko na mujhse chura le
Main andheron se ghira hoon
Aa dikha de tu mujhko savera mera
Main bhatakta ik Musafir
Aa dila de tu mujhko basera mera
Banjaara
This song is by Mohammad Irfan.
Jise zindagi dhoondh rahi hai
Kya ye woh makaam mera hai
Yahaan chain se bas ruk jaaun
Kyun dil ye mujhe kehta hai
Jazbaat naye se mile hain
Jaane kya asar ye huaa hai
Ik aas mili phir mujhko
Jo qubool kisi ne kiya hai
Haan..
Kisi shaayar ki ghazal Woh dhoop mein hai khada khud magar
Chot lagi hai usey phir kyun
Mehsoos mujhe ho raha hai
Dil tu bata de kya hai iraada tera
Main parinda besabar
Tha uda jo darbadar
Koi mujhko yun mila hai
Jaise banjarey ko ghar
Main mausam ki sehar
Yaa sard mein dopahar
Koi mujhko yun mila hai
Jaise banjarey ko ghar
Koi mujhko yun mila hai
Jaise banjare ko ghar
Jaise banjare ko ghar..
Jaise banjare ko ghar...
Jaise banjare ko ghar....
Jo de rooh ko sukoon ke pal
Koi mujhko yun mila hai
Jaise banjaare ko ghar
Main mausam ki sehar
Yaa sard mein dopahar
Koi mujhko yun mila hai
Jaise banjare ko ghar
Hmm...
Jaise koi kinaara
Deta ho sahaara
Mujhe wo mila kisi mod par
Koi raat ka taara
Karta ho ujaala
Waise hi roshan kare woh shehar
Dard mere woh bhula hi gayaa
Kuch aisa asar huaa
Jeena mujhe woh phir se woh sikha raha
Hmm.. Jaise baarish kar de tar
Yaa marham dard par
Koi mujhko yun mila hai
Jaise banjare ko ghar
Main mausam ki sehar
Yaa sard mein dopahar
Koi mujhko yun mila hai
Jaise banjaare ko ghar
Muskaata yeh chehra
Deta hai jo pehraa
Jaane chhupata kya dil ka samandar
Auron ko toh hardam saaya deta hai
