Posted: 08 April 2005 at 4:42am | IP Logged

Growth of Indian Music...

 
Saamagaayana chants were sung in three notes: Udatta (raised), Anudatta (lowered), and Swarita (level) positions, which according to Mandukya Shiksha, a music treatise of that period, evolved into seven notes. The Sanskrit dictionary interprets these three sound positions in a word called Swaraghat, which may be translated as the "graded effective potency of stroke of sound on the hearing organ". Other authorities like Panini and Naarada both accepted the principles under which the seven notes were positioned around the three notes of the Vedic period, which are the graded sound positions noted above. These sound positions and the seven notes associated with them are clearly shown in the table below.

Notes coming under these positions:
Udatta (raised) Ni-Ga.

Anudatta (lowered) Re-Dha.

Swarita (level) Sa - Ma - Pa.

The arrangement of these basic tones formed the nucleus of scales called Graamas, and with that, the Sargam syllables or note names - Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni - came into existence (these are comparable to the solfa sylables - Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La Ti).

The period between 2000 and 1000 B.C.E. is considered to be the period when the four sacred Vedaas were written: Rig Veda, Saam Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. Out of their love, devotion and dedication to music, the Aaryans created the Saam Veda on singing (Saman chants). A latter book, the Gandharva Veda, contained pure, unadulterated descriptions and explanations on this subject. In the Rig Veda, the Mridangam drum, Veenaa, flute, and the Damaru drum are mentioned.

Study of the Vedic period reveals that music had a highly esteemed place in every family. Their singing, dancing, and playing on instruments, was done in strict rhythm. The infinite variety of gods and goddesses representing various forms of the forces of nature were worshiped during different times of the day and night with suitable melodies. The braahmins were responsible for educating people in this art. It is during this period that new ideas of practicing worship through music spread from India. The association of literature with music established itself in this age. Much stress was laid on the character of the artists sacrificing the comforts and pleasures of life to learn the sacred art of music. Religion and music were one. Hardly any item of religious activity would be conducted without music. Women would devote much of their time in the study of the fine arts. Instruments like the veenaa, flute, mridangam, and damaru are generally associated with this period.

 As the early Indian music was based on ritual and mantra, correct pronunciation was of great significance. Often, even a slight mispronunciation signified 'death' instead of 'life'! And yet, music makers in the Sama-gayan did not hesitate to bring about changes in the words of the mantras they sang! Freedom was so liberally enjoyed that rules were made to regularise these deviations because they added to the quality of music produced.

Shiksha is the first branch of Vedic learning. It deals with the science of correct pronunciation of vowels, consonants and syllables. Basically six aspects are dealt with: Varna (syllable), Swara (notes), Matra (duration), Bala (articulation), Sama (a kind of balance in the total utterance) and Santana (the spacing of the words). Some of the well-known Shikshas are Paniniya, Yagnyvalkya Vashisthi, Katyayani, Manduki and Naradiya, the last being associated with the sage, Narada.

Music in India has been passed on in a tradition best described as Guru-Shishya Parampara (preceptor-disciple tradition). This method has occupied an important place in Indian culture. A guru is regarded as the metaphysical father of his disciple and is ranked higher than biological parents.

The Gurukul (guru's dynasty or family) system dates back to the Vedic period. In the gurukul system of education, a pupil or shishya, after his initiation (sacred thread ceremony), lived in the house of his guru, or teacher, and studied the Vedas and other subjects under his guidance, for a period of 12 years. Gurus were expected to teach everything they knew to the disciple. The institution was accessible only to the upper classes. The gurukuls were well supported by kings who considered it their duty to make them financially viable.

There were four kinds of gurus: Acharya, Pravakta, Shrotriya and Adhyapak. It is from the samhita period that we have names of Acharyas such as Angiras, Garga, Atri, Brihaspati and Vasishtha. There were two types of shishyas: one, who paid fees to the Guru was known as acharya-bhaga; the other, who learnt by performing domestic chores in the guru's house, was described as dharma-shishya.