October 2007 Volume 5 Sandesh Sandesh Issue 3 “The Message” A Newsletter from IndUS of Fox Valley From Editors’ Desk Indian Classical Music and Dances: A Brief Introduction Dear Readers, By B. S. Sridhar Each year the October issue of Sandesh is dedicated to the theme Classical Indian Music raga is a projection of artist’s inner spirit. of upcoming annual IndUS ban- The origin of Indian music is said to be The current classification of ragas can be quet. The theme of IndUS-2007 is rooted in the Vedas (1000-1700 B.C.). traced to two seminal works by great Music & Dances of India and the Over the centuries classical music has musicologists: Svaramelakalanidhi by articles in this issue are a prelude evolved into two distinct schools, namely, Raamamaatya (c. 1550 AD) and to such a rich and diverse compo- Hindustani (the North Indian) and Carnatic Caturdandi Prakaasikaa by Venkatamakhi nent of Indian culture. (the South Indian). (1660 A.D.). The ten principal families of ragas in Hindustani are: Asavari, Bhairav, The lack of space prevents us to Carnatic music is devotional in nature, with Bhairavi, Bilawal, Kafi, Kalyan, Khamaj, cover many other interesting attention on melody and rhythm, heavy Marwa, Purvi and Todi. Carnatic labels for forms and important aspects of emphasis is placed on sahitya or lyrics. The ragas generally differ but there are Indian music and dance. We are music is often in praise of the Hindu equivalent ragas in both systems. sure that at the banquet you will pantheon and often the poets are known to discover interesting and informa- express other emotions such as love, anger, Tala refers to rhythmic cycles. Indian tive exhibits and a truly enriching envy, disappointment, and dejection in music has developed a unique system of cultural experience. We also hope defining their relationship with the deities. intricate and sophisticated rhythmic that these articles will intrigue The concerts tend to be fairly structured patterns. These cycles can range from a those who are not able to attend around varnams, alapana, kritis, kalpana three-beat cycle (teen taal or aadi tala) to the event and generate enough swaras, padams, bhajans, and tani cycles consisting of hundred and eight interest to further explore Indian avartams. beats! Within the fixed framework of these beats, the percussionist is afforded music and dance. The most important and recent changes in unlimited opportunity to improvise. The Hindustani music can be traced to the most exciting moment for a seasoned period between fourteenth and eighteenth listener is when two performers after their SandeshSandesh centuries when the musicians in the north extensive individual improvisations, come An IndUS of Fox Valley came in contact with Persian music via the together on the first beat of the next cycle Publication Mughals. Hereon, emphasis was on the called sum. The most popular talas are: abstract and aesthetics. In Hindustani, there Teental, Dadra, Rupak, Jhaptal, Ektal and Editors are ten main forms or styles of Ada Chautal. Dr. Badri Varma performance: Dhrupad, Dhamar, Hori, Laya the tempo of the exposition of each Ms. Manjari Chatterji Khayal, Tappa, Chaturang, Ragasagar, raga proceeds through three phases. During Tarana, Sargam and Thumri. The main Mr. Dnyanesh Patkar the slow and deliberate alap, the artist Mr. C. Shekar Rao elements of Indian music are Raga and Tala. engages in a serene exploration of the range Dr. Sandhya Sridhar and depth of the melodic scale, without any Raga (that which colors the mind) refers to Advisor percussion. Rhythm enters the scene during a melodic scale with a precise, subtle the jor, without the drum accompaniment, Dr. B. S. Sridhar ascending and descending array of notes. when innumerable variations of raga’s The views expressed in the articles There are seventy two distinct ragas, each theme are elaborated. During the third are not necessarily those of the creating a distinct mood (rasa) such as the phase, jhala side strings are played at a Editors or IndUS of Fox Valley romantic, fearful, heroic, anger, disgust, rapid pace. Drums join in during gat, a kindness, peaceful, wonder, and humor. A fixed composition when improvisation is Page 2 Sandesh appropriate! Take your cue from the saris, jewelry and hair ornaments, and With the advent of Muslim rulers in India aficionados. specifically applied facial and body (circa 12th century) Kathak underwent a Any attempt to list notable performers is make-up. They dance to a traditional major transformation. From a temple a controversial effort. Therefore, south Indian Carnatic orchestra dance it evolved as a brilliant form of admitting this major limitation, let me consisting of voice, strings, percussion, entertainment. In deference to the Islamic generate an illustrative, not an exhaustive and flute. proscription of idolatry, in the royal list of artists. Bharatanatyam uses three aspects or courts of Moguls, the emphasis shifted from the devotional and mythological The great composers in the Carnatic modes of kinetic expression that span the range of aesthetic possibilities: Nritta, aspects toward the development of the tradition are Purandaradasa (1484-1564), aesthetic and technical dimensions of the Tyagaraja (1767-1847), Muthuswami Nritya, and Natya. Nritta is abstract or "pure" movement- is it pure dance devoid art. The new school incorporated into its Dixitar (1775-1835), Shyama Shastri form spectacular elements as fast (1762-1827), Swati Tirunal (1813-1846), of emotional expression wherein dancers use body movements and pounding pirouettes, intricate rhythm, brisk and Mysore Vasudevacharya (1865- movement and fast footwork. Kathak of 1961). The great performers include; MS rhythmic footwork to create visual geometric patterns vibrating with today represents a beautiful fusion of the Subbalakshmi, Aryakudi Ramanuja Hindu and the Persian cultures. Iyengar, ML Vasantha Kumari, DK dynamic energy. Nritya is lyrical dance that interprets poetry. Dancers use Pattammal, M. Balamuralikrishna, Among the great exponents of Kathak conventional hand gestures called Maharajpuram Santanam (all vocalists), are: Pandit Birju Maharaj, Lachchu mudras along with facial expressions and TR Mahalingam and Sikkil sisters (flute), Maharaj, Durg Lal, Sitara Devi, and feelings to express the meanings or S. Balachander (Veena), Lalgudi Maya Rao. Jayaraman and MS Gopal Krishnan interpretations of the lyrics or text. (violinists), Palghat Raghu (mridangam), Finally, Natya describes dance-drama Kathakali Vikku Vinayakaram (Ghatam). that enacts a narrative or idea. In Natya, dancers use both pose and expressional Kathakali is a unique dance-drama that The famous Hindustani artists of the past aspects along with mime to create drama. originated in Kerala, a southwestern state and present are: Ustads Bade Ghulam Ali Like fresco painting in Christian of India, nearly 500 years ago. Kathakali Khan, Kareem Khan, Pandits Bhimsen churches, the original purpose of literally means “story play” and therefore Joshi, Jasraj, Shrimati Kishori Amonkar, Bharatanatyam was to educate the public is always based on Hindu mythological Parveen Sultana, Shobha Gurtu, Veena about the scriptures. Today, stories. The characters in Kathakali do Sahasrabuddhe (vocalists), Pandit Ravi Bharatanatyam remains a thriving art not speak. Rather, communication is Shankar and Ustad Vilayat Khan (sitar), form, one that attempts to raise the level achieved through an intricate but highly Ustad s Ali Akbar Khan and Amjad Ali of spiritual consciousness of its viewers sophisticated system of hand gestures, or Khan (sarod, Pandit Hariprasad so they may achieve rasa, the experience Mudras. Two singers in the background Chaurasia and Pannalal Ghosh (flute), of joy or bliss. provide the dialogue by singing in a Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma (sarangi), variety of ragas (tunes). Sung-texts Ustad Bismillah Khan (shehanai), Dr, N. An illustrative list of great teachers and contain narrations to introduce the Rajam (violin), Ustads Allaha Rakha and performers of Bharatanatyam are: characters as well as the dialogue Zakir Hussain (tabla). Rukmini Devi Arundel, Bala Saraswati, between them. The characters in Classical Dance Forms of India Vyjayanthimala Bali, Padmini Kathakali can be broadly classified into Ramachandran, Padma Subramanyam, four types. Pacha (green) represents Much of the sophisticated grammar and Mrinalini Sarbhai and Sonal Mansingh. benevolent kings or divine figures; Kathi idiom of classical Indian dances are (knife) depicts an arrogant kings. Evil traced to Natya Shastra, a sacred treatise Kathak characters are represented by Thadi attributed to Sage Bharata (approxima- Kathak is probably the most important of (beard) and forest dwellers or aborigines tely between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D). the major schools of classical dances by Kari (black) characters. Minukku originating from North India. The word Bharatanatyam (glittering) denotes saint. The costumes kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word worn by the artists are quite elaborate and Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest, katha, meaning “a story”. A kathakar is a colorful. In addition to facial painting, beautiful, and purest classical dance storyteller who recounts mythological masks are commonly used to broaden the forms of India. It combines artistic stories in temples. Nurtured in the holy expressive potential. Kathakali exponents expression with a sense of spirituality. precincts of Hindu temples, kathakars (a and performers of note are: Thottam Highly trained dancers perform