An Aeipathy

I am sharing a bit I know about Indian classical music, something that I love. 

The Raaga Yaman Kalyan of Hindustani Sangeet, its equivalent Raaga in Carnatic Sangeet being Yamuna Kalyani is one of my favourite Raagas.  It is also known as Emaan in the West Asia.

Every Raaga has a particular time when it sounds most melodious and is in its peak of attraction.

Yaman Kalyan spreads its fragrance in the "Ratri ka Pratham Prahar" or 6pm-9pm.  When you sing or do Riyaaz in a Raaga in the time that it is meant for, you get totally lost into it and you just won't want to stop. The time period for each Raaga is pre-decided by great classical musicians in the past. The time is decided based on the different changes taking place in human bodies in different times of the day that arouse different feelings and emotions. It's so amazingly true. How I get deeply lost into a Raaga once I start singing it in that particular time!

I sometimes feel very surprised when I realise how intimate is the connection between Mathematics and these Raagas. Every Raaga is a combination of the 22 shruti (frequencies) that can be produced by the human voice box. So basically Raagas are permutations and combinations of these different frequencies!

The Indian Classical music is sung along with beats or the Taala. A Taala is "clap, tapping one's hand on one's arm, a musical measure" according to Wikipedia. These Taalas are again combination of beats. A Taala is a musical measure of time. Raaga gives melody and a Taala binds it beautifully with time. The different Taalas in the Hindustani Classical music are Teentaal( consisting 16 beats), Dadra (6 beats),Kaharva (8 beats), Rupak(7 beats), Ektaal(12 beats),Dhamar(14 beats) and so on. The beauty of the Taalas binding these Raagas is beyond words. 

There are many health benefits of singing. Singing is good for the lungs; singing improves your breath and respiration. Singing creates a kind of harmony within that maintains a balance within.

The Raagas are surely stress busters. Whenever I feel low or depressed, I make sure I sing Indian classical along with my harmonium and Taala.  It gives me soul satisfaction.  I feel connected to divinity when I sing Indian classical.

Translation to certain terms used:

Raaga: A collection of notes in Indian classical music. These collection of notes induce different emotions in us.

Hindustani Sangeet: North Indian classical music.

Carnatic Sangeet:  South Indian classical music.

Ratri ka pratham prahar:  The subdivision of time meant for different Ragaas is called Prahar. "Ratri ka pratham prahar" means "the first subdivision of night".

Riyaaz:   Riyaaz is an Urdu word which means music practice of Indian classical music. It is usually done along with a Tanpura, Tabla, harmonium and other musical instruments.

Shruti:  Smallest interval of pitch human ear can detect.




Some Indian musical instruments used in Riyaaz:

Tanpura: 






Harmonium:




Tabla:


Picture courtesy: Google :)