INDIANA UNIVERSITY!

Music of Northern India!

Upper Elementary
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William Huyler!
Dr. Strand
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The country of India is one that is filled with a rich background, wholesome culture, and arguably some of the most beautiful music in the world. The land of India (called Bharat by its native dwellers) is located in southern Asia. Indias rather interesting shape allows it to border several countries: China, Nepal, and Bhutan on the northeast, Afghanistan and Pakistan on the northwest, Bangladesh and Myanmar on the east, and Sri Lanka on the south. India is also touched by three main bodies of water: the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the south side of the country is touched by the Indian Ocean. India covers an area of roughly 1.25 million square miles, consisting of twenty-eight states, seven territories, and the largest political democracy system in the world. Its capital is New Delhi, found in the north central region, and its largest city (which is also the worlds largest city) is Mumbai, found on the west coast. With a whopping estimated population of 1.2 billion, it comes as no surprise that one can come across seventeen major spoken languages in the country, with Hindi being the national one, not to mention its 844 minor dialects. Additionally, a huge spectrum of religious beliefs is represented in India, with Hinduism being the largest, followed by Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, and Buddhism. The Indian Subcontinent itself was actually part of a tectonic plate that snapped off of what was Australia and Africa hundreds of millions of years ago. Its collision with Asia gave birth to what is now the world-renowned Himalayas, the highest mountain range on the globe. Indias location makes it home to quite a multifarious array of geographic features and climates. In the northern part of the country, a visitor would feel the chill of the Himalayas, yet if one travelled to the western Thar Desert, the temperature could skyrocket up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. India is also home to the Ganges River, which many Hindus consider to be sacred. Contrary to the four American seasons, there are just three main ones in India. The cold season

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lasts from October to February, and this is when most of the harvesting is accomplished. Next, comes the hot season, which can bring with it extraordinarily high temperatures. Finally, is the tropical monsoon season, which is when most of India is graced with gallons of rainfall and humidity to cool off from the heat from the season prior. In addition to have one of the largest populations on earth, India also has the distinction of having some of the oldest records of human life ever. It is estimated that the first species of human beings to inhabit India probably arrived around 50,000 BCE. Since that time, Indias history has seen both beauty and turmoil, leading up to the present-day, in which India represents one of the most diversified countries in the world in respect to economics, inhabitants, religion, and music. The first known civilization in India can be accredited to the Harappan peoples back in 3000 BC. The civilization thrived, however, unbeknownst to anyone, it collapsed in 2000 BCE. When the Indo-Europeans invaded in 1500 BCE, their religious beliefs combined with the Harappan beliefs formed Hinduism, which is the number-one practiced religion in India today, and this hybrid culture became known as the Vedic culture. This culture started the Indian caste system, in which individuals are divided into the following four class categories: priests, warriors, commerce class, and finally, the lower class. Those who fell into none of these categories were classified as untouchables, the outcasts of the civilization. Though the caste system might appear to be a negative outcome of the Vedic culture, the Vedic people also can be linked to a positive aspect of Indian history: its music. It is believed that Indian musics roots lie in sacred texts known as Vedas, which were religious hymns and praises that were often sung. In roughly 800 BCE, the Vedic people conquered all of northern India. Around three hundred years later, Buddha, the originator of the Buddhist religion was born. With this birth also came the Persian king Cyrus the Great began attacking northern India and turned some of into one of the

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first empires on earth. During this time as well, Alexander the Great attacked northern India while he ruled Persia. However, the Indians were forming their own empires, like the Mauryan Empire, which, with the help of the Mauryan ruler Ashoka converting to Buddhism, convinced millions of Indians to convert to Buddhism. Eventually, this empire died out and in 319 AD the Guptan kings managed to unite all of northern India into a great empire once more. During the Guptan rule, northern India flourished in its golden age and advancements were made in trade, art, literature, and mathematics; for example, the number zero was invented in India. The Guptan Empire terminated by the invasion of the Huns in 455 AD, and India remained divided into small kingdoms for roughly the next six hundred years until Muslim invaders established the Delhi Sultanate. Due to the Islamic religious beliefs upheld by the rulers at this time, many northern Indians converted from Hinduism or Buddhism to Islam. The Delhi Sultanate had great power over the civilians and even controlled parts of southern India until the Mongols took control of the country. Descendants of the Mongol conqueror Timur extended the empire throughout much of northern India up until 1700 AD. It was during this rule that beautiful palaces, mosques, and mausoleums like the Taj Mahal were constructed. After the decline of the Mongol Empire, Portugal had control over some parts of India, until the early 1600s, when the British and French East India Companies fought each other over supremacy, and England won. England eventually named Queen Victoria Empress of India in 1859, and thus began to control India. Though the British rule lead to significant economic and political growth, there was a divide between the British and the native Indians was undeniable. Indian nationalism began building as a result, and in the late 1800s the Indian National Congress (mainly Hindus) was formed under the leadership of Mohandas (Mahatma) Karamchand Ghandi. At the same time, Indian Muslims formed the All-India Muslim League. Ghandi began pushing for complete independence in 1929, and after

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the British success in World War II, controversy began building as to the independence between England, Hindus, and Muslims. Consequently, India declared independence from Britain in 1947, yet what was once British India was still divided between mostly India and Pakistan, leading to many casualties, including the assassination of Ghandi by a Hindu extremist. After a UN cease-fire in 1949, at last the debate over land was made final, with two-thirds belonging to India and the rest belonging to Pakistan. Clearly, India has faced many issues regarding control and ruling, and even in the present-day the country struggles with several political and economic issues. When asked where, when, and why certain northern Indian music is performed, the answer might be hard to exactly pinpoint. The music of northern India can be sectioned into the main three following categories: Hindustani vocal music, Hindustani instrumental music, and folk music. Each division of northern Indian music has its own distinctive quality in terms of performance context, yet the three main genres have some striking similarities. Both Hindustani vocal and instrumental music can be traced back to the Vedic period, in which music was performed in the courts and for rulers in their palaces. Hindustani music has solely a sacred function, relating back to ancient religious texts such as the Vedas. Artists lived and performed amongst their audience. In the past, performances were more open to audience opinion, and presented more as an open practice of the music as opposed to a genuine performance. As time progressed, Hindustani music was performed for a wider audience than just royalty. However, after the British rule, the view of a more modernized paid concert system seemed haughty and just another way the British were trying to assimilate Indians to their way of life. Many performers were looked down upon for having audience members buy a ticket for their concerts, and some performers refused to perform if anyone had to pay at all. Currently, musicians might

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perform at long music festivals that last for five days, in a modern concert hall, or in a recording studio. Often times, vocalist in a group will sit in the center of the performance space with the instrumentalists make a semicircle behind him or her. The vocalist (or lead instrumentalist in the center) is the leader of the group and is in charge of tuning and kicking off the performance. Lastly, Hindustani music utilizes the raga, or melody. Ragas can be associated with a time of day and also a season; consequently, a winter raga could not be performed any other time, just like an evening raga could only be performed in the evening. The folk music of northern India commonly has less structured performance boundaries. Indian folk music can be either sacred or secular, yet a folksong usually has a very specific function, meaning, and purpose. For instance, there are songs sung specifically for the birth of a baby boy or songs only sung on particular holidays. Folk music can be heard all throughout India, specifically in more rural areas. North Indian folk songs can consist of the following subcategories: life cycle songs (songs about weddings, births, etc.), devotional songs (sacred songs that praise different Hindu deities), and festival songs (sacred songs with a secular feel sung on festival holidays). Evidently, the music of northern India has many different functions. Performers and the learning process of Indian music can also vary. For instance, there was a time in Hindustani vocal and instrumental music where only men could be the musicians; women were not even considered as capable. As times grew more modern, however, this naturally changed and some of the most prolific Indian musicians in history and today are female. Commonly in Hindustani classical music, musical disciples will work with a guru, often living with him or her for years on end in an effort to master technique, repertoire, improvisation, and the music itself. Gurus must spend years listening to students and detailed practice, and students must imitate literally everything a guru does. Many disciples begin as vocal students

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before they ever even get the chance to touch an instrument. Famous sitar player Ravi Shankar recalls of his guru, [he] has always been a strict disciplinarian with his students, but he had imposed upon himself an even stricter code of conduct when he was a young man, often practicing sixteen to twenty hours a day, doing with very little sleep, and getting along with a minimum material of things (57). The life of both student and guru is one that is quite intense. Another caveat that goes hand-in-hand with the classical learning process is that almost all of the education is administered aurally and orally, so everything must be retained by ear and through actually singing (or playing). Northern Indian folk music is only passed down aurally and orally; however the nature of the teaching of folk music is much more lax and cultural. Performers of folk music depend on the nature of the folk song. For instance, there are devotional and festival folk songs, such as the Holi festival song, which can be sung by anyone of the Hindu faith. On the other hand, there are songs meant for just young girls to sing about their marriage aspirations, and work songs meant to be sung by men out in the fields. Northern Indian music portrays both the sacred and secular genres. Much of the music found in this region is in fact sacred. The entire music system in India is said to be based off of the religious Vedas, and in North India, there is also an influence from the Mongol, Persian, and central Asian invaders that conquered it years ago. Hindustani music has an interesting definition of sacred versus secular; even if the text of the raga is secular, all Hindustani music is to be performed keeping in mind a spiritual connection with something divine. Therefore, it is almost as if Hindustani music can be a little bit of both. Indian folk music can also be either sacred or secular. There are plenty of folk songs, like devotional and festival folk songs, which are quite sacred in meaning; they often praise a higher power and/or celebrate a Hindu holiday. However, there are also plenty of secular folk songs, such as female work songs. Folks song may

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sometimes utilize other mediums of music, such as dancing, in their execution. In addition, there are plenty of folk songs that are secular in nature, yet have sacred references in them, such as the Sohar song Mili Juli Gave. This song is a life cycle folk song congratulating a family on the birth of their baby boy, yet the song has allusions to religion such as the goddess Mother Ganges or Lord Krishna, both Hindu deities. In Hindustani music, the voice is more often than not the highlighted instrument. However, the way the Indian voice is used is one that is not entirely common in westernized cultures. In Hindustani music, there is absolutely no use of head voice; all singers, even women, use only chest voice throughout the entirety of their ranges. In Indian singing, the focus is on the breath and pitch accuracy, rather than stretching the voice and using breath control. For instance, a common warm-up method in India is to have the singer sing each note of the sargam (scale) on a single breath for as long as he or she can. Additionally, the color that Indian singers possess is one that is certainly unique and captivating. Singers work for years with their gurus for years perfecting breath energy starting in their diaphragm, singing vowels with an open throat and rounded sound, and utilizing different facial resonators to explore different vocal timbres. Indian singers might use facial resonators like the cheeks, nose, and eyes to make a sound. One can also hear the usage of microtones, which are pitches deliberately played a little sharp or flat, as well as the usage of different ornamentations such as grace notes and portamento. The vocalists purpose in the song usually is to demonstrate the main raga and utilizing improvisation to make a cohesive song. The instruments in Hindustani music play a large role as well. More often than not, the instruments serve as accompaniment to the vocalist; however, it is not out of the question for there to be a lead solo instrument with instrumental backup, particularly when the stringed

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instrument, the sitar, is the solo. The three main instruments found in Hindustani are the tampura, a droning instrument similar to a lute, the sitar, a stringed melody instrument made of hollowed out gourds, and the tabla a rhythmic drum similar to African bongos. The tampura has a low, buzzing quality that can be surprisingly piercing a bright. The sitar has a very bright, clear, almost cosmic sound to it. The tabla has a crisp, sharp hit to it which can easily translate to the ear. The instruments all contribute to the dynamics and tempo of a piece. The tabla can help keep a steady beat, while a tampura can provide a drone that carries on throughout the entire piece to reinforce tonal center. The sitar, or the melody instrument, in conjunction with a voice provides a sort of harmony over the droning tampura. The instruments also serve a purpose of adding texture and range to the piece as well as infusing more improvisation to the vocal line. Though rarely used, folk songs may have instrumental accompaniment, in the form of the ravanhatta, a two-stringed fiddle-like instrument containing a drone and melody string, producing a haunting, plaintive sound (Sarrazin 138). There is also the chang drum, which is a large hand drum used to help keep rhythm. The text of classical Hindustani music is usually sacred. The text can split into two parts, the sthai and the antara, which is called sthai/antara form. The sthai is the first section of a song, and the first line of the sthai, called the mukhra, is the most important line in the piece and is the most repeated. The antara is the second section of the text and its first line, too, can be repeated; however, it is not nearly as important as the mukhra. Because much of Hindustani music relies on improvisation, singers will often go back to the mukhra over and over again, sometimes without ever touching the antara again. Some ragas, like the Raga Bhupali, are unique in that the raga itself has much more significance than the lyrics do. It is also not uncommon to see extra vowels in words when reading a song text; this is implemented to create a liaison to the next

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syllable in the text. Indian ragas are based on scales, called thaats, that each has a different mood. This also goes into consideration while performing the text; for example, the Khamaj thaat is supposed to give a feeling of flirtatiousness to the text. In improvised classical music, lyrics often come as secondary to the improvised melody. Themes are often love and devotion, religious festivals like the Holi, and praise to the gods. Often times, lyrics express the views of a young females emotions and yearnings. In folk music, usually stories and poems find themselves as the texts of songs. Indian music has a very exceptional rhythmic structure as well. In Hindustani classical music, the rhythmic cycle is known as the tala, and these different cycles are supposed to represent the endless cycles of time. The rhythmic cycle can be made up of long strings of beats ranging from six to sixteen, and each cycle is understood to be one interrelated unit. Cycles will have the sam, or the first beat, a khali, or empty beat, claps, and also different bols, or words that illustrate how to play the rhythm on the tabla, each meaning its own different stroke and timbre. The tala system also uses bols called theka that replaces using beat numbers to count. Instead, a + is written over the sam in the text (which indicates a clap), a 0 is places over the khali (indicating a wave), and additional numbers are written in over the text to indicate any other additional claps in the piece. The sam is the most important rhythmic component in Hindustani music, and many times after performing several rhythmic cycles, the musicians will pause on the sam to create dramatic tension on the first beat of a new cycle. Singers can also improvise the laya, or rhythmic density of a song, by singing the song twice as fast or slow, all at the singers leisure. Hindustani notes are called swara. There are seven main pitches, and just like solfeggio syllables, India uses a word system called sargam, in which the scale system corresponds

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exactly to a Western major scale. Indian uses the words Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni to represent the seven pitches in a scale, each word representing a different animal. There is no key signature in Hindustani music, it is possible to alter pitches; it is possible to make Ma sharp and possible to flatten Re, Ga, Dha, and Ni. Sa and Pa are not altered. The melody in Indian music is called the raga, and there are literally thousands of ragas one can choose from. Raga is technically the raw pitch material a performer uses, however learning a single raga can take years. Ragas have three main components: scale, mode, and melody. There are between five and seven alterable pitches in a raga, unique to each one. Ragas also have emotions and moods attached to them, such as heroism and disgust, yet ragas are also associated with a certain time of day, relating to the types of light characteristic of that time. Seasons, gods and goddesses, as well as geography can also have impacts on raga. Natalie Sarrazin cites one example of a raga like so: Time of day: Late Morning Season: Monsoon Emotion (rasa): Love Pitches in the Raga: S R G M P D N S Ascending: S R G M D N S Descending: S D P M G R S In raga, melody is often times fixed, in that the performer knows exactly what pitches are coming. However, ragas contain short melodic phrases that are unique to each raga. Melodies can be altered through ornamenting, different timbres, and improvisation as well. Indian music technically has no harmonic function. There are no such things as chord progressions or harmonic analysis in Indian music. Rather, music is performed with a drone often playing the Sa note and sometimes the Ma or Pa notes above it to reinforce a harmonic

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basis throughout the music. The melodic instruments and voices simply sing and play above this drone and tensions and resolutions are simply heard as melodies against a drone rather than suspensions or harmonies. In a song, as mentioned before, there is a sthai and antara section. Hindustani form entails that the sthai section is usually sung in the lower part of the voice, whereas the antara is sung higher, yet its meaning is usually not as important as the sthais. Many ragas contain a pakad phrase, the identifying factor of a raga, and a chalan phrase, which elaborate the pakad and are the main foundation of a ragas phrasing. There is also a primary type of classical music form known as khyal, which translates to imagination. In kyhal, the performer improvises most of the ragas material. Kyhal has four sections to it: the Great kyhal (the slow section), followed by an improvisation, followed by a small kyhal (the fast tempo), and concluded with another improvisation. Many times, experimenting with song phrasing leads to a successful kyhal, and performers may improvise anything from rhythms to notes to lyrics. Evidently, North Indias music has a rich history and certainly a one-of-a-kind approach to the study and performance of music. From the interesting forms associated with Hindustani classical raga, to the fun-loving praise folk songs sung for the Holi, to the improvised kyhal, to the interesting droning instruments, northern India definitely has the distinction of a being in a music class all its own.

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Lesson Plan: Introducing North Indian Music A. National Standards a. Students will compare contrast Indian Hindustani piece to a classical European piece (NS 6, NS 7) b. Students will begin to understand and sing the different notes in the sargam and understand and sing some thaats of the raga (NS 1, NS 5, NS 9) c. Students and teacher will collectively work together to create our own raga (NS 4) B. Materials a. Map of India, recording of Indian classical piece Raga Nand, recording of Beethovens Symphony No. 5, power points demonstrating the notes of the sargam and thaats of the raga C. Procedure a. Students will listen to both the classical European and classical Indian pieces and compare and contrast the two aloud b. Teacher will show a map of India and give a brief cultural and historical background of the county c. Teacher will explain the different notes in the sargam and show the different animals they represent d. Students will imitate the voices of the animals in the sargam and explain what things they notice in relation to color and emotion of the animal e. Teacher will play through different thaats and ask students how they feel when hearing them f. Teacher will provide instruction on the basis and formation of raga, thaats, and sargam g. Students and teacher will come up with their own raga D. Assessment a. I will ask the students to compare and contrast both classical pieces aloud b. I will have students imitate the voices of animals and share aloud what each sound of the sargam and thaat makes them feel emotionally c. Students will compose their own raga

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Lesson Plan: Exploring Rhythm with the Tambla in Morning Dance A. National Standards a. Students will hear, analyze, and understand the Indian rhythm system of tala as well as the meaning of Morning Dance (NS 6, NS 7, NS 9) b. Students will sing the folk song Morning Dance(NS 1) c. Students will play the drumming accompaniment on the tabla and understand the notation associated with the tala rhythmic system as well as how to play the tabla (NS 2, NS 5) B. Materials a. Recording of a Hindustani classical piece Paniya Na Birha Ki Raat, power points demonstrating the application of tala and the tabla, score to Morning Dance, tablas C. Procedure a. Students will begin by listening to a classical piece Paniya Na Birha Ki Raat and will be instructed to listening particularly to the rhythmic drumming in the background and will be asked to describe it b. Students will receive a brief history, application, and explanation of the tala rhythmic system, including how it is notated, as well as a power point explaining how to play the tabla c. Students will sing through the folk song Morning Dance d. Students will sing through the folk song Morning Dance clapping the rhythms on the x and raising their hands during the o e. Students will then clap the low drumming rhythm while singing through Morning Dance f. Selected students will perform the low drumming rhythms on the tabla g. The students will all sing Morning Dance while some students clap and raise their hands based on the tala notation in the score, while others will play the low drumming rhythm on the tabla D. Assessment a. Students will sing/perform the rhythms/notes aloud and will also echo instructor

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Lesson Plan: Dancing and Improvising Movement in Ghoomar A. National Standards a. Students will receive background information on the meaning of and performance of the folk song Ghoomar, as well as its geographic location (NS 8, NS 9) b. Students will listen to Ghoomar and make any observations (NS 6) c. Students will sing through the a few verses of the song Ghoomar and understand its lyrics (NS 1) d. Students will learn several native dance moves to accompany the song and students will be asked to improvise their own dances for a few verses (NS 3) B. Materials a. Power points on the geographic location of Rajasthan (where the song is performed) and the nature and performance of Ghoomar, recording of the song Ghoomar, pieces of cloth similar to the colorful dresses worn in performance of the song (optional for boys) C. Procedure a. Students will enter the classroom in a line, echoing some dance moves executed by instructor similar to those found in Ghoomar until a circle is formed in the center of the room b. Students will view power points discussing the land of Rajasthan (northern India) as well as the nature of the song Ghoomar (a girls confusion on choosing her spouse) and students will listen to and analyze the song c. Students will echo the teacher singing a few verses of the song and then echo dance moves performed by the teacher; students will perform these dance moves over the recording after being given the colorful cloths to work with d. Students will then be asked to improvise their own dance moves for a verse and then students will combine the original and improvise moves in final performance D. Assessment a. Students will echo the teachers singing and dancing as well as improvise their own dance moves, and then put it together in performance

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Works Cited Beegle, Amy C. Melodic Rhythms of India. Smithsonian Folkways. n.p. n.d. Web. 8 Sep. 2012. This resource is an actual lesson plan for a day. It covers classical drumming, melodic rhythms on the tabla tarang (Indian drums), and vocal improvisation. Additionally, it includes a number of recordings that one could use to provide examples for listening, analyzing, playing, performing rhythms, and more. Carr, Karen, Dr. Ancient India. Kidipede History and Science for Kids. History Dept., Portland State University, 10 Sep. 2012. Web. 23 Sep. 2012. This resource was extremely helpful in providing an ancient history of India. It also had information on many other things about ancient India, including customs, government, and economics. Ganarajya, Bharat. India. Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations: Asia & Oceania. 10th ed. 2001. Print. This source gave a more in-depth history of India in more recent times. It delved into the 1600s to present day in great detail and also had a lot of information about India today, including demographics, economic issues, and politics. Gritton, Peter. Folksongs from India. London: Faber Music Ltd, 1993. Print. This source was phenomenal. It was filled with folk songs from all around India and even gave distinct instructions as to how each one was performed. This included rhythmic and melodic suggestions, as well as the location of the tala and more.

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Music India Online. Ciao Ltd. n.d. Web. 19 Sep. 2012. This website is definitely a useful one. It contains an innumerable amount of Indian music, ranging from Hindustani and Carnatic classical genres, up to present day Bollywood recordings. The website requires no subscription and/or payment, and one can even make ones own Indian music playlists. This will be a great resource for the future. Ruckert, George E. Music in North India. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004. Print. This resource tapped into the inner workings on northern Indian Hindustani music. It provided tons of information of the ragas, tala, musical structure and form, and even bits about the history of Hindustani music. Sarrazin, Natalie. Indian Music for the Classroom. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Education. 2009. Print. I think this would be a phenomenal source for me to have for this project. It is packed with a bunch of information and even lesson ideas. It has several examples and sheet music of folk songs, popular music, film music, and classical music. Also, it gives a breakdown of the Indian scale system, including unique and fun ways of introducing the interesting scale system. It also had great fun facts and historical information on India. Shankar, Ravi. The Anthology of Indian Music. Vol. I. World Pacific Records, 1967. Sound Recording. This resource would be great for many reasons. It has a bunch of examples of Indian music on different instruments including the sitar, tabula, and tamboura. Also, it has many exmples of Raga, which is something I would like to really emphasize.

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---. My Music, My Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968. Print. This resource tapped into the personal, musical life of Ravi Shankar. He explained firsthand his experiences as a sitar novice working with a guru, which would be a great resource to cite when explaining to students the intensity of the guru-disciple musical learning system. Shirali, Vishnudass. Hindu Music and Rhythm. Paris: Studium, 1936. Print. This resource definitely talked in great detail about the instruments and the tala system found in Hindustani music. It explained the scale system, as well as the meanings of different ragas and their performance nature. Wade, Bonnie C. Music in India: The Classical Traditions. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1979. Print. This book was extremely helpful. It discussed the performance nature of pieces, current performances issues and practices. It also discussed instruments, melody, rhythm, and raga. It even provided notated examples of some raga and other Indian pieces.
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