An Introduction to Indian Music

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:30:48 +0000

Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul. Indian music is known for its melody and richness of emotion. The roots of Indian music can be traced to Vedas (the religious books of knowledge). To many believers, music was created by God Himself. For them it was something divine, something heavenly. That is sole reason we find earlier Indian music as ritualistic with hymns sung to God (Bahagwan). Brahma the thought writer of Sema Veda patterned Indian music on three notes and it was sung in plain rhyme. This music then underwent modifications in the Mughal era by styles of Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal.

The music of India is a insidious influence in Indian life. It pervades the big and small events of Indian life, from child birth to death, religious rites and seasonal festivals. Originally, not all developments of music were reduced to writing. To keep their traditional integrity, they were imparted orally from teacher to pupil — the Guru-Shishya tradition. In the past, there used to be a system of Gurukul Ashram or purpose built institutes where teachers imparted knowledge to deserving students.

Indian music’s base is Raga which the soul of classical music. A raga is based on the principle of a combination of notes selected out the 22 note intervals of the octave. A performer having sufficient training and knowledge alone can create the desired emotions, through the combination of shrutis and notes. There are a limited number of ragas in Hindustani music; as the use of a “KING” note and a “QUEEN” note restricts to a great extent, the creation of new ragas. The raga forms the backbone of Indian music, and the laws lay down for the ragas have to be carefully observed to preserve and safeguard their integrity. Since ragas are associated with times and nature, we find great resemblance of this fact in the names of these ragas. The ten famous ragas are Bilaval — with all shuddh or natural notes, Khamaj — with the ni note as komal, Kafi — with the ga and ni notes as komal, Asavari — with the ga, dha and ni notes as komal, Bhairavi — with the re, ga, dha and ni notes as komal, Bhairav — with the re and dha notes as komal, Poorvi — with the re and dha notes as komal and the ma note as teevra., Todi — with the re, ga and dha notes as komal and the ma note as teevra., Marwa — with the re note as komal and the ma note as teevra and Yaman — with the ma note as teevra only.

Recent times have seen quite a modification in Indian Music and cultural influences are very much evident in these changes. Indian Bhangra is one such example. Then the Indian folk music itself has its on appeal. Indian ghazal and Bhajans have again their own soothing and mystical affects. And nonetheless the new influence of western music combined with India music again starting a new genre in musical world.

An Overview of Indian Songs

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:54:08 +0000

Choosing the best items from a huge selection is definitely a difficult task and same is the case when it comes to write about the most popular and most beautifully sung Indian songs. Indian cinema is quite an older one and so many so many movies have been made since the advent f Indian cinema. This has created such a vast panorama of songs hat it becomes very difficult to choose some amongst such a wide array of songs. So many singers have come and gone but the classic songs being sung by them are still afresh in our memories along with the newer ones. It is definitely a very difficult task to pick a selection of a few songs from a plethora of songs.

Whether you are sad, happy, wanting to dance or avoiding everyone, in an introspective mood or really romantic one, the Indian songs have the full capacity to get connected to your mood. Sooner or later, you are made to hum the same tune while listening to these songs and this s the beauty of these Indian songs despite of the fact whether these are older ones or the newer ones though one fact is that the older songs are a lot more melodic and ear pleasing.

“jo wada kia wo nibahana paray ga” from the movie Taj Mahal
“humain tum say pyar ktna ye hum nahin jantay magr ji nahi saktay tumharay bina” from the movie Qudrat
“tum say mil kay aisa laga tum say mil kay arman huay puray dil kay” from the movie Parinda
“payar deewana hota hai mastana hota hai” from the movie Kati patang
“deewana tera tujhe hi pukaraye” by Sonu nigham
“salameishq” from the movie salamay ishq
“dil cheez kia hai ap mri jaan leejeye” from umrao jaan ada
“hogya hai tujh ko tou pyar sajna” from the movie dil walay dulhaniya lay jayain gay
“honton say cho lo tum mera geet amr kr do” from amar geet
“tum itna jo muskura ray ho kia ghum hai jsko chupa rahay ho” from arth
“pehla nasha pehla khumar” from jo jeeta wo sikandar
“ghazab ka hai dn dakho zra” from qayamat say qayamat tak
“bs ak pal” from the movie teray bin
“sohnio, tu day day mera sath” from the movie raaz 2
“bhaage ray maan” from chameli
“soona maan ka aangan” from parineeta
“tu meri zindagi hai”from ashiqi
“apki nazron nay samhja payar k kabil hamain”from the movie anprh
“chaltay chaltay yun hi koi mil gya tha” from the movie pakeeza
“o ray piya” from the movie a ja nach lay
“laagi tum say man ki lagun” by rahat fateh ali khan
“maula meray maula” from the movie anwar
“maujan hi maujan” from jab we met
“bakhuda tumhi ho” from the movie kismet connection
“teri ore” from singh is king
“kajra ray kajra ray” from the movie bunty or bubbly
“kal ho na ho” from the movie kal ho na ho
“kabi kabi meray dil me kheyal ata hai” from the movie kabhi kabhi
“apki kashish sarfarosh hai” from ashiq banaya ap nay
“chup chup kay chup chup k” from bunty or bubbly

i Music Club » Indian Songs

An Introduction to Indian Music

An Overview of Indian Songs