The Society for

Indian Tradition
and ARts
Spring 2002

Patrika
The Biannual news magazine from SiTaR

Vol.6 No.1

Back to Stay!
SiTaR, in 2001, has grown in stature, from being a
student organization in Iowa State University that
aims at infusing Ethnic Indian culture in the ISU
community to being the mouthpiece of Indian
culture in Ames. Today SiTaR is strong and only
growing stronger in terms of the number of events,
their diversity, student membership, faculty
patronage, workforce and funding. This issue of
Patrika is a tribute to the Udpas, whose invaluable
patronage towards SiTaR will never be paralleled.

SiTaR has always been fortunate to have

moral and logistic support from Indian
faculties at Iowa State University The
Udpas, Prof. Satish Udpa and Prof. Lalita
Udpa, had been two of the most prominent
among them. Between the two of them they
served as faculty advisors of SiTaR for
number of years. Even outside of official
capacity, they were always extremely helpful
and resourceful. We cannnot remember of a
single incident when the Udpas turned down
a request from SiTaR the student officers
of SiTaR always knew there were these two
individuals they could count on. However
busy they may be, the Udpas have always
made themselves available to discuss SiTaRrelated issues with the student officers.

SriRam Nadathur

Editor
Contents
Why Carnatic Music?
Todd M. McComb
Distinguishing Features of Indian
Classical Music
Ganesh Sriram
Lok-Nritya: Indian Folk Dances
Rohini Ramaswamy

2
4
6

Their vast knowledge of Indian classical

music and dance was an asset to SiTaR as
well. On a personal basis, I enjoyed their
impressive collection of Indian classical
music, and so did many other students with
similar interest. Such was their enthusiasm
that they even drove out of state to bring
artistes to Ames so that they could perform
here.

We at SiTaR are truly privileged to have Dr. Balaji

Narasimhan as our advisor since Fall 2001. Balaji is
a faculty member in ChE, and recently moved to
Iowa State from Rutgers, when he married Surya
Mallapragada, also faculty member in ChE. He has
a flair for Indian classical music, and has been
trained to play the Mridangam. On another front, he
has an avid interest in movies, and has a
breathtaking collection of 1000+ videos and DVDs.
Hes known to be a great teacher, and a wonderful
person to work with. We are look forward to a great
term working under his guidance.

SiTaR would definitely miss the Udpas

two
of
its
best
champions
and
patrons and so would all of us who have
known them personally.
We wish
them our best for all their endeavors.
Bodhisattva Das
Past President, SiTaR

and rhythmic ideas. In what tradition can the songs be said

to be so perfect, both in their grandeur and in their
succinctness? There can be no comparison, especially in the
directness of the expression and the range of melodic
material available. One can find one or the other in many
places, whether a simple and beautiful song, or an
impressive intellectual construction based on a nonsense
phrase or no words at all. Carnatic music accommodates
both of these ideals, and does so to magnificent effect. A
song can be performed simply and in all humility, or with
the grandest elaboration retaining the core of both meaning
and melody.

Why Carnatic Music?

Todd M. McComb
Todd McComb is based in the Silicon Valley, and does
organizational work for the Medieval Music & Arts
Foundation. He is interested in a variety of World Music
forms, especially, as this article portrays, Indian classical
music of the Carnatic style which comes as a surprise
since Todd is American. His webpage www.medieval.org is
a valuable resource on various kinds of World music.

Of course the meaning of the lyrics revolves around acts of

religious devotion. One can rightly ask both concerning the
relevance of devotion in our modern age of technology and
selfishness, as well as the ability of a Westerner to
apprehend and appreciate it. Indeed, it would be
presumptuous of me to suggest that I fully understand the
songs of the Trinity. I understand parts of them, sometimes
after they are explained to me. Nonetheless, I identify with
them somehow. The ideas find a personal resonance, not
least of which because they are expressed with such musical
grace. The sophistication of allusion requires some crosscultural explanation, but the core idea of devotion meets
with receptive listeners elsewhere.

As a Westerner interested in Carnatic music, I am frequently

asked to explain my interest and to articulate what makes
South Indian music special. Both Indians and Westerners ask
the same questions. Since I did not grow up with it, but
rather chose it for myself from among a broad range of
world traditions, Carnatic music is special indeed. There is
always a sense in which cross-cultural interactions serve not
only to broaden one's horizons, but also to set one's own
cultural identity more strongly in relief. My more direct and
natural interest in Western traditional music has been
nourished by an appreciation for Indian music, and the same
can hopefully apply in reverse. Here I hope to describe some
points in common, as well as some of the strengths of
Carnatic music from my perspective.

There is a very real sense in which the kritis speak to me,

both in word and in music. They express the power in the
world beyond petty human concerns, something which
music is so ideally suited to express. In the West, Dufay was
no "dasa" and so while he was nominally an official of the
Catholic Church, his influence on our history was more
cosmopolitan. There is less emphasis on devotion, and more
on political events or more ordinary topics. This sequence is
also seen as part of the "modernization" of the West, and of
course it was also the background to the new age of political
conquest. This is the divergence, which perhaps most
strongly conditions the reception which Carnatic music
meets in the West. While the nonsense phrases or abstract
instrumental gats of Hindustani music find an audience in
the meditative Westerner, the unveiled potency of
expression in Thyagaraja insists that the listener confront his
own ideas on his place in the world.

In the West, the classical music known best, that of Mozart

and Beethoven, centers around the medium of the large
orchestra and the ideas of counterpoint and harmony. Within
that context, Indian music is unusual, and the idea that it is
fully "classical" in scope can be met with some resistance.
Curiously, this phenomenon of resistance is reflected in the
reception met by other Western music within the broader
sweep of history. For me, interest in Western music focuses
increasingly on that of the medieval era, from roughly eight
hundred to five hundred years ago. This is an exciting
repertory which is being reconstructed today for public
performance, and it has come to include a wealth of detail
and nuance which can stimulate one both intellectually and
spiritually.
Like Carnatic music, Western medieval music is concerned
more with the song than with the symphony, and indeed the
voice must be seen as its supreme instrument as well. The
song is surely the most basic of human expressions, and the
act of semantic content serves to further invigorate music on
both emotional and intellectual levels. Melody and rhythm
are likewise more complicated in medieval music than in the
more commonly known Western music of the 18th century.
Although the music can hardly be said to compare to the
sophistication of raga and tala, and especially the elaboration
of which modern Carnatic artistes are capable, French
musical terms of the 14th century curiously mirror Indian
music. There is the term "color" for the melodic basis of the
piece and the term "talea" for the sequence of beat patterns,
called broadly as "isorhythm."

Today devotion is an uncomfortable topic for many, and the

same can be said for classical aesthetics. The complementary
ideas that a particular melodic phrase can invoke a specific
human emotional response and that the effectiveness of
music can be reliably ascertained are certainly unpopular
now. In many ways, this is an outgrowth of the same
multiculturalism which allows me to attend Carnatic
concerts, but it is also part of the rise of democracy as an
intellectual ideal as well as a political system. At least in the
US, we are supposedly equal, and the same should be said
for our taste in music. For a professional musician, the idea
is somewhat insulting, because how can the ignorant know
of what they judge? They cannot, but we are forced to
acknowledge them to make a living, if for no other reason.

In Carnatic music, I find first an outlet for my own desire for

elaborations on songs per se, in structure as well as melodic

Purandaradasa is performed, in the ragas as named by

Mutthuswamy Dikshitar or others, or even in talas as given
by Shyama Sastri. This is not generally seen as a problem, or
even as an intellectual issue.

Carnatic music is at a crossroads on the issue of aesthetic

diversity, especially as its international reputation increases.
It is already true that some of the most successful performers
in worldly terms are able to make a living by touring the
West, and not by representing Carnatic music in its most
pure form. Of course there is a very real sense in which an
art form must develop and adjust in order to make the same
impact on its audience, and Carnatic music knows this fact
better than most. It has incorporated the Western violin, and
moved to a modern concert setting, complete with
amplification. Instrumental innovations continue with the
amplified veena and mandolin, as well as the Western
saxophone and clarinet. Carnatic music has easily
maintained its own identity, not least of which because it is a
reservoir of musical ideas and expressions, not specific
combinations of sonorities.

Changes in raga or tala designation are regarded as a natural

part of the evolution of Carnatic music, whether as
clarifications of structural concepts or as simple
improvements to the fit between words and music. There
may or may not be a danger to the idea of evolution in
music, but from a purely scholarly perspective, there is an
inherent interest in knowing how something was done at an
earlier time in history. Some of these details are recoverable
in Carnatic music, but there is consequently an implied
question regarding the guru-shishya system and its ability to
reproduce music exactly. Already many prominent
performers will train with multiple teachers from different
lineages and that is a clear indication that no style will be
preserved exactly. In the past, the same must have been said
for those artistes sophisticated enough to forge their own
new style.

An incredible sense of resiliency has characterized Carnatic

music since the 19th century, and so one can hardly doubt
that it will continue to find that strength today and in the
future. However, in a world, which presently finds so little
use not only for "bhakti rasa" but for the idea that the
concept is even meaningful, in what direction will this
resiliency take it? I am certainly not qualified to indulge in
much speculation, but the answer is an important one to any
Carnatic rasika. There is a tremendous wealth of melodic
and rhythmic material available, as well as a large body of
knowledgeable virtuoso performers, and so treated as raw
material, there is no doubt they will prosper. There is a
question of what the unifying thread will be, and so one can
ask for instance "Do the ragas make Carnatic music?"

It would certainly be pointless to suggest that the talented

musician of today should not develop his or her own gifts
and ideas or that the opportunity to travel and study on
friendly terms with many prominent teachers should not be
taken. It is a philosophical truth that isolation undertaken as
a choice is not the same as that enforced by circumstances,
and so there is not even the possibility of a return to other
methods. What I am suggesting is that we will see a natural
bifurcation between the continuing development of
"mainstream" Carnatic music and an increasing number of
scholar-performers who will recreate historical and regional
styles. Given the ubiquity of the Western university tenure
system, one cannot underestimate the motivation provided
by mandatory publication and thesis in developing these
ideas, for better or worse.

There is some controversy as to what exactly makes a raga.

If it is a sequence of swaras only, then one can make the
same "raga" sound not much like Carnatic music by playing
it without gamakas and in unusual tempo and phrasing. This
is the position of some Indians, as well as that of many
Western composers who use the ragas as raw material. Not
so long ago, a Western composer who wanted to use a raga
as a melody after reading it in a book had probably never
heard it. Although the suggestion may seem absurd, it is
both true, and central to such issues as the performance of
Western medieval music. Indeed the latter has essentially
been resurrected based on writing alone, after a span of
several centuries. Can we imagine how different it must
sound?

Dynamic and invigorating interaction between tradition and

innovation has been a hallmark of Carnatic music, and even
an increased polarization between the two does not need to
damage the overall balance. If anything, it will broaden the
scope of performance opportunities and the range of
available ideas. It is precisely the dual richness of a longstanding tradition together with ample opportunities for
modern virtuoso treatments, which serve to place Carnatic
music among the world's greatest musical styles. As the
divergence increases, as long as one aspect keeps respectful
sight of the other, the available scope for interaction
increases as well. An analogy may be drawn between the
manifest and unmanifest instantiations of Brahma, and
indeed I view the duality between tradition and innovation in
a similar way, dependent on each other. After all, a stagnant
tradition is not true to its origins either, because its origins
are in the crucible of creativity.

For the phenomenon of resurrection in Carnatic music, one

needs to look no farther than the gold engravings of
Anamacharya. Do we know how these kirtanas would have
sounded? In some cases, as with the kirtanas of
Purandaradasa (which are of similar age, but never actually
lost), we know the ragas have changed. Nonetheless, this
music is performed with confidence, derived primarily from
the manner in which similar music is performed and the
knowledge that it has been passed down in this way from
generation to generation. In other words, there is a
continuous tradition of performing Purandaradasa, and so it
is natural to perform the rediscovered songs of Anamacharya
in the same manner. There is no question but that various
changes have occurred, whether in the ragas in which

The success of music is ultimately in the mind of the

listener, and specifically in the emotional changes which can
be provoked. While Carnatic music has only a positive effect
in this way, while the same cannot be said for various forms
of popular music.
(Continued on page 7)

An octave (or a register) is a series of notes ranging from a

given note (the fundamental) to a note whose frequency is
exactly twice that of the fundamental [3].
Figure 1 schematically shows an octave, where the
fundamental note is C (or sa in the parlance of Indian music,
denoted by s). This is shown at the left end of the scale,
and has a relative frequency of 1 unit. At the right end of the
scale is the note C (s) with a relative frequency of 2, i.e.
twice that of the fundamental.

Distinguishing Features of
Indian Classical Music
Ganesh Sriram
Ganesh, the President of SiTaR, is the man behind what
SiTaR is today and what it will be tomorrow. He is a
graduate student in Chemical Engineering at Iowa State
University. He has learnt Carnatic Music and dedicates this
article to his Teacher, Smt. Radha Srisailam.

The eleven dashed lines (C#, D, Eb, ) between the two Cs

are the notes of Western music. These are represented by
seven symbols (C, D, E, F, G, A, and B) corresponding to
the seven notes do, re, me, fa, so, la and ti of the septatonic
(seven-note) scale. The other notes C#, Eb, etc. are
represented as variations of these seven notes. All these
twelve notes C, C#, D, form a geometric progression,
with the ratio 21/12. Thus the relative frequency of C# is 21/12
times that of C, the frequency of G is 27/12 times that of C (or
1.498, as shown in Figure 1). This logarithmic or
equitempered division of the octave was pioneered by
Johann Sebastian Bach, and has become an integral part of
Western music.

According to Ganesh, this article was written in partial

response to the often-asked query Why does Indian
classical music sound exotic to the Western ear? It is a
useful exercise to objectively delineate the features of this
rich form of music (and in particular, those that distinguish
it from Western classical music), in the light of this question.
This article endeavors to accomplish that, in a small
measure.
Introduction
Indian classical music is an ancient art, whose origins can be
traced back to a period almost two millennia ago. Since then,
it has constantly evolved as a performing art, reaching a
level of high sophistication during the medieval ages (15th
through 18th centuries). The art, as we know it today, is
broadly classified into three genres: (1) Hindustani Music
(which originated in North India), (2) Carnatic Music (which
originated in South India), and (3) Dhrupad (the forerunner
of the above two styles). Generations of musicians have
preserved and propagated these forms retaining the
distinctiveness of the art form, while at the same time,
contributing their best to the music and allowing it to
develop and mature. Thus, in spite of a disciplined
adherence to traditional values, there exist immense
opportunities for creativity and innovation [1].

Figure 1: Pitch intervals (microtones or shruti-s) in Indian

and Western music.

Indian classical music has now spread out of the regions

where it originated and was traditionally practiced. With
American Universities teaching this subject in English, and
Swiss Universities in French [2], its global presence is
hardly questionable. However, the music sounds exotic or
alien to many Western ears. This is largely due to a number
of aspects unique to it. This article discusses some of the
distinguishing factors between Indian classical music and
Western classical music (hereafter referred to simply as
Indian music and Western music, respectively), including
pitch intervals, variety of scales, ornamentation, and the
melodic basis of Indian music. Though this article is
oriented towards Carnatic music, most of the arguments
equally apply to other forms of Indian classical music.

The twenty-one solid lines between the two Cs in Figure 1,

are the notes of Indian music. These are represented by
seven symbols sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha and ni (shown in
Figure 1 as s, r, g, m, p, d, n). Five of these notes (i.e. all
except sa and pa) have two versions. For example, ga has
two version, g1 and g2. Furthermore, it is interesting to note
that in Indian music, each of these versions (except sa and
pa) has two variations. For example, the note r2 has two
variations: r2- and r2+, whose frequencies are very close to
each other1. The difference between these microtonal
variations becomes evident while comparing the ragas
(modes) Bhairavi and Khara-harapriya. Both modes use the
note r2; however, the former is gets its character from its use
of r2- whereas the latter exclusively uses r2+.

Steps to an Octave
One of the prime differences between Indian music and
Western music is the number of steps to an octave. While
Western music divides the octave into twelve steps, Indian
music divides it into twenty-two steps. This is depicted in
Figure 1, and elucidated in the following paragraphs.

Further, the notes of Indian music are not spaced out

logarithmically like the Western notes, but are derived using
1

In the phraseology of Carnatic music, these two variations

are known as trishruti rishabha (r2-) and chatushruti rishabha
(r2+)

cycles of fourths and fifths. (For an elaborate description of

this derivation, see [4].) This is why the Western and Indian
notes do not coincide exactly. As shown in Figure 1, the note
pa has a frequency of exactly 3/2 (=1.500), while the
corresponding note G has a frequency of 27/12 (=1.498).
While this is a minute difference detectable only by a very
sensitive ear, the difference between other sets of
corresponding notes (e.g. A = 1.682 and d2- = 1.667) is
tangible even to the untrained ear. This is one of the
principal reasons for the departure from normalcy that a
Western ear finds in Indian music.

Dhira-Shankarabharanam and Natha-Bhairavi respectively,

of Carnatic music (or Bilaval and Asaavari respectively, of
Hindustani music). The Dorian and Phrygian Greek modes
correspond to the scales Khara-Harapriya and Hanuma-todi
respectively, of Indian music. The Hungarian minor scale
corresponds to the scale Simhendra-Madhyama of Indian
music, while the pentatonic scale of Chinese and Mongolian
music corresponds to the aforementioned Mohana.
In addition to septatonic scales, Indian music also employs
pentatonic (5-note) and hexatonic (6-note) scales, in addition
to scales having five notes in the ascent and six in the
descent, and so forth. The scalar diversity of Indian music is
truly limitless.

Consonance
A consequence of the seemingly curious division of the
Indian octave is the high degree of consonance it affords.
Consonance is the experience of listening to a series of notes
whose frequencies are simple fractions. The relative
frequencies of all the notes of Indian music are rational
numbers, and can hence be expressed as fractions (in
contrast to the frequencies of the notes of the Western
equitempered scale which are irrational numbers). As an
example, the notes used while performing the raga Mohana
(Hindustani Bhoop) are sa (=1), ri2- (=10/9), ga2- (=5/4), pa
(=3/2) and dha2- (=5/3). Being the ratios of small integers,
these notes, when produced in sequence, produce a very
consonant or pleasing effect. This is a special attribute of
Indian music.

Gamaka-s and Ornamentation

In Indian music, notes are seldom rendered straight, but are
rendered with ornamentations such as glides, oscillations,
bends, stresses, accents [6,7]. These embellishments are
collectively known as gamaka-s (graces).
An example of a gamaka is illustrated in Figure 2, which
shows the typical method of playing the phrase pa-ma-paga in the raga Kanada. While the notes p and m are
rendered straight, the note ga (g1) is oscillated between ri
(r2) and ma (m1) as amplitudes. The oscillation is
continuous, i.e. all the frequencies from g1 through r2
through m1, and back to g1, are traversed within one time
unit. It is also made sure that the oscillations terminate at g1,
so as not to inadvertently reveal the nature of any other note.
This gamaka is known as kampita (oscillatory) or andolita
(swinging) gamaka. Readers familiar with the compositions
Sukhi Evvaro (Thyagaraja) or the celebrated Alaipayude in
the raga Kanada, would recall a phrase ri-pa-ga where ga
is oscillated just as explained above.

Consonance can produce a very exhilarating effect, when the

product of the frequencies of the notes of taken by a raga is
an integer. The raga Madhyamavathi utilizes five notes,
whose frequencies when multiplied, give the integer 4. This
makes Madhyamavathi a combination of notes so exclusive,
that no other sequence or combination of notes can produce
the same finality of effect. Small wonder then, that this raga
is almost always used to end a performance!

Gamakas confer melodic individuality to the raga that they

are part of. They are the lifeblood of Indian classical music,
and stand out as marks of its acoustic excellence.

Variety of Scales
Indian music is known for its wide variety of scales. The
most common type of scale (in any genre of music) is a
septatonic scale, consisting of seven notes. In Western
music, the sequence of notes {C, D, E, F, G, A, B }
constitutes the major scale. By flattening three notes of the
scale, we obtain the combination {C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb},
known as the natural minor scale. In this fashion, a number
of septatonic scales can be obtained. However, the number
of such scales in Western music is limited. (Including the
ancient Greek modes, the number of scales used is about
ten.) Indian music, however, has made use of all
combinations of seven notes, and uses 72 septatonic scales.
Violinist Yehudi Menuhin has expressed his wonder at the
variety of scales in Indian music in his autobiography: I
found vindication of my conviction that India was the
original source. The two scales of the West, major and
minor, with the harmonic minor as variant, the half-dozen
ancient Greek modes, were here submerged under modes
and scales of (it seemed) inexhaustible variety [5].

Figure 2: Approximate graphical depiction of the rendition

of the phrase pa-ma-pa-ga in the raga Kanada.

Scales found in the music of almost every region of the

world are found in Indian music. For example, the major and
minor scales described above correspond to the scales

Melodic Basis
Another fundamental aspect of Indian music is that it is
primarily based on melody, and does not generally allow for
(vertical) harmony, which is ubiquitous in Western music.
Vertical harmony is the process of playing multiple notes at
the same time (as in a chord), thus creating an agreeable
combination of sounds. Examples of harmony are abundant
in the compositions of Mozart and Beethoven.
(Continued on page 8)

Lok-Nritya: Folk Dances of India

them in a circle using their hands to rhythmically clap to the

beat.

Rohini Ramaswamy

The best known of the folk dances from Tamil Nadu is the
Kollatam. Similar to Ras it is danced in a circle, but a single
one in this case, to the beat of sticks held by the dancers and
struck to together in time to the music. This is danced
primarily by the women, and there is a more interesting
though less frequently seen version called a Pinnal kollatam
where the women dance back and forth in the circle, in a
more complicated, in order to weave a giant braid of ribbons
from a cluster suspended overhead. The Kummi is another
dance from Tamil Nadu, which is also danced by women in
circles, where they clap and pound the spices in the course
of the dance. It probably originated as a way to keep them
from getting bored from the monotony of pounding, by
keeping them entertained with song and dance. The
Bhagavat mela nataka and the Kuravanji are two other folk
dances from Tamil Nadu. They are dance dramas, the former
usually of Vaishnavite themes about the reincarnation of
Vishnu, from the Bhagavat Purana, danced in a
predominantly Kuchipudi style but with the non dance
interludes in Tamil, and the latter is a drama about a gypsy
fortune teller and the fortunes told by her to forlorn lovers.
No mention of Folk dance in Tamil Nadu is complete with
talking at least briefly about the Theru Koothu and the
Poikalkuthirai. In the case of the former, originating as street
plays, literally, they were used to primarily depict stories
from mythology and the epics to the common folk in a
language and manner that would be understandable and
would capture and hold their attention. This is one form
though that has shown itself to be very adaptable and
capable of growing and is now beginning to incorporate
more modern, political, social and educational themes into
its repertoire. The latter, is also a form of street theatre. The
dancers wear a costume to simulate the torso of a horse and
wear shortened stilt like dummy legs and dance.

Rohini, the backbone of SiTaR, is a graduate student in

Economics at Iowa State University and has contributed
tremendously to SiTaR, including a year as President. She is
ardently interested in dance. Having been trained in Bharata
Natyam for a number of years, she is also exploring other
dance forms such as Ballroom, Jazz and Tap. In this article,
she shares information about Indian folk dances.
Dance is a divine creation, relating back to Shiva as
Nataraja, dancing the tandava, accompanied by his consort
Parvati, dancing the graceful feminine lasya aspects,
according to the Hindu Shastras. Dancing is a way of
expressing ones self, ones emotions through movement; it is
poetry in motion set to melodious music.
Much is said and written about Indian Classical dances, but
relatively little is said about their more common and
accessible cousin, folk dance. India has a culture and
tradition rich in folk arts of all kinds and especially folk
dance. For all that is said and written about our Classical
dances, it is our folk dances that are truly of the people.
Every village and every town in India will celebrate with
their own folk dances, regardless of the occasion they are
celebrating, be it a festival or the season, the harvest, or the
coming of the monsoons, or a happy occasion, a birth, a
wedding, a visitor, or a sad occasion, a death, be it to
propitiate the gods or to appease them or just to celebrate
them, and most of all to give thanks to them.
There are many kinds of folk dances, each region and state
and community have their own. Many festivals and
occasions have their own. They are all without exception,
spectacular, most are also colourful, extravagant and joyous.
While all of them are incredibly unique and special in their
own way, a few stand out even in this exalted crowd. Dances
from two parts of India closest to my heart are those from
Gujarat and Tamil Nadu as they are a part of my personal
heritage.

The Bhangra from Punjab is, like the Ras one of the bestknown and recognized forms of folk dance in India. Usually
danced by the men, this was originally a harvest dance, but
is now used at any celebratory or happy occasion. Its is a
vigorous, energetic and colourful dance with many
movements and improvisations, high jumps and low
squatting steps, to boisterous music, couplets recited by the
participants, and the heavy beat of drums, truly a dance to
heat up your blood and get your adrenaline flowing. The
men of Punjab also dance the Jhumer. It is, like most
Punjabi folk dances, very energetic, and is a circular dance
with sticks with an increasing tempo and many
accompanying shouts. The Gidha of Punjab is performed by
the women in a group with individual dancers or pairs often
breaking away for a short cameo to the accompaniment of
claps from the others.

Gujarat has probably the best-known Indian Folk dance, the

Dandiya Ras. Danced by both men and women, usually in
two concentric circles with two sticks or dandiyas that are
struck together or against a partners in time to the rhythm,
the Ras is an extravaganza of flowing bodies snaking back
and forth and side to side, of striking sticks, bright swirling
skirts, whirling figures and lighting quick feet. Usually
associated with the festival of Navratri in the early fall,
Gujaratis in every village and major town in Gujarat get
together every night for those nine days to dance the night
away in joyous celebration. It is a quintessential Indian folk
dance combining the colour and spectacle and vigour and
joy and sense of celebration that characterizes them at their
best. The Garba, also from Gujarat is a gentler dance, more
evocative of the lasya elements. Perforated pots with a light
inside them symbolizing the primeval energy or the goddess
Durga are placed in the center and the women dance around

The Chhau of Bihar and West Bengal is folk dance that

blends the tribal and Hindu elements of the society from
which it originates. It is a vibrant, vital, colourful and
enthralling dance drama that enacts events from the Indian
epics using dance, acrobatic movements, exaggerated
postures and dramatized gestures, all complimented by

forms to reach out to the people with modern, politically and

socio-economically relevant themes, in an effort to educate
the people and help India develop both economically and
socially.

colourful costumes and fantastic masks. The dance is

performed by the men, in rhythm to loud drumbeats. Sattra
Dances of Assam originated in the Brahmaputra Valley
region. Most of these dance drama were written by the
founder of the dance, and portrayed scenes from the life of
Radha and Krishna, with a key role being played by the
sutradhaar or narrator. The dance style itself reflects much
of the existing styles in the region in the 16th Century.

With a country as rich and diverse as ours in all aspects of

art and culture including folk and performing arts, it is not
possible to cover all the various kind, or even all the regions
in a single article, so I have done my best to cover a sample
medley of the dances from across the country to provide a
flavour, a fragrance, a glimpse of the vital, vibrant, colourful
and contrasting blur, that is the tradition of Folk Dance in
India.

The Ghoomer is danced by the women of Rajasthan, in a

circle, with graceful movements of the hands and arms and
frequent whirling patterns or pirouettes, which give it its
name. The dance is dedicated to Parvati and performed
during festivals and other joyous occasions. The Dumhal of
Kashmir is danced by the men, in long colourful robes. They
dance in a circle around a ceremonial banner to the
accompaniment of drums and the singing of the participants.
The Rouff on the other hand is danced by the women of
Kashmir; often arm in arm, in their colourful costumes and
headdress, with simple footwork.

Why Carnatic Music

(Continued from page 3)
Both the ability of music to build and release tension, as well
as its potential to unlock latent energies in the mind are
respected and developed. When discussing lofty ideas with
people, there are often various mental blocks, which must be
overcome, and knowing the way around them gracefully is a
large part of the art of teaching. With its rich variety of
ragas, Carnatic music provides a nearly limitless array of
melodic patterns, which can be used to effect this navigation
under a variety of circumstances. Together with a system for
organizing them, these melodies make it possible to clear the
mind of obstacles. It is no coincidence that the kucheri
traditionally begins with a song on Ganesha, and the same
concept may be extended to include the audience's
apprehension in general.

The Yakshagana of Karnataka depicts episodes associated

with the Puranas, the Ramayana and Mahabharatha with
songs called prasangas, dance and dialogue that often vary
from performer to performer. The name itself is derived
from yaksha or the demi-gods associated with Kubera the
heavenly treasurer. Ottan Tullal of Kerala is, unlike most
folk dances in India, usually a one-man show. The sole
performer plays all the parts, similar to most Indian classical
dances, and is accompanied by one drummer. The style of
dancing is similar to Kathakali, but less stylized and rigid.
The Kummi of Kerala is performed especially during the
festival Onam, by women dressed in the traditional white
Kerala saris. It is similar to the Kummi of Tamil Nadu,
except that the dancers use flowers as a part of the dance, or
sometimes even lit diyas or lamps.

To return decisively to the opening question, I value

Carnatic music first for the effectiveness with which it can
build positive mental discipline. It helps me to focus and
organize my thoughts, and it helps to eliminate negative
mental habits. How does it do this? Of course, I do not really
know. However, I do claim that music naturally illustrates
patterns of thought, and in the case of the great composers of
Carnatic music, these mental patterns have been effectively
conveyed at the highest level. I am personally attracted to
Muthuswamy Dikshitar more than the others. One challenge
for Carnatic music is to continue to meet the demands of
modern times, especially as the basis for communication
with the audience changes. Modern composers have
continued admirably in this regard, although the pace of
change for the younger audience will be much faster, and the
act of composition may need to adapt accordingly.

Two other ancient and still very popular folk dance forms
are the Ram Lila and Ras Lila of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Essentially, these are stylized dance dramas in Hindi, the
former depicting scenes from the Ramayana about the life of
Rama and the latter depicting scenes from the life of
Krishna. Performed across much of the Hindi speaking
regions of Northern India, these dance drama forms tell the
stories from Hindu mythology to the lay public. A form of
folk dance drama also seen across much of India is the
Nautanki, and like the Theru Koothu of Tamil Nadu, though
originally was used for the depiction of mythological and
historical events, has now lent itself beautifully to the
depiction of more relevant contemporary political and socioeconomics themes. The Tamasha, another folk drama form
with a wide performance area, began, it is believed, as
entertainment for the Mughal troops stationed in the Deccan,
and is typical of satirical rural theatre. Performances often
have a strong flavour of Kathak and ghazals among others.

Even as its range expands, Carnatic music will continue to

communicate the highest ideals, and many people around the
world will be listening. There will be more interaction with
other traditions, but there is also an audience for the strictest
styles in the West. Carnatic music is one of the world's great
treasures. I am honored to have been associated with it in
some small way, and to have had the opportunity to write
this article.

There are many other tribal and community specific folk

dances in India. Most of the tribal communities of North
East and Central India have their own festive and religious
dances and dances dramas. Recently we have also seen a
renewed interest in the used of more accessible folk art

This article is reprinted from Keertana, the newsletter of the

Carnatic Music Circle Melbourne, Australia.

Distinguishing Features of Indian Classical

Music

Upcoming SiTaR event

(Continued from page 5)

However, Indian music offers horizontal harmony, in the
form of octave harmony (playing the same melodic music in
different octaves) and drone harmony (accompaniment by a
drone or tanpura) [8]. Then again, it suffices to say that the
phenomenon of consonance discussed earlier, more than
compensates for the absence of vertical harmony in Indian
music.

An Evening of Indian Classical Music

Closing Remarks
This article has reviewed some of the aspects, which make
Indian classical music distinctive, including the unique pitch
intervals, the remarkable scalar diversity, the presence of
ornamentation in the form of gamakas, and the melodic
nature of this music. Although beyond the scope of this
article, it must be mentioned parenthetically, that Indian
music also offers the performer unlimited freedom of
extempore improvisation, and incredible rhythmic variety.
All these facets together constitute the aesthetic splendor of
Indian classical music.

featuring

Rajeev Taranath
Distinguished disciple of Maestro Ali Akbar Khan
and recipient of the prestigious
Sangeet Natak Academy Award

on the Sarod
and Swapan Chowdhary

on the Tabla

References and Suggested Further Reading

7th April 2002

Time and venue to be announced

1. Carnatica.com Sangeetanubhava section,

http://www.carnatica.com/sang-main.htm
2. See for example, a University of Geneva website:
http://tecfa.unige.ch/tecfa/teaching/UVLibre/9899/mar005/
welcome.htm
3. Shankar, Vidya. The Art and Science of Carnatic Music.
The Music Academy, Madras, 1983.
4. Bhagyalekshmy, S. Ragas in Carnatic Music. CBH
Publications, Trivandrum, 1990.
5. Menuhin, Y. Unfinished Journey. Macdonald and Janes,
London, 1976.
6. Sambamurthy, P. South Indian Music, Vol. I-VI. The
Indian Music Publishing House, Chennai, 1982
7. Favilla, S., J. Cannon, E. Dalgeish and S. Brown.
Nonlinear control mapping for the gestural control of
gamaka. Proc. 1996 Int. Computer Conf., 1996.
8. MusicIndiaOnline.com,
http://www.bharath.com/mio/html/carnatic.shtml

SiTaR events activities in the past year

River Rites
06 October 2001
Fisher Theater, Iowa State Center
Co-hosted with Sankalp
A dance ballet by Aparna Sindhoor and troupe,
incorporating elements of Indian classical and folk
dance to depict the plight of the tribals affected by
the Narmada river valley projects.

Chitraveena Recital
24 March 2001
130, S. Sheldon
Co-hosted with ICA
A recital of Indian classical (Carnatic) music that
featured the maestro Chitraveena N. Ravikiran on
Chitraveena, and Rohan Krishnamurthy on
Mridangam.

Contributions in the form of articles, photographs,

recipes or any other information are welcome from
interested readers and writers.
For volunteering, membership details or any other
information, contact us at sitarexec@iastate.edu

Tirangaa
A radio show featuring Indian classical and popular
music, aired on 88.5 FM KURE every Sunday from
2-4 pm.

Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the efforts of the authors, and of
Amit Singh, Ravi Vasikarla and Sandhya Bhagavatula
in bringing out this edition of Patrika. Editor

SiTaR is funded by GSB

Patrika is a magazine published by SiTaR (Society of Indian Tradition and ARts) from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. The views
and opinions expressed in the articles are the authors own and do not represent the opinion of the editorial board of Patrika or of SiTaR.