Glossary of Indian Music (Part – 06)

Collection by: Gurumayum Shivachandra Sharma
Cultural Activist
1. North Indian Classical Music: The traditional classical music of northern region of the Indian sub continent is known as the North Indian Classical Music. It is also known as the Hindustani Shastriya Sangeet. There are Ten 10 main forms of singing styles in Hindustani Music, namely, a) Dhrupada, b) Dhamar, c) Hori, d) Khayal, e) Tappa, f) Chaturanga, g) Ragasagar, h) Tarana, i) Sargam and j) Thumari respectively.
2. South Indian Carnatic Music: The traditional classical music of southern India, generally south of the Hyderabad city in Andhra Pradesh, that evolved from the ancient Hindu tradition and was relatively unaffected by the Muslim ruler, is known as the South Indian Carnatic Music. There are Eight 8 main musical forms in South Indian Carnatic Music, namely, a) Geetam, b) Suladi, c) Svarajati, d) Jatisavaram, e) Varanam, f) Kirtanam, g) Kriti and h) Pallavi respectively.
3. Dhrupada: The word Dhrupada is a combined word of ‘Dhruba’ meaning fixed and ‘Pada’ meaning words. So, literally the Dhrupada means a fixed compositions of music with a fixed lyrics or words. It is the oldest known style genre of major vocal style assoufiated with Hindustani Shastriya Sangeet. There are Four 4 forms of Dhrupada singing, namely, a) Dagar Bani, b) Khandaar Bani, c) Nauhar Bani and d) Gauhar Bani respectively. In these singing style, Pakhawaj is mainly use.
4. Dhamar and Hori: In North Indian Classical Music, the Dhamar and Hori are also the types of Dhrupada singing specially based on the love prank of Lord Radha Krishna describing the spring festival of Holi. Mostly, the Dhamar Taal having 14 Matras or beats is use in this singing style only by Pakhawaj just like in Dhrupada traditions.
5. Khayal: The word Khayal means the imagination. In North India Classical Music, the Khayal is the most prominent genre of classical vocal depicting a romantic style of singing. There are Six 6 main Gharanas of Khayal, namely, a) Delhi Gharana, b) Patiala Gharana, c) Agra Gharana, d) Gwalior Gharana, e) KKirana Gharana nd f) Jaipur Gharana respectively. And, there are also Two 2 types of Khayal according to their Layakaris, namely, a) Bada Khayal (Vilambit Laya), and b) Chhota Khayal (Madhya and Drut Laya) respectively.
6. Tarana: In North India Classical Music, the Tarana is an unique composition of classical music framed in a Raag with Taal consisting of mere syllables or words similarly to the syllable produce on Indian musical instruments. It is usually performs in a very fast tempo of Ati Drut Laya after presenting a Chhota Khayal in a performance.
7. Thumari: In North India Classical Music, the traditional style of classical singing which describes the activities of spiritual love expression of Lord Radha Krishna with physical intimacy and the grief of a women who is agitated by the parting of her lover is known as the Thumari. Most of the compositions of Thumari are based on romantic love, separation and devotional poetries.
8. Tappa: In North Indian Classical Music, the Tappa is a semi classical vocal singing style with its specialty of rapid, delicate and complex arrangement mainly perform by the camel riders as a folk tradition in their region.
9. Chaturanga: The word Chaturanga means the four colour. So, in North Indian Classical Music, a composition for vocal music having four stanzas in four dialects sung in four different Raags and Taals is generally known as the Chaturanga. In this style of singing, the Four 4 main parts of singing are: a) Drut Khayal (fast tempo), b) Tarana, c) Sargam and d) Padanta (Thekas or set of Bols) of Tabla and Pakhawaj respectively.
10. Sargam and Ragasagar: In North Indian Classical Music, the classical style of singing of the Sangeet Swaras instead of the lyrics in composition using a various ornamentations like Meend, Gamak, Kann, Khatka, etc. as a part of Khayal performance is known as the Sargam. And, the Ragasagar consists of different parts of musical passages in different Raags as a one song composition having Eight to Twelve different Raags and lyrics indicate the changes of the Raags.