A Cross- Cultural Study on Indian Folk Music
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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No.9s, (2020), pp. 4301-4305 A Cross- Cultural Study on Indian Folk Music 1*Sruthi Saji and Dr. Sreelakshmi N.2 1*PhD Research Scholar, Department of English and Languages, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi Campus 2Assistant Professor, Department of English and Languages, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi Campus Abstract Music always held a considerable place in Indian tradition. The diversity in the culture and tradition of India leads to diverse music as well, especially in the regional music category. Folk songs are given prominence in this study due to its value in marking what Indian tradition is. A cross-cultural study is made in-depth for analyzing the cross-sections of Indian society paving way for miscellaneous cultures. The introduction will have a brief history on the formation of Indian music, which thereby was developed and reshaped over centuries. This paper particularly analyzes the question of whether there are any common factors connecting such diversifying music or are they diverse in all the sense, how culture shapes art(music), paving way for defining a specific community. And it also studies on how emotional aspects of music are similar among cultures which help to validate the psychological theories of music and emotion. A historical-comparative reading with a briefing on the culture and tradition of different states of India and the psychological intervention along with it adds on to contributing knowledge as well. Keywords: Indian Folk Music, Cross-cultural study, Culture, Emotion INTRODUCTION Music plays a prominent role in the shaping of a society. Even though music has its own peculiarities, it is divergent in different cultures. It has its own unique inference in different cultures. Likewise, music in India is also unique. Speaking of the Indian music, its tradition and culture, it dates back to the three thousand year old paleolithic and neolithic cave paintings at UNESCO world heritage site at Bhimbheka rock shelters in Madhya Pradesh. Indian has its own variety which is prominently divided into classical music and folk music. Classical music which includes Carnatic music and Hindustani music was particularly used in peninsular regions and northern, eastern and central regions respectively which were sung on the basis of shruti, swaras, alankar, raga and tala. Hindustani Music dates back to the Vedic times which was diverged and reformed from Islamic influences. It had been later on established at Pakistan and Bangladesh too. Persian performance practices of Mughals were also influenced in its formation. Carnatic music had its beginning at 14th and 15th century AD. It had been originated in South India during the rule of Vijayanagar empire where in the dias, the keerthanas(songs) had been composed and sung by Puranthara Dasa. And mostly they were performed in improvised singing styles with fixed compositions. Folk songs always held an important place in Indian history and tradition. The main peculiarity considering Indian folk music is that as India is a nation of diverse cultures of different states, most of the states have its own folk culture and tradition. And they are basically made in accordance with the traditional customs and practices that a specific community had been following throughout the years. Therefore, folk music in Indian had always been diverse in all its sense. Though it shares some of the common features, all are different when it comes to the singing styles as well as occasions. This paper will be mainly studying on whether they are same or what makes them different in all the sense. Earliest history of folk music trace back to Vedic literature which was around 1500 BC. Pandavani is considered as one of the earliest folk music which is believed to be as old as Mahabharata. Folk songs were initially used for community based festivals and to celebrate some special events. It also helped in passing prominent knowledge from one generation to another. Tribal music was mixed up with folk music, but considering folk music alone, they not only provided entertainment, but also imparted critical information. All states of India have got different folk tradition and music. The style of singing and the usage of instruments differ according to the culture of different states. Let’s have a brief look onto some of the different folk music of India. ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST 4301 Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No.9s, (2020), pp. 4301-4305 METHODS This paper will be dealing mainly with a cross-cultural study on the folk music of India. Culture is the most important property that connects everything in a society. Cultures vary according to different contexts. India is a country dealing with various cultures. As each state of India deals with different tradition and customs, they also carry down different cultures. This led me in studying on the cross-cultural aspects of music, especially folk music in India. Though every musical piece shares a common title as folk, they have different names, titles, styles of singing and composition and different occasions to being used. A comparative study will be made on the folk songs of India and will study on whether they share the same features or are they diverse somehow; what makes it different and how culture shapes in the formation of different art forms. No primary materials are taken into consideration in this study. Basically the secondary texts dealing commonly with the folk songs of India, belonging to different states and their common features will be used for analysis. A comparative reading of all the songs will help to find out about different features that connects them. A systematic study will be made comparing culture to culture. This study will also focus onto the emotional aspects of music and whether they are similar across cultures. This can also be used to validate the psychological theories of music and emotion. DISCUSSION AND RESULTS Folk music of India The folk musical forms of Jammu & Kashmir are mainly Hafiz Nagma, Surma, Ladishah, Chakri, etc. Based on the classical music form ‘Sofiyiana Kalam,’ ‘Hafiz Nagma’ was introduced in the Mughal era. Sung in Dogri language, ‘Surma’ narrates the anxiety of a woman, whose husband serves in the Army. A satirical form of singing, ‘Ladishah’ narrates the social and political conditions of the state. Chakri is one of the most important folk music of the state. As it narrates famous love stories, it is often sung at weddings. The important folk music of Himachal Pradesh is Jhoori and Ainchaliyan. Jhoori is a satirical form of singing, associated with extra- marital relations. The songs are often accompanied by dance performances. Ainchaliyan is a type of religious songs often sung to a newly-wed bride or to an unmarried girl, who is expected to get married in near future. The prominent folk music of Uttar Pradesh is Rasiya, Birha, Kajari and Qawwali. Rasiya songs narrate the love stories of Radha and Krishna. Themes used in Birha folk songs often revolve around the separation of lovers. Kajari songs are used to describe a woman’s longing for her lover. Qawwali is a form of Sufi music often sung for devotional purposes. Punjab’s folk music are Tappa, Bhangra and Jugni. Originated from the folk songs of ancient Punjab, ‘Tappa’ often depicts the plight of a lover. Bhangra is the most popular folk music of Punjab. It is also one of the oldest forms of music in India. The music is often accompanied by the famous Bhangra dance. Jugni is an ancient form of folk music, which is often used in Punjabi weddings. Uttarakhand’s folk music, Jhoda are the songs that are usually sung by two groups of people and are often accompanied by a group dance involving men and women. One of the most important music forms of Uttarakhand, ‘Thadya’ was originally performed in royal courts. Ja- Jin- Ja is a form of folk music of Arunachal Pradesh that is sung by a group of singers, comprising of both men and the women folk. Often sung during special occasions and festivals, ‘Baryi’ narrates mythological stories and the state’s rich history. Sung during weddings, Nyioga is one of the popular folk music of Arunachal Pradesh. Maand is a popular form of folk music of Rajastan, which sounds similar to ‘Thumri’ or ‘Ghazal. ‘Pabuji Ki Phach’ honors Pabuji, who was a historical hero of the Bhopa community. It also narrates the splendor and tradition of Rajasthan. Developed by the women folk of Rajasthan, ‘Panihari’ narrates the importance of water. Performed mainly by the women folk, ‘Sohar’ is a folk song of Bihar that is usually sung during childbirth. Sumangali is performed in groups during weddings. It is believed that these folk songs have a positive impact on the groom.. Sikkim’s folk music includes Gha To Kito and Lu Khangthamoo. Often accompanied by dance performances, ‘Gha To Kito’ describes the natural beauty of the state. Performed by the young and old folks, ‘Lu Khangthamo’ is basically a thanksgiving song. Sung by a group of people, ‘Khubakeshei’ is a type of devotional folk music of Manipur. Jharkand’s dolk music are Domkach, Jhumar and Bhajan. Often accompanied by a dance performance, ‘Domkach’ is one of the most popular music forms of Jharkhand. Like many other folk songs of Jharkhand, Jhumar too, is always accompanied by a dance performance. Bhajan is a form of devotional folk ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST 4302 Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No.9s, (2020), pp. 4301-4305 music of Gujarat, which is sung to seek the blessing of gods and goddesses.