ancient music

1. ASHISH NATH
ROLL NO.- 21871024
COURSE- BVA
PERFORMING ARTS AND ALLIED SUBJECTS

2. HINDUSTANI AND
CARNATIC MUSIC
When we go through the musical texts of
ancient India, we find that there was only one
system of music in India. Northern and southern
music system came into existence around 13th
century. Northern music or Hindustani music
had started emerging as a distinct form because
of Persian or Islamic influences and thereafter
these two systems of music i.e. Hindustani and
Carnatic started developing separately in their
own way and these two streams started flowing
parallel to each other.

3. SAPTHA
TAALS
Taal is Indian system of rhythm. When
rhythm or musical time is fixed in beats, it
is known as taal and this taal is repeated
over and over again till any composition is
completed. ‘Saptha’ means ‘Seven’. So
‘Saptha Taal’ means ‘Seven Taals’.

4. TALA SYSTEM
OF CARNATIC
MUSIC
There are mainly three types of Tala system :
1. Ashtotarshat Taalam
2. Apurva Taalam
3. Saptha Taalam
Among all these systems, Saptha Taalam is the
most popular and presently prevailing Tala
system in the Carnatic music.

5. SEVEN MAIN TAALS
DHRUVA TAAL
MATYA TAAL
RUPAKA TAAL
JHAMPA TAAL
TRIPUTA TAAL
ADA TAAL
EKTAL TAAL

6. FIVE JATIS OF EACH TAAL
Chatastar
Jati
Tristar Jati
Mishra
Jati
Khand
Jati
Sankiran
Jati

7. RAGAS
‘Ranjayati itti Ragah’
Which means, which colours the minds
– is a Raga.
Raga is a combination of Swar and
Varnas (sounds) having the capability
of pleasing the minds of the listeners,
is known as Raga by the intellectuals.

8. PRINCIPLES OF RASAS
A Raga must belong to any Thata.
A Raga must have at least five notes.
A Raga must posses Aroh and Avroh both.
Any Raga has fixed Vadi and definite Samvadi notes.
In a Raga, two notes of the same denomination.
Every India Raga has been assigned the certain time.
A Raga must please the minds of the listeners.

9. SWAR OF
KARNATAK
MUSIC
The 12 notes of Karnatak music are :
Shadaj , Shudh Rishabh , Chatuthshrutik Rishabh ,
Shat Shrutik Rishabh , Sadharan Gandhar , Antar
Gandhar , Shudh Madhyam , Prati Madhyam ,
Pancham , Shudh Dhaivat , Chatuh Shrutik Dhaivat ,
Shat Shruti Dhaivat , Kakli Nishad.
A lot of ‘Ragas’ are common to both the systems of
the North and South , though under different names
e.g. Mohanam of Karnatak music is Bhopali of
Hindustani music .

10. SCHEME OF 72 MELAS
72 Melas was a system of Raga classification of South
India Music in the medieval period. Music scholars of
North and South adopted mela-Raga system to classify
their Ragas in the Medieval period and have mentioned
about Melas in their musical treaties.
The most important musical treatise on South India music
is ‘Chaturdandi Prakashika’ by Pt. Viyankamukhi in which
Pt. Viyankta Mukhi put toward a new Mela system, known
today as Melakarthas.

11. THATA-RAGA
In Hindustani music the system of classification of ‘Ragas’
was introduced by Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
(1860-1936) in the early 20th century.
10 Thatas of Hindustani music :
 Bilawal Thata
 Kalyan Thata
 Khamaj Thata
 Kafi Thata
 Asawari Thata
 Bhairavi Thata
 Bhairav Thata
 Purvi Thata
 Marwa Thata
 Todi Thata

12. SEVEN SWARAS
 Sa refers to sadja
 Re refers to Rishabh
 Ga refers to Gandhara
 Ma refers to Madhyama
 Pa refers to Pancham
 Dha refers to Dhaivat
 Ni refers to Nishad
 Sa refers to sadja

13. INTRODUCTION OF THE INDIAN THEATRE
The history of Indian Theatre has been tumultuous yet
interesting. It is a saga of origin, flourishing, declining,
reasserting and metamorphosis of several forms. Sanskrit
theatre, which first appeared about the 2nd century BC was the
earliest type of Indian theatre. It is one of the oldest theatre in
the world. The Indian theatre, like music and dance, has a
distinct identity, with intricate literary, design, psychological
and dramatic philosophies rolled into one composite art form.
The notion Natya, a Sanskrit word for Theatre given by Bharat
Muni in his Natyashastra, incorporates dramatic storytelling,
virtuous dance, and music defines classical Indian Theatre.

14. MAJOR INDIAN FOLK
THEATRE FORMS
NAUTANKI:
Nautanki is a very popular and vibrant folk form of Uttar Pradesh. It
has it roots in the Swaang of Ambala-Jagadhari region situated in
Haryana. Nautanki mainly grew in two different cities of UP namely
Kanpur and Hathras. Both regions maintained their own distinct
flavour of Nautanki and developed two different schools of Nautanki
which are – Kanpur School and Hathras School. The troupe of
Nautanki is often called a ‘Mandali’ which means a group or an
‘Akharas’ meaning wrestling areas.
Music is the most significant feature of Nautanki. All the characters
are required to be singers themselves. ‘Nakkara’ or ‘Nagada’ is the
main percussion of Nautanki.

15. BHAVAI
Bhavai is also known as Vesha a popular folk theatre form of Gujrat. The word Bhavai
comes from a Sanskrit root Bhava means expressions or emotion and Aai which means
Mother. Thus, Bhavai is an art form dedicated to the mother of the Universe, the Hindu
Goddess Amba. Bhavai is a part of a worship ritual of Goddess which is performed in front
pf the Temple.

16. SWANG
Swang comes from the Northern Indian state of
Haryana. It is popular in Rajasthan and the
adjoining areas of Uttar Pradesh. It is a rural
rustic performance tradition centred around high
–pitched music, loud gestures, robust dancing,
songs, witty dialogue, and legendary stories from
the vernacular. The contempory form of Swang
which developed around 200 years ago is
credited to Krishan Lal Bhaat. The drama begins
with hymn in honour of Bhawani , The Goddess
of knowledge .

17. JATRA
Jatra is from West Bengal and Odisha. This theatre
form was performed during religious ceremonines
in honour of the gods and at fairs. Jatra
performances start during September at the time
of Durga Puja and they end just before the
monsoons. The spiritual founder of Jarta was
Gaudiya Vaishnavism and it was initially known as
‘Krishan Jatra’ , obviously, as it came out of
processions of Krishna devotees and the themes
were based upon stories of Lord Krishna.