Music During Natyashastra Period

    Natyashastra Period 

        Natyashastra was written by the Acharya Bharat belongs to a sage descendent in near about 2^nd century. It has been a huge controversy among scholars about the exact time period of Bharat Muni and inscribes of Natyashastra. Few of the scholars believe that Bharat is like the post or the title held by the supreme Sage Sect and others believe that Bharat is only a person. Swami Prajnanananda wrote in his book, History of Indian Music, Bharata was really a title, and it was used to be conferred upon those who were efficient in arts and science of drama, and as such there were many personages with the title. He further wrote, Bharat in ancient times, such as vriddhabharat or Brahmabharat, Sadashivabharat, Kashyapbharat, and Nandibharat, to name only a few. If we go with the opinion with a large number of scholars in Literature and Performing Arts, the historic book on Indian drama and its component along with music and dance were compiled by Acharya Bharat during 2^nd century BCE to 2^nd century CE (Prajnananda, 2002).

    Natyashastra was the first evidence and the written text in Indian Drama and its allied subject describes the various fundamental principle in Drama, Music, and Dance. In this epic text, Acharya Bharat has explained the development of a methodical and scientific system of Indian classical music along with dance and drama. It is a large collection of 12000 verses describing the various aspect of music and drama in a total of thirty-six chapters. Among the huge collection of Shlokas, 6000 verses of Natyashastra are found available in a part. Natyashastra is also called the Natyaveda which forms one of the four Upavedas, covering over 36000 verses supposed to be written by Lord Brahma. It is compiled in 36 chapters (Kashi edition whereas the Kavyamandal edition, Bombay contains 37 chapters). Content related to Music is defined in chapters twenty-eight to thirty-three. The twenty-eighth chapter deals with the classification of musical instruments in 4 categories (Tatvadya, Avanadhyavadya, Shushirvadya, and Ghanvadya), and the definition of Gandharva music and its major division and the meaning of Kutup. In this chapter, he also describes the Shruti and its determination from a Sarana-chatushtai meaning and characteristic of eighteen Jatis among which seven Suddha Jati and 11 Vikrit Jatis, seven swar, Vadi, Samvadi, Anuvadi, and Vivadi tones and ten characteristics (Das Lakshyana) of Jati. Chapter twenty-nine deals with the Jatits and their emotions- Rasa, four kinds of Alankars, Geetis, and Dhatus. 

    This chapter also defines all about the playing technique of Vipanchi and Chitra Veena. Here Bharat illustrates 9 String Vipanchi Veena played with Plectrum (Kona) and seven string Chitra Veena played with fingers. The thirtieth chapter of the Natyashastra deals with the wind instrument. Here he describes various aspects of sound and sound production in the Shushir Vadhya category. The thirty-First chapter of the book deals with the rhythmic formation of Indian Classical Music. In this chapter, Bahrat describes the Tala, Laya, and Kala along with the three subdivisions of Kala- Chitra, Vartika, and Dakshina. The thirty-Second chapter of the Natyashastra deals with the sixty-four Dhruvas and their characteristics, six special Dhruvas and Chhand. This chapter also deals with the qualities of Veena-Vadak and the merits and demerits of Gayak, Vadak, Nats, and Natis. Thirty Third chapter of the Natyashastra deals with the origin of Avandahya Vadhya, its division, and its playing technique in detail.

    

     Apart from these music chapters, a few other chapters relating to music and drama are also discussed in Natyashastra. Chapter second deals with the auditorium (Prekshagrihya) and its measurements. In this chapter, the writer defines the three different types of Auditorium and description and measurement of the various angle of the stage and audio. The third chapter deals with the rituals and sacred functions during Natyamanchan....... 

To be Continue....... 

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साज़िश-ए मोहब्बत

 हाँ, ये पहली मरतबा मोहब्बत की बारिश हुई है !
जारा सोच विचार कर लो कही तो साज़िश हुई है !
जो कल परसों तक गर्दन नापते थे हमारी, 

आज कौन सी नुमाइश हुई है ! 
ज़िद में अडे थे हम भी नहीं जायेंगे उसके चौखट पर,

नजाने ये कहाँ से आज फरमाइश हुई है!! 

बिखरे से थे साख और दिल पे उदासी छाई है !! 

ढकोसलों के शहर में दीवाली आई है !! 

बात बात पर कहते थे हमें, तु क्या चीज हो !! 

आज उसी बारूद खाने में इक चिंगारी आई है ! 

इम्तहान मत लो मेरे सब्र का यह “सरगम”,

सारे जहाँ मे क़यामत आई है!! 

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History of Indian Classical Music

 

History of Indian Classical Music

    The Evolution and History of Indian Classical Music are associated with the fundamental principle of Indian Civilization highy adjoined with the Indus Valley Civilization and the culture of the people of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. It is also associated with Vedic period and the mythological belief of the people of Indian who always believes in God and its existence. The History of Indian Music is also associated with the law of progression, a nature, a soil , a fragrance and the cultural bonding between the people of India who lived here from hundreds of thousands of years ago and learned to speak, write, and much more things which nature taught to happen, struggle and alive like other living creators. Music in all concept is the heart and soul of the people with whom they express their eternal feeling either to express gratitude to loving nature, almighty god or to their beloved ones. Music has a fundamental character of rejoice so it is means of entertainment too.

    The continuity of Vedic tradition and the cultural versatility, from the ancient period to modern era, has established the various colour of Indian Music. It was germinated in Veda- especially in Sama Veda as Udaat. Anuddat and Swarit and flourshed as Shuti, Swar and the distinct style in every generation known by various name in various period. From Saam Gaan it has changes the flavor sometimes to Achik- Gaan, Margi sangeet- Deshi sangeet, Jati Gayan, Gram Murchan, Prabandh to Dhrupad, Varnam, Khyal, Ragam-Tanam Pallvi to Tumri, Kirti Kirtanam to Bhajan, Geet Ghazal and so many other musical forms found in Indian Subcontinent. Many evidence can be traced from various sources about the existence of these musical changes during the gradual development of classical music. A systematic and chronological history of Indian Music has come across the various stage in order to take shape and represent aesthetically about the concept of abstract arts in great extend.

    The primitive and premature civilization during pre Vedic Period may have evolved the concept of believing the nature as god and kept the tempo of its belief to establish the much associated with Trinity- Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, the creator, preserver and the death, a divine truth of the universe. It passes therefore through the systematic records of musical thoughts and materials that evolved in different ages in a gradual process. Indian Music is also connected with various Rishi-Munis and their musical thoughts who had systematized the Nada as Brahma and Shruti as the liveness in musical varieties of different distinct musical forms and a melodic structure of Raga tradition.

    Many historian and the musicologist has divided the history of Indian Music into different categories. Pandit Bhatkhande, has illustrated three different phase 1. Hindu Period, 2. Mohammedan Period, and Britishers Period. Ancient period, Medieval period and modern period is a general concepts that history of Indian Music created and walk a long way to present scenario. Most of the scholars have mention the Vedic period, Ancient period, Medieval Period and Modern Period. Some of the musicologist also have inputted Jain and Buddhist period or Ramayana- Mahabharata period or few of the scholars has enlarged the time period to Shankaracharya or Sultanate period. It is always noticed that history of music is under privileged and allied with any other major subject. From these kind of General Sorting of Indian Music History doesn’t seems relevant because, generalizing the things may not find the depth of the music and the voyage of musical tradition may blurred so systematic arrangement of development of Indian Music should be constructed with  Musical perception and rational thought. In viewing the above clauses the most ideal classification in History of Indian Music can be classified as 1. Pre-Vedic Period, 2. Vedic, Pauranik Period and Pre Natyashastra Period, 3. Natyashastra period, 4. Brihaddeshi and transition period, 5. Praband period, 6. Sangeet Ratnakar Period, 7. Mughal & Rajput Period, 8. Pre- Colonial Period, 9. Britishers Period, 10. Post Independence Period. The classification under these ten subcategory make clear vision of gradual development of Indian Music in different stage of journey.

cont.......... 

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Nada :- Nurture of Melody

 

Nada

    Nada literally means the vibration or the sound produced with the help of any physical or natural movement of any object in the universe. It can be said as the tendency of sound production by means of collision of any two things which create some vibes and make a sense of hearing a vibration in air called Nada. In Musical terms, a Nada is different then what describes in general context. In Shastra, Nada, a Sound has been mentioned as supreme joy regarded as a creator or the Nadabrahma, the root of creation. 

    The conceptual meaning of Nada has been explained as Na- means life or the air or Vayu and Da means Agni, Fire or the energy to generate life thus Nada means the expressed sound to create emotions and pleased the ear. In Indian Classical Music we generally describe two types of Nada- Anahat Nada and Ahat Nada. Anahat Nada is unstuck and not caused by any means but self-sounding, and it can be said as the phenomenon of eternal vibration or the aura created by nature. It has no connection with Music and musical genre. Another Nada type is Ahat Nada or the stuck sound created by some means or other. 

    When the series of Ahat Nada are arranged in ascent and descent with stable frequencies with systematic interval between two Nada creates a Shruti then swar to form a musical melodies. The same characteristics of Nada in Sama Veda were called the Udat, Anudat and Swarit later forms a Shruti and Swar. Nada in Music can be considered as the fundamental essence to nurture the melody. 

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Swar: An Abstract frequency to understand the Music

 

Swar

    Among the infinitive varieties of sound, swar literally means a sound used for musical purposed having the character of stability in term of perfect pitch and unfluctuating frequency. It can be also define as the sound of having vibrational quality of pleasing nature and soothe the mind and soul of both creator and listener without depending on any other factor is called Swar. The definition of Swar may varies in different perception in Indian Classical Music. The Seven Major Musical tone are sometimes called Swar followed by five more sharper/flatter sub notes. Some intellectuals defines that each heard notes can be said as Swar however the characteristics might have different in implementing in musical scale.

It should be remember that the notes in Indian Classical are not fixed perhaps you fixed the root anywhere called Shadaj. It is not particularly bounded in any frequency so Shadaj can be of 246 Hz frequency if tuned in western note B. The exact frequency of C Sharp is tuned in 277.18 Hz. But the question arise that each Sa can be the 240Hz note? Obviously No. Each Individual notes in Hindustani Classical Music can be assumed as Sa, so how can a Sa be of 240 Hz. To form a particular scale in Indian Classical Music it be the establishment of root note and it is spell as per the comfort of the particular artist. Generally female used to setup sa a bit lower pitch then male because the treble of female vocal is sharper then male so it is set in such a way that they could reach all three octave without any difficulties in singing a song. The Root note of male pitch usually start near about C Sharp or the First Black (Middle Octave) female pitch is from the Fourth Black (Lower Octave) notes of Harmonium.  In pas centuries the Tanpura was tuned as per the comfort zone of the singer. There were no perfect technique to fix the notes so singers usually established Sa and then they used to construct a scale as per the Raga and its notes combination.

          The universal acceptance of the Swar or notes means the musical notes farmed in a musical scale to create a melody or harmony of music. The Swar in Indian Classical Music have two categories – Suddh Swar and Vikrit swar. The Sangeet Shastra denotes seven Sudda Swar – Shadaj, Rishav, Gandhar, Madhyam, Pancham, Dhaivat and Nishad. Apart from these seven swar, there are semi micro tones in between these ascend and descend of Suddha swar are called Komal swar or Tivra swar according to the nature of notes. Rishav, Gandhar , Dhaivat and Nishad are always Komal which means flatter then the Suddha/ Natural Swar and Madhyam is always Sharper in nature so it is called Tivra Madhyam. In bettwen then Sudda- Komal- Tivra notes are also few more audible intervals which is called Shruti and they are used in particular frame as per the nature of Raga so Indian Classical Music usually called as a tradition of Shruti Gayan Parampara.

    The Swar in Indian Classical Music resonate and vibes with Major Fourth and Major Fifth Notes what we generally called as Shadaj Madhyam- Shadaj Pancham Bhav Samvad. That is why the existence of seven suddha swar, 12 semi tones and twenty-two micro tones are highly regarded as the musical frequencies in classical music. With reference to the origin of Swar, it is also supposed that these seven swar have certain association with animals and birds. Shadaj comes from the sound of peacock, Rishav comes from Skylark, Gandhar from the Goat, Madhyam from Heron, Pancham from Nightingale, Dhaivat from Horse and Nishad from the Elephant. Here, one thing should be noted that these swar are note of these animals but the pitch might represent the intonation of the sound what exactly they are so these birds and animals are only the symbolic form to represent the state of Swar.  

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