Appreciating Indian Classical Music. Review on Tips on Hindustani Classical Music in General

We Indians are indeed fortunate to have inherited a bountiful legacy in the form of Indian Classical Music. There are mainly two forms of Classical Music practiced in India, viz. Carnatic and Hindustani. Although the SWARAS(Seven Shuddha, Five Vikrit)  are essentially the same in both of them, the way these are used, is very different in these two styles. Starting from the days of Swami Haridas and Tansen, not forgetting the Great Baiju Bawra, some four to five hundred years ago to current generation of musicians and musicologists, all have contributed their mite in enriching the Indian Classical Music. There are well known GHARANAS, like, Kirana, Gwalior, Agra, Jaipur - Atrauli, Senia, Rampur, Maihar, Mewati, Patiala, Delhi, Bishnupur etc. to name a few where music is being transmitted through the traditionally  rich GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA. Many new compositions( known as Bandishes) are being added even today to the enrichment of this form of music. A lot has changed from the original Dhrupad and Dhamar styles(predating now famous Khayals & Taranas) and now lighter compositions such as Thumri, Dadra, Tappa, Hori, Chaiti, Kajari etc. along with Bhajans, Kirtans, Abhangs, Marathi Natya sangeet, Bhaav Geets etc.  also have created a definite niche for themselves. Most of the compositions are in some Raagas, mainly classified under Ten THAATs, which encompass the broad gamut of these compositions. Pandit Bhatkhande is creditted with an initial treatise on this subject. Hindustani Raagas are normally sung or played at specific times or seasons, unlike the Carnatic ones,  where we had 72 THAATs as composed by Venkatmathi and ornmented by Swathi Thirunal, Thyagaraja and others. It is a pity that the current Indian youth has moved away a lot from this rich tradition and has found entertainment in Fast Western music and also in inane compositions. It is high time we realised the rich potential of our Indian Classical music for music therapy as well.

I have seen some learned people to opine regarding the ease or difficulty of appreciating vis-a-vis learning and performing Classical music. From my own experience, I can state that learning Classical Music( or any thing, for that matter) is an end-less process but for appreciating good music one does not really need to become an expert. As some very learned Guruji once said, 'Not many can become Tansen, however hard they may try, One can easily become a 'Kansen' without much efforts'. This, implies that you just need to develop an ear for the type of music you want to appreciate, and need not really know about the various nuances of the same to relish and enjoy the music of your choice.

There were and are many programmes on the Media(Radio & TV) where one is led to identify Raagas on the basis of often heard / famous songs from films and other sources. I, myself, have prepared a list of more than a hundred Hindi and Bengali songs, based upon specific Raagas. Due to limitations of voice and other necessary acumen to master the art of performing Indian Classical Music, I know, I can never aspire to follow  Tansen’s trails, but I can reasonably stake my claims  of having become a self proclaimed Kansen(i.e. a Listener and Appreciator of Quality Music). I invite others on this august platform also to follow suit.