History of Indian Music

To be able to understand the intricacies of any musical system, it is essential to understand the people and their civilization as a preliminary exercise.  In other words, it would be useful to have a background of the people and their Civilization whose music we are to study and understand. I would like to refer to the historical background of Indian Music and about the processes through which it has had an even flow over the past 7000 to 8000 years.  Let us take a bird’s eye view of the evolution of our music briefly.  We could divide the periods as follows:

1. Indus Valley Civilization (prior to 5000 years B.C)

This period is considered to be the beginning of India’s cultural heritage. Though written books or other similar document proofs are not available to enable us to trace out the beginning of the musical system, we can surmise from a study of the idols, images etc. that there did exist system for expression of musical thoughts and some musical instruments which were used by the people of this period.  The stone and copper images indicate clearly that the people of that time had developed the art of Music!

2. From Indus Valley Civilization to 2000 years BC

This period which could be classified as the Vedic period or early Hindu period has the advantage of the availability of written books which indicate more generally the philosophical thoughts of that time. Vedas are the religious books embodying Indian philosophy. The fact that one of the four Vedas, viz: Sama- Veda can be rendered or recited musically is of great significance. The importance attached to the art of music, projects the proficiency attained by the people at large in this fine art. In fact, this period would be stated to be the time from which a definite science of music started to be evolved.

3. From 2000 years B.C. to 500 years B.C

This period saw the rise of the Buddist religion and could be stated to be a glorious period through which all forms of fine arts including music were developed very significantly. We have proofs in the form of books, images, pictures etc. indicating the high level achieved by this fine art during this period.

4. From 500 years B C. to 1000 years A D

The prolongation of the earlier period and the era nearer to 500 years B.C. – is extremely important as the musical scale was invented at this time. Highly technical and scientific books including the famous “Bharat Natya – Shashtra were written during this time. The earlier short range musical expressions were now developed into renderings, using the full scale. The Vedic or the religious form of Music (Marg Music) now had an additional dimension in the form of Deshi Music, which means music of the people. It would suffice to understand that this period was in a sense the foundation period of the present day musical system prevalent in India. A great number of musicologist or sage-musicians lived during this period and enriched the Indian Musical systems to a stage of almost perfection. The scale was further developed into 22 divisions and the raga system was born. This system of music which was accepted throughout the country was gradually being developed when an important phenomenon occurred in the year 1000 A.D., which is referred to in the next stage. 

5. From year 1000 AD. to year 1700 A.D

From year 1000 A.D. onwards the Northern part of India was invaded by many Muslim Kings from the Middle East. Many of these invaded the country and went back, whilst some of them settled down in the country as rulers. This created a peculiar situation and many great musicians and musicologists migrated from North India towards the South to save themselves from the onslaught of the Invaders. In this period lived great Musicologists like Sarangdev, the author of the great treatise “Sangeet Ratnakar and other great artists who composed and practiced at the courts of many art-loving Kings, to start with in the Northern part and later in the middle and the Southern parts of India.

The Muslim Kings invited to their courts artists, musicians and dancers from the Middle East, viz Persia, and these settled down in the capital city, i.e. Delhi under the royal patronage. The Persians brought along with them their own influences reflected from their systems of music, poetry etc. Naturally, these trends influenced various fine arts as prevalent in Northern India at that time.  It may be mentioned that the basic matter of music did not change – it was only the manner of its expression that was slightly modified. The period of 500 years from 1000 A.D. to 1500 A.D. therefore witnessed the “manner of music” or the “expression of music” being influenced by the Iranians. Amir Khushroo is a famous name (Birth 1254 A.D) who it is stated, was responsible to a great extent for such changes.

The later period viz. the 16 and the 17″ Centuries witnessed the glorious period of the Moghul Empire during which, all fine arts in India reached their zenith.  Great Musicians adorned the courts of the Moghul Kings. The famous Musicians of the period were Swami Haridas and his pupil Tansen, who was the court Musician of the great Moghul Emperor Akbar. The raga system was perfected during this period and standardised to a great extent. Great Masters of melody and rhythm lived during this period and composed innumerable immortal songs set to raga and rhythms of immense beauty.

I have mentioned earlier that middle eastern influence on Northern Indian Music created a certain amount of change in the forms. It is believed that whilst the Indian Musical system was affected in the North, it remained completely unaffected ín the South. This perhaps could be considered to be the reason of two different systems prevalent in India today, viz. ‘Hindustani’ or the Northern Indian Music and ‘Karnatak’ or the South Indian Music, and this division originated during this period.

6. From year 1700 A. D to year 1900 A.D.

This was roughly the period of the British rule and the lack of state patronage did create a certain amount of stagnation in the world of Music as in other arts.  However, the musical traditions found their own patrons in the form of rulers who ruled small native or city states scattered all over the country. These small Kings had their own group of Musicians, Painters, etc. to adorn their courts.  As there  was relative lack of communication between these small states, specialised sub-styles or Gharanas as they are known in India were created by individual musicians of merit. Each Gharana or the specialized style of musical expression was known by the native state at which the initiator of a special school lived.  Therefore, we have Gharanas of Gwalior, of Rampur, of Kirana, of Agra, of Patiala and so on.  A word may be mentioned here about the singing women of India, who also supported and patronised great Musical Masters during this period and from whom they learned the art of Music. 

7. Post Independence Period

After the independence, we had a lot of basic problems to solve in the initial stages. Food, clothing and shelter were naturally of greater importance than fine arts. The State patronage did however come forth a few years later in the form of special academies called “Sangeet Natak Academy” being opened as the cultural wings of the Ministry both at Federal and local levels. Today, we are also very fortunate in having a band of young talented Musicians who have not only maintained the purity of our classical music traditions, but, in fact, have enriched the same and have taken our music outside the boundaries of our country.  Our Musicians have taken our Music to Europe, to America and have projected not only the traditions of our fine arts but also the Indian way of life and Indian philosophical thoughts.

8. Contemporary Scenario

In last few decades our music seems to be following disturbing trends. Whilst number of concerts, workshops, seminars etc. are being regularly held indicating increased interest in Indian music, the pattern of music presentations has changed considerably. There are several reasons :

1. Music was earlier presented before a few initiated listeners, amongst which the percentage of rasikas was note worthy. The size of audience today has increased manifold, whilst the number of ‘rasikas have remained same, if not diminished. Let us say music has shifted its base from being “classical” to becoming “massical”.   Musicians are obliged to please a large number of uninitiated listeners and hence the profundity of music making” has become shallow.
2. In view of the above, music is gradually becoming a source of entertainment, as a result of listener aptitudes which require excitement, thrill etc. Icons of music have been urged to give to the public ‘not what they want but what they should want’.  A group comprising of icons from Hindustani musicians and Carnatic musicians has been established called AlMG – All India Musicians Group, to protect music from becoming ‘entertainment’ rather than soul satisfying.