Classical Music of India

Overview

Indian classical music is one of the world's oldest continuous musical traditions, rooted in the Samaveda (the Veda of melodies). It evolved into two major streams — Hindustani (North) and Carnatic (South) — which diverged gradually from the 13th century CE, partly due to Islamic influence on northern musical traditions. Both systems share the fundamental concepts of Raga (melody) and Tala (rhythm) but differ in form, instruments, and performance style.

Ancient Roots

The origins of Indian classical music trace back to the Samaveda, the third of the four Vedas, whose name literally means "Veda of songs." The Samaveda contains notated melodies for chanting Rigvedic hymns — these are among the oldest surviving musical notations in the world. The sage Narada is traditionally credited as the first mortal to receive the art of music from the divine realm. The Naradiya Shiksha, a text attributed to Narada, connects the seven svaras of Sama gana with the seven notes of classical music and describes three gramas (Shadja, Madhyama, and Gandhara).

Bharata Muni's Natyashastra (c. 2nd century BCE – 2nd century CE), a foundational treatise on the performing arts comprising 36 chapters, devotes chapters 28 to 33 to music — covering vocal and instrumental music (melodic and rhythmic) and their deployment in drama. The Natyashastra describes scales, melodic modes, and the relationship between music and rasa (aesthetic emotion).

Foundational Concepts

Key Texts on Music

Hindustani vs Carnatic Music

Hindustani Music

Major Vocal Forms

Gharanas of Hindustani Music

Tansen (c. 1493–1589)

Raga-Time Theory (Prahar System)

In Hindustani music, ragas are associated with specific times of the day. The 24-hour cycle is divided into eight prahars (watches) of three hours each — four for the day and four for the night. This system was systematised by Pandit V.N. Bhatkhande in the early 20th century.

Carnatic Music

Key Vocal Forms

The Carnatic Trinity

Purandara Dasa (1484–1564)

Musical Instruments

Hindustani Instruments

Carnatic Instruments

Folk Music Traditions

UPSC Relevance

Prelims Focus Areas

• Hindustani vs Carnatic: key differences (gharana vs no gharana, Islamic influence)
• Carnatic Trinity: Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri (18th–19th century)
• Tansen: Navratna of Akbar; father of Hindustani music; Gwalior
• Purandara Dasa: father of Carnatic music; systematised teaching
• Sangita Ratnakara: Sharangadeva; 13th century; definitive classical text
• 7 Swaras: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni; 22 Shrutis
• Instruments with artistes: Shehnai–Bismillah Khan, Sitar–Ravi Shankar, Santoor–Shivkumar Sharma
• Dhrupad: oldest Hindustani vocal form; Khayal: most popular today
• Baul music: UNESCO Intangible Heritage (2005); Bengal
• Samaveda: oldest musical text; Narada credited with codifying music
• Brihaddeshi by Matanga: first text to define Raga

Mains Focus Areas

• Discuss the syncretic nature of Hindustani music — how did Hindu and Islamic traditions merge?
• Compare Hindustani and Carnatic traditions — divergence and commonalities
• Role of court patronage (Mughal, Maratha, South Indian kingdoms) in the evolution of Indian music
• Should Indian classical music be made part of school curricula? Discuss
• Impact of globalisation on Indian classical music — preservation vs evolution

Vocabulary

Raga

• Pronunciation: /ˈrɑːɡə/
• Definition: A melodic framework for improvisation and composition in Indian classical music, defined by specific ascending and descending note patterns, associated moods, and often a prescribed time of day for performance; each raga has the ability to "colour the mind" and evoke a particular aesthetic emotion.
• Origin: From Sanskrit rāga ("colour, dye, hue; passion, feeling"), from the root raj/rañj ("to colour, to be dyed"); the term in its modern musical sense was first defined in Matanga's Brihaddeshi (c. 8th century CE).

Tala

• Pronunciation: /ˈtɑːlə/
• Definition: A rhythmic cycle with a specific number of beats (ranging from 3 to 128) that recurs in the same pattern throughout a musical performance, providing the temporal framework within which melody and improvisation unfold in Indian classical music.
• Origin: From Sanskrit tāla ("palm of the hand, clap; rhythm"), related to the practice of keeping time by hand-clapping; codified in Sharangadeva's Sangita Ratnakara (13th century).

Gharana

• Pronunciation: /ɡəˈrɑːnɑː/
• Definition: A lineage-based school or tradition in Hindustani classical music and dance, defined by a distinct style of performance, specific techniques, and a repertoire passed down through generations of a family or master-disciple chain (guru-shishya parampara).
• Origin: From Hindi gharānā, from ghar ("house, home"), from Sanskrit gṛha ("house"); the system emerged in the 18th-19th centuries as musical families developed and transmitted distinctive performance styles.

Key Terms

Hindustani Music

• Pronunciation: /ˌhɪndʊˈstɑːni ˈmjuːzɪk/
• Definition: The classical music tradition of northern, central, and western India that diverged from the southern Carnatic tradition around the 13th century CE, characterised by extensive improvisation, the gharana system, and the absorption of Persian and Arabic musical elements through Sufi and Mughal court influences.
• Context: Key gharanas include Gwalior, Agra, Jaipur-Atrauli, Kirana, Patiala, and Rampur-Sahaswan; major forms include Dhrupad (oldest), Khayal (most popular), Thumri, and Tappa; Tansen (Akbar's court) is considered the father of Hindustani music.
• UPSC Relevance: GS1 (Art & Culture). Prelims: tested on the Hindustani-Carnatic divergence (c. 13th century), key gharanas, major forms (Dhrupad, Khayal), and prominent musicians (Tansen, Amir Khusrau). Mains: relevant for discussing cultural synthesis during the medieval period, the gharana system as a knowledge transmission method, and India's intangible cultural heritage. Focus on comparing Hindustani (improvisation-based, gharana system, Persian influence) with Carnatic (composition-based, guru-shishya, Sanskrit basis) music.

Carnatic Music

• Pronunciation: /kɑːˈnɑːtɪk ˈmjuːzɪk/
• Definition: The classical music tradition of South India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana), characterised by a predominantly vocal orientation, structured composition-based performance, and relative preservation of ancient Sanskrit musical principles with minimal Islamic influence.
• Context: Codified by Purandara Dasa (1484–1564), the "Father of Carnatic Music"; the Trinity of Carnatic Music — Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri — composed its core repertoire; instruments include veena, mridangam, and violin.
• UPSC Relevance: GS1 (Art & Culture). Prelims: tested on the Carnatic Trinity (Tyagaraja, Dikshitar, Syama Sastri), the "Father" (Purandara Dasa), key instruments (veena, mridangam), and the composition-based performance structure. Mains: relevant for discussing South Indian cultural traditions, the preservation of ancient musical systems, and the December music season in Chennai as a living cultural institution. Focus on knowing the key differences from Hindustani music and the major composers and their contributions.

Sources: Sangeet Natak Akademi (sangeetnatak.gov.in), ITC Sangeet Research Academy, NCERT — An Introduction to Indian Art, Raghava Menon — The Penguin Dictionary of Indian Classical Music