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Culture, in India, although diverse and varied, still
binds the country together in some form of common identification.
Indian dance and music have played a remarkable role in
this unification. India has a great heritage of classical
dance and music. Using the body as a medium of communication,
the expression of dance is perhaps the most intricate
and developed, yet easily understood art form. Music too
plays an important role in the Hindu religion. The tradition
of Indian music should be understood in the context of
Indian life and thought. It is known to be a mystical
experience, analogous to yoga. |
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Music |
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| Qawwali |
| The classic
Pakistani Qawwali music in its present form goes back
to the 12th century, and the poet as well as composer
Amir. But the qawwali music is perhaps even older. Qawwali,
a sufi and religious music is closely connected to Islam.
It is classic, but not in western meaning of the word.
It is strictly built up in different stages. All with
verse and chorus. The first stages activate the links
with the living spiritual guides, the next with the departed
saints and at last with God (Allah). It is believed that
khayal form of music also originated from the qawwali
style of singing. |
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| Folk
Music |
The true rhythm of India lies in its folk music - the
music of the masses. The extreme cultural diversity creates
endless varieties of folk styles. Every event of life
has a unique folk song associated with it - then be it
festivals, advent of the new season, birth of a child,
or day-to-day affairs like teasing one's loved one, admiring
nature, etc. Music is an indispensable component of functions
such as weddings, engagements, and births. There is a
surfeit of songs for such occasions. The Indian folk music
has today reached out to touch the hearts of masses across
the globe with its melodious rhythm and endless energy. |
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| Ghazal |
Ghazal has its roots in classical Arabic poetry. Ghazal
is an Arabic word which literally means talking to women.
It grew from the Persian qasida, which verse form had
come to Iran from Arabia around the 10th century A.D.
The qasida was a eulogy written in praise of the emperor
or his noblemen. The part of the qasida called tashbib
got detached and developed in due course of time into
the Ghazal. India has produced some of the exceptional
talents in the field of ghazal singing like Begum Akhtar,
Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udhas etc. |
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| Classical
Music |
The two fundamental elements of Hindustani classical music
are raag and taal. Hindustani music is the music of North
India, involving both Hindu and Muslim musicians. It is
intimately associated with the north-Indian temple rituals
and traces back its existence in the Shastras or ancient
treaties in Sanskrit. The different forms of Hindustani
music are - Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Tappa and Thumri. |
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Indian
Musical Instruments |
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| Sitar |
Probably the most popular string instrument from India
is the sitar. String instruments have gained popularity
because strings are considered to be the best accompaniment
to singing, a prime element of Indian music. |
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| Sarod |
Sarod is another popular stringed instrument. The body
is carved from a single piece of well-seasoned teakwood
and the belly covered with goat skin. There are four main
strings, six rhythm and drone strings and fifteen sympathetic
strings, all made of metal. These are played by striking
with a plectrum made of a coconut shell. |
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| Sarangi |
The name derives from Sau Rangi meaning 100 colours. It
has three to four main playing strings and about a dozen
sympathetic strings. The instrument has no frets orfingerboard;
the strings float in the air. |
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| Esraj |
Esraj is a combination between saringda and sitar. The
base of the instrument is like saringda while the neck
and strings are like sitar. It gives a sound very much
like sarangi without being as difficult to play. It is
quite popular in West Bengal. |
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| Tanpura |
It has four strings tuned to the tonic. The tanpura is
known for its very rich sound. There are three main styles;
the Miraj style, the Tanjore style and the small instrumental
version sometimes called tamburi. |
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| Santoor |
Santoor is a North Indian instrument originating from
Kashmir. It has more than a hundred strings which run
across a hollow rectangular box and the strings are struck
by a pair of slim carved walnut mallets. |
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| Vichitra
Veena |
The Vichitra Veena is a stringed instrument like the rudra
vina except it has no frets. It is played with a slide
like a Hawaiian guitar. |
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| Violin |
Violin was introduced to India about 300 years ago and
is a very important string instrument in the South of
India. It is played in a sitting position and is held
between the right foot and the left shoulder. |
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| Tabla |
Tabla is a pair of drums. It consists of a small right
hand drum called dayan and a larger metal one called bayan.
The function of the black spots on each of the playing
surfaces is to create the bell-like timbre that is characteristic
of the instrument. |
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| Pakhawaj |
Pakhawaj is essentially a north Indian version of the
mridangam and is the most common north Indian representative
of the class of barrel shaped drums known as mridang.
During the last few generations tabla has usurped its
position of importance. |
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| Mridangam |
Bears a strong superficial resemblance to pakhawaj but
there are major differences in construction and technique.
It is the most used drum in South Indian music. |
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| Jal
Tarang |
This instrument is a set of china bowls that are filled
with water. Each bowl is struck with a light wooden mallet
to cause it to ring. Jal tarang is not very common and
is normally found in the accompaniment of Kathak dancers. |
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| Dholak |
Very popular folk drum of northern India. It is barrel
shaped with a simple membrane on the right hand side. |
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| Pung |
This is a long bodied drum with both ends covered in skin
and plays an important role in Manipuri dancing when it
is played by men and women, either in a sitting position
or standing position. |
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| Flute |
Flute is found in every part of India, carved from bamboo
it is made in every possible size. |
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| Shehnai |
A double reeded wind instrument with a widening tube towards
the lower end. There are eight or nine holes, the upper
seven for playing and the lower ones fortuning. The Shehnai
is considered auspicious and is played on all festive
occasions in India. |
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Indian
Dances |
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| Folk
Dance |
The Indian folk dance is simple without being naive, for
behind its simplicity lie both profundity of conception
and a directness of expression which are of great artistic
value. The concept of portraying emotion is generally
speaking foreign to folk dance and what is expressed is
natural and original. What is important here is not the
grace of the individual dancer or the virtuosity of the
isolated prose, but the total effect of the overwhelming
buoyancy of spirit, and the eloquent, effortless ease
with which it is expressed. It has intimate relationship
with functions of daily life; food-gathering, harvesting,
rites, rituals and beliefs. The popular folk dances of
India are Ruk Mar Nacha, Purulia Chhau, Rangoli Bihu,
Singhi Chham, Karma, Cheraw Dance, Hojagiri, Bardo Chham,
Chang Lo, Lahoo and Thang Ta in the East. Bhangra, Charkula,
Ghoomar, Spaw Dance and Kinnauri Nati in the North. Kalbelia
Dance, Koli, Tarangmel, Dandiya Raas, Garba, Tippani Dance,
Panthi, The Padhar Dance, Dharmar and Hamchi Dances in
the West. Devarattam, Dollu Kunita, Thapetta Gullu, Garadi,
Lava Dance and Nicobarese Dance in the South. |
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| Bharatanatyam |
Bharata Natyam, originating in Tamil Nadu, has movements
of pure rhythm, rendering a story dramatically in different
moods. For a long time, Bharat Natyam was performed only
in temples by dancers in service of the temple, the devadasis.
The dancers must learn the language of gestures, mudras
- so as to express feelings, movements and characters
in the stories which she narrates through dance. |
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| Kathak |
The Kathak dance form originated in the north. The influence
of the Mughal tradition is evident in this dance form,
and it has a distinct Hindu-Muslim texture. The word Kathak,
derived from 'Katha', literally means storyteller. Today,
the maestros of this dance form include Birju Maharaj
and Uma Sharma. Kathak has an exciting and entertaining
quality with intricate footwork and rapid pirouettes being
the dominant and most endearing features of this style.
The costumes and themes of these dances are often similar
to those in Mughal miniature paintings. |
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| Kathakali |
Kathakali, a well-developed dance-drama of Kerala is a
performance where the actors depict characters from the
epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and from the Puranas (ancient
scriptures). The dancers adorn themselves in huge skirts
and headdress, wearing a most intricate style of make-up.
Kathakali draws heavily from drama and is danced with
elaborate masks and costumes. Like Bharatanatyam Kathakali
also needed a resurrection in the 1930s. The great poet
Vallathol rediscovered Kathakali, establishing the Kerala
Kalamandalam in 1932 which lent a new dimension to the
art-form in South India. |
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| Manipuri |
Protected for years in a valley of exceeding beauty, Manipuri
is the art expression of every man, woman and child of
Manipur. The musical forms of that culture reflect the
worship of Vishnu. It is around episodes from his life
that the faith of the people is entwined. The sanskirtan
and the rass are revered musical traditions enacted appropriately
at different times of the year by the community as a whole.
Manipuri is not aggressive. It is tender and almost reticent
on the one hand, and extremely vigorous on the other.
A continuity of movement and a restraint of power are
underlying features of the style. |
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| CHAKIARKOOTHU |
This dance form is believed to have been introduced to
Kerala by the early Aryan immigrants & is performed only
by the members of the Chkiar caste. A highly orthodox
type of entertainment, it can be staged inside temples
only & witnessed by the Hindus of the higher castes. The
theatre is known as Koothambalam. The story is recited
in a quasi-dramatic style with emphasis on eloquent declarations
with appropriately suggestive facial expressions & hand
gestures. The only accompaniments are the cymbals & the
drum known as the mizhavu, made of copper with a narrow
mouth on which is stretched a piece of parchment. |
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| MOHINIYATTAM |
Mohiniyattam, the female semi-classical dance form of
Kerala is said to be older than Kathakali. Literally,
the dance of the enchantress, Mohiniyattam was mainly
performed in the temple precincts of Kerala. It is also
the heir to Devadasi dance heritage like Bharata Natyam,
Kuchipudi and Odissi. The word 'Mohini' means a maiden
who exerts desire or steals the heart of the onlooker.
There is a well known story of Lord Vishnu taking on the
guise of a 'Mohini' to enthrall people, both in connection
with the churning of the milk ocean and with the episode
of slaying of Bhasmasura. Thus it is thought that Vaishnava
devotees gave the name of Mohiniyattam to this dance form. |
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| Odissi |
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The ambience of Orissa, the philosophy of Lord Jagannath
and the sculpture of the 13th - century Sun Temple of
Konarak, are reflected in its dance form Odissi. Perhaps
the most lyrical style of dance in India, Odissi follows
unique body norms; the iconography of a whole culture
is echoed in its structure. The tribhanga, a three-bend
posture, interlinking a peoples philosophy with the physical,
is a series of triangles which are not only physically
difficult to execute, but which also call for immense
restraint and finesse on the part of the artist. The numerous
postures of the style reflect specific moods and adorn
the carved panels of the Konark Sun Temple. |
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| Chhau |
The Chhau dance is indigenous to the eastern part of India.
It originated as a martial art and contains vigorous movements
and leaps. Some Chhau dances use large stylized masks.
The depiction of birds and animals is a distinctive feature.
There are also heroic dances with sword, bow or shield,
with which dancers demonstrate their dexterity. In recent
times, Mayurbhanj Chhau has become popular as a medium
of choreography, with its wide range of postures and movements
that adapt well to modern as well as traditional treatment.
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