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Cornell Jtnioetaitjj Sabrarg Jttjaca, Stem

lot*

BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE

FISKE

ENDOWMENT FUND THE BEQUEST OF

WILLARD FISKE LIBRARIAN OF THE UNIVERSITY 1868-1883 1905

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Ml

T

«!T

Cornell University Library

ML

338.F99I3 Indian music

/

3 1924 022 492 338

1|

B

The

Cornell University Library

original of this

book

is in

the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright

restrictions in

the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022492338

i

'

Rosier

(37

^01 xo-iirHcx.

Indian Music BY

SHAHINDA (Begum

Fyzee-Rahamin)

with Preface by

F.

GILBERT WEBB

WILLIAM MARGHANT & GO. The Goupil Gallery 5

Regent Street London, S.W.

.

.

.. .

.. .

.

Index.

CHAPTER "

History of Indian Music"

.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER

"

"

..

Tales of Indian Music"

.

..

..

21

III.

.

.

.

,

.

.

.

.

38

IV.

Ast-Addhya" (Law of Musical Instruments)

CHAPTER

9

.

II.

Raag-Addhya" (Law of Tunes)

CHAPTER

.

.

Sur-Addhya'' (Law of Tones)

"

"

I.

69

V. .

.

80

Preface This

book

little

Western minds the

modest

a

is

attempt to

and

construction, peculiarities

the ancient music of India.

explain spirit

to

of

Captain Day, in his illuminating

volume on the music of the Decan, or Southern

India, has

revealed the elaborate system which prevailed at one time in

portion of the Empire, but this

that

of the original system, which had

is

only the offshoot

and growth

birth

its

in

the North in ages which recede from the tract of history

dim regions of legendary

into the

Much pertain

that

is

the

to

described

imagination

practice, but the points of

brain are as far asunder

regard to their

pages

these

rather

than

may seem

to

possibility

of

the

view of the Eastern and Western as the social

One

Western realms.

and

in

lore.

respective

fundamental

great

musical

systems of Eastern

outlook

is

fact

with

whereas

that

the Western musician concentrates his attention on the centre of each note forming a scale, and his ears will tolerate no variation

from

that

central

point,

the

musician

Eastern

concentrates his attention on the gradations of pitch the

centre of

strides

To

each

from note

note.

to note, his

Where

the Western

between

musician

Eastern brother glides between.

the latter the approach and the leaving the central point

is all

important.

led to the

It

is this

that has in the

course of ages

wondrous system of varied treatment of

subtle

tonal gradations, and to the multiplication of ornamentations,

well nigh infinitesimal in

number and

and subtle are these gradations that

character.

it is

So

delicate

only cultivated ears

that can perceive them, and recognise their endless variety

and

significance.

The

ability of the trained Indian

by almost endless

individuality

variations

be termed the skeleton of the tune to

what may

on

unknown

practically

is

This will be perceived by a perusal of the

Europeans.

explanation of "

Much

musician to infuse his

Taans

in

"

Indian Music has

Chapter Seven. little

or no

meaning

to

Western

ears owing to inability to detect and appreciate tone-shading as varied and as fleeting as a

The

summer

rainbow.

origin of these fine gradations of pitch undoubtedly

was, and has been developed in great measure by, the thinness

and length of the strings used on the ancient That there should have been

instruments.

classical Indian

little

endeavour to

thicken these strings or to obtain greater resonance and

must be attributed

to the predeliction of the

sublety of thought which found

power

Eastern mind to

its reflection satisfied

in musical

sounds of delicate quality.

The music idiosyncracies

extreme

of

all

and mental

delicacy

of

is

ever the

of

its

music

is

countries states

Indian

echo of the

producers, and the

only

the

faithful

analogue in sound of the elaborate and marvellous complexity of eastern pattern-making, as seen in iu the

weavings in

silk

which can only be perceived by the and evasive

is

its

greatest developments

and wool, the symbolical meanings of initiated.

Yet more elusive

the music of ancient India which revels in the

gossamars of thought and strivings

to

make

audible the vague

dreamings of the mystic East. F.

May, 1914.

GILBERT WEBB.

— History of Indian Music. Chapter

JNDIAN MUSIC It

by

thousand years

three

is

attributed

is

I.

be of Divine origin.

to

old. It

most complicated and intricate system of the musics of all nations, and a science hardly to be excelled by any creation of the is

the

far

human

mind.

has

It

history, to

highly

a

found

be

served and handed of ages and

Like

upon and

all

the

down

the

and

ancient

fascinating

pre-

texts,

to us, surviving

cycles

ravages of time. old branches of learning,

religious

traditions

social

coloured in

of

manners and

faiths,

the

it

observances,

country,

customs

the history of the tunes, and

is

based

legends

depicting

of the

the

people, in

words of the song.

There are various versions as to the origin Music. The two mostly quoted

Indian

of

traditions

are

:

That it is descended from Brhama, brought into vogue by Mahadeo and Nardaman, and performed by the great Naiks, i.e., Masters of Music, from time to time. (b). That a strange bird called " Musikar" 1 or Dipak Laat 2 inhabited the Caucasus mountains, and its beak had seven apertures through each (a).

;

it is also the name of a Raag, i.e. male tune in literally means fire The peculiarity of this wonderful tune is that when it the Indian Music. played with the right notes in the right season its power is so great that it excites the element of fire in nature, and creates fire.

Dipak

;

is

Laat means hot scorching winds.

of

openings

these

was

it

able

blow

to

a

and at different seasons of the combined these notes into harmony, and produced Raags, x congenial to that particular Its hour of the day and season of the year. years, when and age was that of a thousand note,

different

year

its

it

was about

life

to

and accumulated a and

environs,

absolute

tunes

danced

frenzy,

from

its

end,

around

playing

beak

ecstacy,

into

fell

it

of combustibles from

pile

a

in

state

notes of time

length

a

for

it

various

the

its

of

and in

When, however, it harmony with the seasons. touched upon the notes of the Raag Deepak, fire was at once ignited, the pile burnt up, and ultimately it plunged into it, and became Sati. After a time an egg was created out of the warm ashes, which in due course became a Dipak-Laat.

Thus from times immemorial, one born, lived

ashes, then

is

supposed This

down

to

of repute

From

is

life,

and

another and

to

in

was

the end turned

The

another.

bird

be extinct now.

the strange and fanciful story handed

posterity,

and

which

every

musician

fond of repeating.

is

the earliest times

was regarded Divinity,

weird

its

to

bird

as sacred.

and

performed

were professional

celestial

we

find

that

music

was originated from by divinities. There

It

beings,

such

as

the

Raag means tunes there are six Raags that are male tunes in the Indian Music, and each Raag has got its own five or six Raagnis. These tunes have seasons of the year, and hours of the day, when they should be played or sung. Any departure from the rigid law incapacitates the beauties and subtleties of the tunes, and violates the sanctity of the Alt. ;

II

Gandharvas and Apsarasas who performed before the Gods.

Brhama indulged in the Art for relaxation. Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning and Music, invented

which figure

the

among

Veena,

exquisite

bears her

the

Narada

name.

Beings

the Divine

is

in

instrument a

brilliant

the musical

Shiva in the act of his Divine Dance, shook the universe with his marvellous performance. His wife Parbati has been the subject of many a poetical idea. The " Rudra Been" is the world.

definite composition of her sleeping lovely

When

form.

was cultivated so freely among the Gods in Heaven it affected the mortal beings on earth. The kings indulged in it, so did their subjects, until music study was Art

importance

of vital

To

the

learn

the

in

very

ancient

ages.

The youths were

was compulsory.

it

taught to sing the Divine Praises and Prayers, and the secular studies were imparted to them in

tunes.

Millions of musicians of in the land,

all

grades flourished

and multitudes of professionals were

supported by the State, free from

Their secret

one

object

mysteries,

in

life

and

doctrines of the sacred

all

was to expound

impositions.

unravel the

the

hidden

Art.

There were no religious rites, ceremonials, forms and observances inside or outside a home in which music did not play an important part. The very existence of the people seemed to depend upon

its

practice.

12

Temples and shrines, and all sacred places, were thronged with devotees who were all absorbed

that

in

" Devotional

The

the

had bards and minstrels,

who

of

music,

Music," night and day.

villages

entertained the miracles

called

class

village folks

with

Gods, philosophies

of

of

the

and sages, biographies of noble and and

As

women and time

on,

India

thrown

in

through

People were

a chronic state of disturbance.

favourite vocations

were deprived

men

recitative.

passed

vicissitudes and historical changes.

the

ascetics

high

love romances in inflected

went

of

tales

Their

were interfered with, and they of their freedom

to a great extent

of living.

The present degradation, and neglect of show the remarkable degeneration and low

music,

which the people have sunk. All the genius, of which the land was so rich and brimful, is effectually crushed out until no trace of its former glory is left. To acquire anything of the Indian Music in the present day, one has to be specially gifted by the Gods. We have no facilities of learning, in the way of preliminary books or notations, nor have we any recognised schools

status to

productive

of high

order or merit, accessible to

or seeker of

music.

the

lover

All the mysteries of this

Glorified Art are confined to the ancient Scriptures, in unintelligible

Brij-Bhasha and Sanskrit, carefully

away from the gaze of the masses some antique remote corner.

hidden

in

— 13

certain

families,

Almost

all

a

celebrated

the male

traditionally

as

great

certain

in

artists.

members among them were

play and sing, and during the

able to

of

down

was handed

Music

number

of

years,

you

interval

heard

of

mighty men like Naik Gopal, Naik Baijoo, Taansen, Amir Khusrao, Mir Nasir Ahmad Dehlavi, etc. etc., springing up from the unknown, and stirring the very forces of nature by their extraordinary performance.

These families are still to be found they few and far between, and scattered in the They have knownorth and south of India. ledge of these priceless texts, and some are even ;

are

in possession of them, but they

guard these with

secrecy and reverence.

religious

Works on Few

subjects

Indian Music.

have been more enveloped

in

mystery and darkness than Indian Music. After a careful research, we find that some great works were written by eminent masters in the ancient days, in a most intricate and difficult language, meant more for the comprehension of Among the well-known teachers than students. authoritative versions existing to-day are

:

—

Sangeet Darpan. This is a highly prized book of importance written in old Sanskrit by i.

Shastri It

Chatr

treats

music)

of

Damodar Shavan Bhut the

Sapt-Addhya

(seven

of

Kasi.

laws

and imparts valuable information.

of

14

—This

another old MS. of value, written more than seven hundred years

Raag-Ratnagar.

2.

is

by Sarang Deo Pandit, containing

ago,

a store

of

information.

Raag-Mala

3.

language

Nagri

in

in

characters

by

Bhasha Ganga-Dhar.

written

is

Brij

The whole book is written in verse. There are many more books of more

or less

importance written on the subject from time to time.

Most of them

mentioned

texts,

are

based on the above-

and when the author has been

unable to grasp the meanings of the masters, he has reproduced portions.

no books in the proper order and method have really been written, pointing out the stages, one after another,

So

that

it

facilitating the

will

be seen that

study of the science.

At the present day the craze old

arts" has

resulted

in the

for "revival of

establishment of a

few music schools, scattered in Bombay, Baroda, Poona, Mysore and Calcutta, and self-styled professors

have compiled a series of primers, called imitating the Western system of

"notation,"

Most to be regretted is the substitution harmonium in place of the sweet strains Sarangi (Indian violin) for accompanying

notation.

of the of

purposes.

A

more disastrous metamorphosis cannot be imagined. There is not the slightest idea or semblance of the rich classical and original Indian melodies in these chopped-out hybrid tunes, sung

by a number

silly

of students together.

15

Similarly,

some tunes

modern invention by a band. They

of

are set to music and played

anything

are

matter

of

constituted

but

Indian

fact

the

that

it

real

Indian

does not lend

tricks of popularising-

almost

much

music itself

is

a

so

such

to

as organ-grinding, school

it

choruses, bands, theatre, orchestras, It is

As

character.

in

etc.

too earnest, real, heavy, beautiful,

Divine,

for

amusement,

light

thorough knowledge of

it

and serious study, of a

and

a

means self-abnegation

life-time

and more.

Muts.

A

peculiar

of the

feature

Indian

Music

is

the distressing and confusing institution of Muts, the classification of Raags (male tunes), and Raagnis (female tunes) and Talas (times). In the ancient Raagmalas and Sungeets

i.e.,

(works on music),

we

an awe-inspiring, deeply

and complex nature. or

men

that

find

music was of

religious, highly classical

The Gods indulged

in

it,

of great learning and piety, such as those

who had submerged

their

individualities

in

the

Divine path. Sixteen thousand

and

sixty

Talas

tunes, and

(times) are

three hundred mentioned as used

by them in those days, almost inconceivable to our mind and understanding. " Krishna perfectly intoxicated by his own music on the flute, commenced to sing. His

16

sixteen

Gopees

thousand

followed

each

him,

producing a Raag (tune)." In

middle

the

ages,

was brought

it

comparatively appreciable and systematic

overshadowing the inaccessible heights so-far Sublime Music.

a

to

basis,

the

of

Four Muts were decided upon, each named after the Divinity i.

who was

the originator of

Sumeshar or Shew Mut.

of the appellations of

— Sumeshar

it.

is

one

Mahadeo (Adam).

Mut literally means intelligence. This Mut named after Mahadeo, and the method of singing and playing in this Mut is like the method with which Mahadeo sang and played, is

and one which It

each

has

extremely

is

difficult.

Raags, and

six

its

own

Mut.

— So

Raag having

six

thirty-six

Raagnis,

Raagnis and eight

Putrs (sons). 2.

Kalinath

who was once

named

playing with a

ball,

alter

Krishna,

on the shores

of the sacred Jumna, with his playmates.

In the enthusiasm of a throw, the ball into

the river.

Krishna immediately jumped

the water in search of

When

fell

in

it.

he reached the bed of the

river,

he

found himself perched on one of the thousand heads of a monster serpent. The King of Serpents that inhabited the Jumna. The KingSerpent, on being thus ruthlessly disturbed, was

annoyed, and tried to sting him with the head on which he sat.

17

Krishna jumped over gracefully on another head, and thus, by jumping on to different heads,

avoided

deadly

its

of

bit

bites,

he found a

last

at

till

which he successfully tied the nose of the serpent, and thus freed himself from danger. string,

Now

this

and

beauty that

dance,

with

which

the

with

this

from one head

such

caused

it

a

infinite

peculiarly

movements

elegant

to-day

is

a

to

grace pretty

and

pleased

are

historians

and

upon,

of springing

feat

was done

another

to

with

actions,

comment

recognised form of

dancing.

Now when mastered

the

He

sheer joy.

he got hold of the he

situation,

Mut has

Raag has

got

and

string,

to

sing

in

sang with a certain method, and

method was called memorating that incident.

Kalinath

this

Kalinath

began

its

Mut,

com-

Like Sumeshar

Mut,

got six Raags, and each

also

own

six

Raagnis and

eight

Putrs.

Bharat

3.

ascetic

named

called

Bhajans,

easy,

facile

Mui.

— So

Bharat, in

who sang

praise

a

great

religious

songs

called

of

after

the

Gods, in

an

manner, creating a certain mode of distinguishing it from the

singing and playing,

two others in method ment of tunes.

its

of execution and

arrange-

This Mut has six Raags, and each Raag has own five Raagnis, and eight Putrs and eight

Bharjas (daughters-in-law).

15

This

is

Mut which has

the only

the additional

tunes Bharjas.

—

Hanuman, or Hanout Mut. So called after famous general of Raja Ramchandarjee, Hanuman (King of Monkeys), who conquered 4.

the

Lanka (Ceylon), and, flushed with victory noted

of Raja

Ramchandarjee

after a certain style.

This style was recognised ever in

since,

the

in

sang congratulations in the Court

battle,

and

has been

at once,

to-day very

is

much

vogue

in

Benares.

Bharat Mut, this

Similarly to

Raags,

Raagnis

and

Raag

each

and

eight

has

Putrs.

Bharat Mut are retained in

The each

last

other

got

Mut has its

The

six

own

five

Bharjas

of

this.

two Muts are very much akin in

the

seasons of

the year

to

when

they should be played or sung, also the arrange-

ment and

of the

tunes, with

a

slight

variation

here

there.

These Muts show an enormous modification They were brought to a in tunes and times. standard of one's reach and understanding.

The six

sixteen thousand tunes

Raags (male

tunes),

were reduced

and thirty or thirty-six

Raagnis (female tunes), each Raag having five

or six

Raagnis,

according to

its

and the three sixty Talas (times), were reduced

Talas.

its

Bharjas

hundred to

own

individual

Mut, and eight Putrs (sons), and eight (daughters-in-law),

to

and

ninety-two

19

Each Mut played the order which it recognised

tunes

a

in

certain

one Mut qualified a tune with a certain attribute with one or two notes, Teevar (sharp), or Komal (flat), and ;

classed

with

among

it

the Raagnis, while another

Mut

among

the

ranked

similar alteration

a

for instance,

it

Putrs, and so forth.

This difference of opinion caused an incessant wrangle, never determining the class of the tune, but raising an interminable

field

for enquiry

and

research in this branch. In the reign of that great patron of Arts and Sciences, the

Emperor Akbar,

the Court Musician

Taan-Sen, of universal fame, made a thorough, arduous and minute study, of long duration, of this most superb science, felt the superfluity of the four Muts, and, after a scientifically lengthy observation, determined the distinctive and main

and characteristics of each melody, and revolutionised the system by deciding upon one Mut only, with its proper order of tunes. He dealt similarly with the Talas (times), and con-

qualifications

the

centrated

without

ninety-two the

losing

subtleties

of each

None but

Talas

significances,

tune and

a master

mind

into

twelve,

beauties

and

measure. like that of

Taan-

Sen could have brought about such a complete upheaval in so intricate an art.

He (book

is

supposed to have written a Raag-mala

on a sound, systematic to his own name.

on music)

and ascribed

it

basis,

32

— ——

;

20

This tended to make music intensely popular

and progressive. This is the Mut which has been followed more or less since, and has influenced most of the modern music also. the south of India music

In different

The

character.

is

entirely of a

instruments also differ

good deal from the north they have a system of their own. Instead of classifying the tunes according to Muts, and having so many Raags and Raagnis, they simply have seventy-two Ragas, otherwise scales and each scale has got a name which signifies the notes of which it is composed. They follow the early Narada system of music, and have their own history and traditions. a

;

;

The elaborate,

North

more

music

India

is

much

more

beautiful and finer of the two.

Sapt-Addhya. Indian Music

is

comprised of Sapt-Addhya.

Sapt means seven, and Addhya means laws meaning "seven laws of music," which are as follows

:

First.— Sur-Addhya.

—The

law

which

treats

of tones, including semi-tones, demi-semi-tones, etc.

Second. treats

of

Third. of time.

Raag-Addhya.

tunes

or

—The

law

which

melodies.

Taal-Addhya.

—The

law which treats

———— 21

Fourth. of musical

Taa-oos,

—The

law which

instruments, such as the

Nafeeree,

by

either

Ast-Addhya.

the

Fifth.

Baansri,

treats

Been, Sitar,

Sankh,

etc.,

played

hand or mouth.

Nirt-Addhya.

—The

law which

treats

of dancing. Sixth.

Bhao-Addhya.

of actions and

and

in

law which treats rhythm with singing

dancing.

Seventh.

Arth-Addhya.

of comprehension

treats

N.B.

movements

— The

— "Bhao-Addhya"

is

"

it

Nirt-Addhya"

the

songs and

for

—The

law

of tunes and practically is

which

times.

linked

with

the art of illustrating

dances with

the

movements

arms, and all the parts of the body. Arth-Addhya" may be acquired by a theoretical study of the science, and a constant

of "

hearing of

it.

Sur-Addhya. (law of tone). Chapter

II.

Music is formed of Surs (tones), and Talas (times). Each is dependent upon the other for a complete arrangement of a tune, sung or Indian

played.

The Talas

executed

are

(times),

instruments as the Pakhavaj, Tubla,

The Surs either

(notes),

be played

or

form

such

etc.

which

tunes,

sung, on

on

may

such instruments

as the Been, Taa-oos, etc.

The Surs (notes), are seven in number, and are named individually, as i, Kharaj; 2, Rikhab Maddhyam; Pancham Gandhar; 6, Dhaivat; 5, 3, 4, :

—

;

;

7,

"

Nikhad

Sargam "

and collectively they are called the

;

and

;

to

simplify

their

use in music,

they have abbreviated names to distinguish them,

such

— — — — —

—

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni. These Surs (notes), have enticing biographies, as,

human and supernatural in composition. They are human in having temperaments, costumes and colour and,

like

products of nature,

flourish in seasons.

They are descended from Heavenly Bodies, and trace their lineage from above. Certain Surs are dominant at certain ages of mankind. They are produced from various parts of the body.

23

The

whom

Surs occur they are taken.

certain

in

animals

from

Those Surs which are possessed with hot temperaments have the mysterious faculty of curing those afflicted with rheum, and such ailments, and vice versa, provided they are sung by high-minded and noble souls, and at the specified season of the year, and hour of the day, when they should be sung then alone the ;

desired effect will be obtained. the prescribed law

is

The seven notes

violation of

are under the protection of

who

the seven Divinities

Any

regarded as sacrilege. preside over them.

Interesting Chronicles of Surs (notes).

Kharaj Sa. protecting Deity

not lend

Komal It

— This and

Sur

like

is

under the

Pancham does

change into Teevar (sharp) or permanent. connected with the first heavens and the

itself to

(flat),

is

Agni,

but

is

planet called Kamar. It

has a happy temperament.

In effect Its

it

is

cold and moist.

complexion

And

is

pink.

arrayed in most beautiful white garments

and lovely ornaments. Its

seasons are

This note

is

all

the seasons of the year.

produced from the abdomen.

sound has been taken from the cry of the bird Ta-oos (peacock). Its

It

prevalent in the voice of

is

human

the

being of seventy years.

This tone

harmonious

is

in

all

Raags

the

and Raagnis. It

tones,

has four Surats (semi-tones) or shades of

Kamoodvati, Manda and

namely, Teevra,

Chan-do

dhuti.

—

the

Rikhab Ra. This Sur protection of the God Brhama. This tone changes

Komal It

(flat)

is

may

occasion

the

as

Teevar

into

with

connected

the

and the planet called Atarud.

or

(sharp)

require.

heavens

second It

under

is

has a happy

temperament. In effect

complexion

Its

red costume, and

season

Its

This note

is is

is

and dry.

pale green, arrayed

beautifully

the hot

bird

in

season.

produced from the heart. cry of

Papeeha.

The note is prevalent in the voice human being when three score years old. It

etc.,

is

harmonious

in the

of

a

tunes Deyce, Kaanhra,

and quite unpleasant in Malkaus, Hindole, It

a

ornamented.

sound has been taken from the

Its

the

cold

is

it

etc.

has three Surats (shades of tone).

Dayadati, Ran-ja-ni

and Rag-tika.

Gandahr Ga.

—This

Sur

is

under

the protecting Divinity Sarasvati.

This changes into sharp or

may

require.

flat

as the occasion

25 It

connected with the

is

third

heavens and

the planet called Zohra.

has a sad temperament.

It

In effect

it

cold and moist.

is

complexion

Its

is

orange, arrayed in crimson

garments.

season

Its

the hot weather.

is

This note

is produced from the chest. sound has been taken from the cry of

Its

the animal Goos-fund. It

aged

prevalent in the voice of a

is

human being

fifty.

pleasant in the tunes Kalangra, Khamaj, and quite unpleasant in Sarang, etc. has two Surats, Se-ve and Kro-de-he.

It is etc. etc., It

Maddhyam

Ma.

—This

Sur

is

under the protection of the God Mahadeo. It changes into sharp and flat. It

is

connected with the fourth heavens, and

the planet called Shums. It

has a restless temperament.

In effect Its

it

warm and

is

complexion

is

dry.

pale pink, arrayed in reddish

black garments and prettily ornamented. Its

season

is

the rainy season.

produced from the throat. sound has been taken from the cry of the bird Saras (crane). It

is

Its

It is

of

prevalent in the voice of a

two score

years.

human being

26

This note etc.,

and unpleasant It

Malkaos, Bhairaon,

pleasant in

is

Kalyan,

in

etc.

has four Surats, Vajrika, Prasaarini, Preetee,

and Maarjani.

—

Pancham

Pa. This note Goddess Lakshmi.

the protection of the It

permanent

is

under

like Sa.

connected with the

It is

is

fifth

heavens and the

planet called Mirreekh. It

has a passionate temperament.

In effect

warm and

is

it

complexion

Its

dry.

arrayed

red,

is

yellow

in

garments. Its

season

Its

the

is

Koyel.

bird It

the rainy weather.

is

produced from the mouth. sound has been taken from the cry of

This note

is

prevalent

in

the

voice

of

a

human

being of thirty years. It

sounds pleasant

and quite unpleasant has

It

Alaapnee

four

in the tunes Todi, Aa-sao-ri,

in

Mal-kaus, Hin-dole,

Ragta-Sandeypnee-

Surats,

Rshiti.

Dhaivat Dha. the protection of the god

the

—This

Sur

is

changes into sharp and

It

is

flat.

connected with the sixth heavens

planet called

Mushtari.

has an equable temperament.

In effect

it

is

under

Ganesha.

It

It

etc.

warm and

cold.

;

and

27 Its complexion is yellow, arrayed garments with lovely ornaments.

season

Its It

is

cold weather.

the

produced from the

palate.

sound has been taken from the neighing

Its

of a

is

in vermillion

horse.

This

note

human being

is

prevalent

in

the

voice

It is harmonious in Bilaval-Alaiya, inharmonious in Zeelaf-Jogiya, etc.

It

has

of a

of twenty years.

three

Mandati,

Surats,

etc.,

and

Rohni, and

Rammya.

Ni-khad tected

It is

to the It

Ni.

—This

Sur

is

pro-

by Surya. changeable into sharp and

tune in which is

it

flat

according

occurs.

connected with

the

seventh

heavens

and the planet called Zohol. It has a happy and passionate temperament. it is cold and dry. complexion is dark, arrayed in black garments and most beautifully ornamented. Its season is the cold weather.

In effect

Its

produced from the nose. sound has been taken from the trumpeting

It is

Its

of an elephant.

This

note

human being It

is

is

prevalent

the

pleasant in Bi-hag, Puruj,

unpleasant in So-rath, It

in

voice

of

a

of ten years. etc.,

and quite

etc.

has two Surats, Ooggara and Ksho-bhi-ni.

28

Division of Notes.

To portray to our minds the celestial and most exquisite harmony which the " Shades of Tones" form in the Indian Music by a cut-anddried theory in black and white is palpably out of the question. There are tones, half-tones, quarter-tones,

and

difference

these

in

imagined,

is

so

sound

sounds,

subtle,

before one

that

one-eighth

has

cadences.

It

beautiful

and

is

The

tones.

can

be

well

and so exquisitely

fine,

consciousness

one

the

has merged into the other of

it

of its

own

modulations and unexpected

accord, forming soft

"

of as

unutterably pure, high, classical,

sublime "

Shades of Tones

in

expression.

These

correspond with the Surats

previously mentioned.

There

is

a certain stage in each

note,

which

neither Teevar (sharp) nor Komal (flat), but a sound between the two. This sound or note is

is

Suddh Sur (note) and forms the central sound of the note. There are three notes in a higher key than the Suddh and three notes in a lower key than the Suddh, and these together form the seven tones in one tone. A tone which is one degree higher than the called the

Suddh

A Suddh

A Suddh

is

called Teevar.

tone which is

called

is

two degrees higher than the

Ta- Teevar.

tone which

is

three degrees higher than the

Tam-Teevar. A tone which is one degree lower than the Suddh is called Komal. is

called

20

A Suddh

A Suddh

tone which is

tone which is

is

two degrees lower than the

called Ati-Komal. is

three degrees lower than the

called Shikari.

These are the seven tones

that divide the one

tone.

The

and fineness of these sounds imagined than written. To an untrained ear these delicate shades of tone are meaningless, and are hardly discernible. He is merely conscious of an exquisite flow of sounds, all blending into one another, making a gracefully

may

subtlety

better

be

delicate whole.

These seven notes correspond with the Surats already mentioned. These divisions of notes as well as the Surtis, as given in the olden texts, are too complicated to understand, and one gets thoroughly puzzled. As a matter of fact there are twenty-

two Surats, or sounds, or tones in the Indian Music,

in one octave, and the differences in these

merely that of a hairbreadth, hardly distinguishAnd yet to the foreign ear in a melody. importance it is these Surats which are of great in the formation of a tune and in retaining its They are distinct sounds individual character. and easily heard when a finished performer plays is

able

or

sings

them slowly

in

a scale, striking

each

note successively.

Young

Asrekar, of Poona, has

made

out a very

clever table, facilitating their comprehension

and

use in tunes, discarding some of the classical terms and putting them in his own way, which is simpler and easily understood.

^ Asrekar's Table of Twenty-two Surats. THE TUNES

SURATS. i.

Chan-do-vati or Sa

2.

Daya-vati or Ati

Komal

Komal

re

Ran-ja-ni or

4-

Rag-tika or

5-

lo IRoud-reeJ1

6.

Kro-dhee or Ati Komal ga

7-

Vaj-ri-ka or

3.

Prasaarni or

9to. i.

Suddh

^

or

Ditto

re

3-

6

r

This occurs

re

Teevar

re

Komal ga

Maddhya ga

Pree-tee or Teevar ga

Maarjani Komal

ma

Maddhya ma

Kshiti or

ma

12.

Ragta or Teevra

13-

Sandeepni or Teevar-tar

14.

Alaapni or Suddh Pa

15-

ma

IN

WHICH THEY OCCUR.

in all the tunes. tyie

tune Bhairaon,

etc.

Ditto

ditto

Bhairaveen,

Ditto

ditto

Bibhaas,

Ditto

-ditto

Yemen

Kallian,

Ditto

ditto

Todec,

etc.

Ditto

ditto

Bhairaveen,

Ditto

ditto

Malkaus,

Ditto

ditto

Yemen

Ditto

ditto

Bhairaveen,

Ditto

ditto

Poorbee,

Ditto

-ditto

Yemen

Ditto

ditto

Poorya,

the the tunes

etc.

etc.

etc.

etc.

etc.

Kallian,

etc.

etc.

etc.

Kallian, etc. etc.

where Pa is

Ditto

all

Mandati or Ati Komal dha

Ditto

the tune Bhairon,

16.

Rohini or Komal dha

Ditto

ditto

Bhairaveen,

17-

Rammya

Ditto

ditto

Bibhaas-Malkaus,

18.

Oogra or Teevra dha

Ditto

ditto

Yemen

19.

Ksho-bhi-ni or Ati

Komal

Ditto

ditto

Gond Malaad,

20.

Teevra or Komal

ni

Ditto

ditto

Bhairaveen,

21.

Koo-mood-vati or Maddhya

Ditto

ditto

Malkaus,

22.

Mandha

Ditto

ditto

Yemen

N.B.

or

Suddh dha

ni

ni

or Teevra ni

— The

major scale the

notes

etc. etc.

Kallian,

etc.

etc.

etc.

etc.

etc.

Kallian, etc.

the European music would correspond with

in

as

use