Indian Classical Music
Key Pointers
- Origins: Samaveda chants; Natyashastra (Bharata Muni; theory of swara, shruti, grama, murchana, jati); Brihaddeshi (Matanga; first to use the term raga); Sangita Ratnakara (Sarangadeva, 13th century; treats both Hindustani and Carnatic ideas).
- Basic elements:
- Shruti (22 microtones), Swara (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni), Raga (melodic framework with aroha and avaroha), Tala (rhythmic cycle), Laya (tempo).
- Drone: Tanpura.
- Thaat system (Bhatkhande's 10 thaats) in Hindustani; 72 Melakarta ragas (Venkatamakhin's Chaturdandi Prakashika; Govindacharya) in Carnatic.
- Hindustani forms: Dhrupad (Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior), Khayal (associated with Amir Khusrau/Sultan Hussain Sharqi), Thumri, Tappa, Tarana, Ghazal. Tansen (Akbar's court). Gharanas: Gwalior, Kirana, Agra, Jaipur-Atrauli, Patiala.
- Carnatic forms: Varnam, Kriti, Kirtanam, Tillana, Padam, Javali. Purandara Dasa is the 'Father of Carnatic Music'; the Trinity (Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Shyama Shastri).
- Modern revival: V.N. Bhatkhande and V.D. Paluskar (Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, 1901).
- Taals: Teentaal (16 beats), Ektaal (12), Jhaptaal (10), Rupak (7), Dadra (6), Keherwa (8); Carnatic Adi Tala (8).
MCQs
Q1. Who is called the 'Father of Carnatic Music'?
(a) Tyagaraja
(b) Purandara Dasa
(c) Muthuswami Dikshitar
(d) Annamacharya
Answer: (b).
Q2. The Dhrupad style flourished under the patronage of:
(a) Man Singh Tomar
(b) Alauddin Khalji
(c) Aurangzeb
(d) Krishnadevaraya
Answer: (a).
Q3. Teentaal has how many beats?
(a) 10
(b) 12
(c) 14
(d) 16
Answer: (d).