Forms of Indian music

1. Indian classical music

One of the most complicated and comprehensive musical systems is found in Indian classical music. It divides the octave into 12 semitones in the same way Western classical music does, but the scale’s base frequency is not set, and intertonal gaps can also vary. The 7 basic notes Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Ni Sa in order and five interspersed half-notes, resulting in a 12-note scale.

Indian classical music is of two types-

• Hindustani music- evolved in northern India around the 13th and 14th centuries. The three major vocal forms linked with Hindustani classical music are dhrupad, khayal, and thumri. Amir Khusro was known as the father of Hindustani classical music. Hindustani music was influenced by Mughal Persian performance customs and old Hindu musical traditions, Vedic philosophy, and natural Indian sounds.

• Carnatic music-The pan-Indian bhakti movement, which stimulated the usage of religious themes, had a significant influence on Carnatic music, headquartered in South India. Purandara Dasa (1480 – 1564), dubbed the “Father of Carnatic Music” (Pitamaha), wrote over 475,000 pieces. Carnatic music is entirely melodic, with improvisational elements. Most works are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are designed to be performed in a singing style. It is the oldest form of Indian classical music.

2. Folk music

The tremendous cultural diversity of India has greatly influenced numerous types of folk music. Almost every Indian area has its folk music that depicts the culture.

The legacy of folk music in India is vast, ranging from Punjab’s upbeat bhangra to Gujarat’s Garba and Karnataka’s Bhavageethe. Folk music is intimately tied with farming and other similar occupations, and it arose to help people cope with hardship and break the monotony of daily life.

Even though folk music has lost favour with the rise of contemporary music such as pop and rap, no traditional festival or celebration is complete without it.

• Bhavageethe- Bhavageethe (’emotion poetry’) is a light-hearted style of expressionist poetry. The majority of the poetry sung in this genre is about love, nature, and philosophy. This genre is popular in various parts of India, particularly in Karnataka and Maharashtra, and is known by various titles in other languages. Aswath, Shimoga Subbanna, Archana Udupa, and Raju Ananthaswamy are notable Bhavageethe performers.

• Bhangra and gidha- Bhangra is a genre of Punjabi folk music that involves dancing. The current melodic approach is derived from non-traditional melodic backup to Punjabi riffs of the same name. Giddha is the Punjab district’s female movement. Bhangra has grown in popularity globally over the last 30 years, both in its conventional form and as a fusion of genres such as hip-hop, house, and reggae.

• Lavani-Maharashtra and southern Madhya Pradesh have a popular folk form known as Lavani. Female artists traditionally sing the songs, but male artists may occasionally perform Lavanis. Tamasha is the dance style that is associated with Lavani. Lavani is derived from the word Lavanya, which signifies beauty. Nirguni Lavani (philosophical) and Shringari Lavani (religious) are the two varieties (erotic). The Nirguni cult’s devotional song is well-known throughout Malwa.

• Rajasthan-Langas, Sapera, Bhopa, Jogi, and Manganiyar are among the many musical castes of Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Diary describes it as “soulful, full-throated music with harmonising diversity” by Rajasthan Diary. Percussion instruments come in various forms and sizes, from massive nagaras and dhols to tiny damrus. The creative symphony of various string instruments, percussion instruments, and wind instruments, coupled with the beautiful renditions of folk singers, is the soul of Rajasthani music. 

• Dandiya-Dandiya, also known as Raas in Gujarati, is a stick-based social dance. The current melodic style is derived from the traditional melodic accompaniment to people. There’s also Garba, a type of dance and music associated with Dandiya/Raas.

• Qawwali-Qawwali is a Sufi religious music style. The devotional music of the Chishti Sufis of the Indian subcontinent. Qawwali is a lively musical style in which one or two lead singers, multiple chorus singers, harmonium, tabla, and dholak are used to perform. Originally, it was only done at Sufi shrines. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s work brought Qawwali music to a wider audience worldwide.

3. Film Music

Filmi, or songs from Indian musical films, is the most popular type of Indian pop music. The Indian film industry has fostered indigenous music by paying homage to classical music while incorporating Western orchestration to complement Indian tunes. Pandit Ravishankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and Pandit Ramnarayan are renowned Indian classical musicians who have composed music for movies. With the introduction of cable music television, independent pop acts like Asha Bhosle, Alisha Chinai, Shaan, Sonu Nigam, Sukhwinder Singh, KK, Kunal Ganjawala, Sunidhi Chauhan, Alka Yagnik are some famous singers.

4. Indian pop music

Indian popular music is based on a mix of Indian society and traditional music and contemporary sounds from around the world. The playback of popular music in South Asia was essentially the start.

Conclusion

Music was a major component of India’s socio-religious life when it was introduced. India’s music comes in various styles, each of which expresses and portrays something unique. India’s music is regarded as one of the world’s oldest continuous musical traditions. The Vedas lay the foundation for Indian music.