Indian music has a rich history spanning several millennia and developed over several geo-locations spanning the sub-continent. It encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk, rock, and pop. The roots of Indian classical music are found in the Vedic literature of Hinduism and the ancient Natyashastra, the classic Sanskrit text on performing arts by Bharata Muni. The earliest Indian thought combined three arts, syllabic recital (vadya), melos (gita) and dance (nrtta). As these fields developed, sangeeta became a distinct genre of art, in a form equivalent to contemporary music.
Indian classical music is generally passed down in an oral tradition where the student would spend many years with their ‘guru’, developing a very special, spiritual bond, imbibing all aspects of the music along with philosophical and moral principles that shape them for life. Indian classical music is very closely connected to nature, taking inspiration from natural phenomena including the seasons and times of the day to create ‘ragas’ or musical moods and many time cycles or ‘taals’ that have been further codified. Compositions are fixed but most of the music is improvised within the structure of notes and mathematics.
The classical genres of Indian music are dhrupad, dhamar, khyal, tarana, and sadra, and there are also several semi-classical forms. Hindustani classical music, one of the two main traditions of Indian classical music, originated in the northern regions of India and is characterized by its use of improvisation and the influence of devotional and Sufi music. It is also known for its use of a wide range of musical scales, called ragas, and its use of talas, which are rhythmic patterns.
In contrast to Hindustani music, Carnatic music, the other main Indian classical music tradition originating from the South, was influenced by ancient Hindu musical traditions, historical Vedic philosophy, and native Indian sounds but also enriched by the Persian performance practices of the Mughals.
The rock music scene in India is small compared to the filmi or fusion musicality scenes. Rock music in India has its origins in the 1960s when international stars such as the Beatles visited India and brought their music with them. These artists collaboration with Indian musicians such as Ravi Shankar and Zakir Hussain has led to the development of raga rock.
