25 Little-known Facts About Indian Music For Kids: 3,000 Years On

Its origins can be traced back to the Vedas (ancient scripts). India's music, termed as 'sangeet', has a distinct and diversified style when contrasted to other music styles worldwide.

The many representations of music, mainly Indian Classical music, reflect India's status as a land of civilizations.

Indian classical music has been performed for over 3000 years.The term 'Indian classical music' refers to music originating on the Indian subcontinent. It is separated into two types of music, one from North India called Hindustani, and music from South India is recognized as Carnatic music.

In addition, saints and spiritual people used to sing ragas and bhajans to connect with the deity in the past. As a result, we claim that music has a spiritual flavor that everyone can detect while studying.

It was only allowed in temples and was exclusively used for religious purposes. The sound that fills the entire universe, it is said.

Indian classical music can be separated into three eras which may be categorized into the ancient era, Medieval era and the modern period. Indian Classical music arose from the Vedas, ancient India's sacred Hindu mantras.

Origins Of Indian Music

Its origins may be traced back over 6,000 years to the Vedic writings, where chants formed a system of rhythmic cycles and musical notes. Music was religious in the early days of Indian classical music when it was only coming of age.

The ancient Indians trusted in the heavenly origin of music. Classical Indian music is a strong history that emerged in South Asia and may be seen in all parts of the world.

• The Carnatic form of Southern India is the most strongly related to Vedic music. During the conflict, drums were utilized to deliver messages. Later, with religious music performed in temples, string instruments appeared.
• North Indian Hindustani music is the product of a synthesis of Vedic Hindu music and Muslim inspirations from the west.
• In the year 1898, the first phonograph record was created in Kolkata. In 1877, Thomas Edison discovered the Phonograph, a sound machine.

History Of Classical Indian Music

Indian classical music flourished in the courts of monarchs, princes, maharajahs, and wealthy noblemen during the feudal and Mughal eras, as they competed for the arts' patronage. Gwalior Gharana is one of Hindustani music's earliest gharanas, as well as one of the earliest Khayal Gharanas.

Gwalior Gharana was formed in the 16th century by Nathe Khan and Nathan Peer Baksh.

Although Hindustani music was royal music for the upper crust, Carnatic music thrived as popular music.

Tansen was the most famous singer, and his voice was reported to be so powerful and impressive that it could light oil lamps. The Puranas contain different mythological stories that reference a variety of musical instruments as well as the talas and ragas that constitute the foundation of Indian classical music, which could be explored.

• The 'Gandharva Mahavidyalaya' at Lahore is India's first music school (which was then a part of India). On May 5, 1901, 'Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar' founded a music school.
• Digambar had been an Indian classical musician born in the Kurundwad, Bombay. This Indian classical music was born on August 10, 1872.
• The Music School was supported by revenues earned through concerts, generous funding, and charitable contributions from the society's wealthier classes. In September 1908, Vishnu came to Mumbai to establish a division of the 'Gandharva Mahavidyalaya'.
• After Independence, the Lahore institution was eventually relocated to Mumbai.

What is unique and special about Indian music?

In contrast to contemporary Western classical music, which employs the equal-temperament tuning technique, Indian music uses just-intonation tuning. Indian classical music, unlike contemporary Western classical music, focuses a significant focus on improvisation. It has a lengthy history and is deeply associated with Indian mysticism. Concerts of classical Indian music have historically centered on a single instrumentalist or vocalist.

• Indian music concerts can run for hours and include phases of exploration and creativity, as well as ascending and lowering, before achieving a peak and then winding down.
• Indian musicians usually perform on a takht draped in a unique Kerman rug that helps to build a soothing, Eastern ambiance for concerts and recordings.
• Bageshwari Qamar is India's first female shehnai vadak. Bageshwari Qamar, the first female shehnai vadak, debuted in 1983 and was awarded 'Shehnai Queen' in Chandigarh. Sharan Rani is India's first female Sarod player.
• Ustad Allauddin Khan, as well as Ustad Ali Akbar, were among the great music maestros who taught her the Sarod. In 1898, the Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd.'s Beliaghata facility recorded the first Indian song.
• MS Subbulakshmi was the first composer to earn the Padma Bhushan award. She studied Carnatic music with Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer before moving on to Hindustani music training with Pandit Narayan Rao Vyas.
• The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's John Scott performed Ilayaraja's symphony for the first time. He has won National Film Award for Best Music Director three times.

Types Of Indian Music

Indian classical music has a long and illustrious history, and it is still famous in India as a source of religious motivation or pure amusement. Alap, Jhala, Jhor, and Gat/Bandish are the four types of form in Indian music.

Each of these instruments plays a unique role in Indian music. Classical  Indian music is as diverse as the country it originates from.

Indian classical music is distinguished by delicate and subtle harmonies and complicated rhythms based on an old tradition. Only India has two types of music, one of which is classical music and the other of which is Carnatic music.

• North India is home to Hindustani music, whereas South India is home to Carnatic music. There are six ragas of Hindustani music, but there are 72 ragas in Carnatic music. The fundamental distinction is that Hindustani music is made from music that arrived in India from Arabian and Persian countries.
• In contrast, Carnatic music is made up of music developed in India. Hindustani music is played with table, santoor, sitar, and other instruments. The mridangam, mandolin, and veena are used to perform Carnatic music.
• Despite their differences, both of these pieces of music share some commonalities. Hindustani and  Carnatic music both music forms provide importance to the melody as the primary component of the music. Swara, as well as Vadi Swara, are included in both. Both use Tanpura to justify the song's pitch.
• Besides these two primary areas, Indian folk music encompasses various styles. Each folk form originated in a specific location of India. Bhangra (Punjab), Dandiya (Gujarat), Lavani (Maharashtra), Qawwali (Sufi type of devotional music), and Bauls (Bengal) are among the most popular Indian folk forms.
• In recent years, Bollywood and pop music have ruled Indian music. Alisha is regarded as one of India's pop music innovators. With her album 'Made in India', Alisha created Indipop history. Rajesh Johri, who also happens to be the husband of Alisha Chinai, was the album's sound engineer. The album became one of the best-selling Hindi album tracks in Indian music history. Harjeet Singh Sehgal, also known as Baba Sehgal, released the first Hindi Rap album, 'Thanda Thanda Pani'. 'Shagufta', released with Music India in December 1987, was the first compact disc released in India.
• Ila Arun's 'Banjaran' was India's first folk album. Banjaran was recorded in 1983 and featured Gujarati and Rajasthani folk songs. Ila Arun is known for her remarkable skill and deep voice. She primarily performs folk songs and brings folk singing to a new level. Ila Arun has also starred in movies and sung several popular film songs.
• In 1993, Ila Arun received the Filmfare best singer Award for 'Choli ke peeche kya hai'. The sitar, tambura, Sarod, sarangi, shehnai, and tabla are the most widely employed instruments for Hindustani classical music. In contrast, the kanjira, mrdangams, vina, and violin are commonly used in Carnatic classical music. The 'tanpura,' often known as the 'mother of all Indian classical music,' is a standard instrument widely utilized in all classical music.
• Sugama Sangeeta, Rabindra Sangeet, and other songs for easy listening are examples of Indian light music. Such music, which is lightly influenced by Indian folk, classical, and some fusion components, is an option to Indian pop and Indian film music.
• Raga, also worded rag (throughout northern India) or ragam (throughout south India), is a rhythmic framework for composition and improvisation in Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi, classical music.
• Today, over 500 ragas are known or suspected to exist (including ancient ragas). Raga is an essential element of Indian classical music.
• A most amazing fact is a harmonium is used at the early stages of classical music training. Ironically, the harmonium is not an Indian instrument.
• Music has the power to reach out and heal, and Indian music is no exception. Its different melodies and ragas can modify the moods and feelings of the listeners.