Indian Music

Since Vedic times, Indians had been required to correctly recite, the Vedas. Correctness in recitation was very important because the Vedas were, in those days, transmitted through memory (Smriti) and were taught through hearing (Shruti). This is against it, who writes was absent in early Vedic times. Even today, the Vedas are traditionally taught through oral examinations.

This kind of emphasis on recitation the correct pronunciation leads to studies in phonetics and sound manipulation. This was the birthplace of Indian Musical Raga (m) and Swaras (RIM). That music in ancient India was given considerable recognition is illustrated by the fact that Saraswati, the Indian goddess of learning is shown to be in possession of a musical instrument (Veena) in her hand. Traditionally, vocal music in India tend to be devotional music (Bhakti-geet), and temples were places (as they still are), where musicians used to practice music to please the deity and devotee. Indian vocal music is broadly divided into two schools say. The Hindustani or north Indian school and Karna Semitic or South Indian school. As far as instrumental music goes there is a general identity of instruments that have been used.

The main Indian musical instruments are Sarod, the Veena, the Sarangi, the Tambora, the Harmonium, the Ghata, the Tabla, the Tanpura, the Satar, etc. In relation to art and architecture Indian music has had less influence on the world. It was so most of Indian musical instruments require specialized material and craftsmanship in their manufacture. And in the absence of transmission of these skills and lack of trade in musical instruments, together with the need for long and laborious practice that was required to master these instruments, transfer of music, a difficult task. But as far as, devotional vocal music goes, Indian musical traditions did travel to countries in Southeast Asia. The instrumental and vocal music of Korea has many elements of Indian music, which it received along with the Buddhist invocative and devotional songs and Slokas (religious couplets). Along with Buddhism, went some Indian musical instruments, flute (bansi), temples Bell (Ghanta), etc., to countries in Southeast Asia. Although Europe owes certain instruments to India.

Two popular European musical instruments namely the flute and violin are believed to be of Indian origin. Although we do not know about the process of transmission of these instruments, but in India the flute (bansi) and violin (a variant of the Veena) are definitely mined Indian. A pointer to the fact that these instruments have been used in India since a very long time is that bansi associated with Sri Krishna and the Veena with the goddess Saraswati.

This exception, in modern times the western musical instruments, Tambourin and Tambour, are adaptations of the Indian Tambora and Tanpura. The names Tambourin and Tambour is also derived from the word Tambora. The Saralngi, another Indian musical instrument has also found its place in western music. Acceptance of these musical instruments in the west is also evident from the fact that the words Tambora, Sarangi and Tabla listed in the Oxford Dictionary. Ancient Indians made 'rock' - Archaeologists have rediscovered a huge rockart place in southern India where ancient people used boulders to make musical sounds in rituals.