Musical Notes

'Sa' is like the cry of the peacock,
'Re' is like that of the bull,
'Ga' is like the b;eating of the goat
and 'Ma' like the call of the crane,
the cuckoo sings in Spring with the sound of 'Pa'
'Dha' is like the neighing of the horse
and 'Ni' like the trumpeting of the elephant.

All these interesting derivations of the musical interevals were devised by old scholars, who realised that the cries of many animals are amde up of two distintct notes. If the lower note is placed as 'Sa', then the different intervals can be determined from the different animal cries.

Akbar and others

In the 16th century, music had reached its zenith in the flourishing court of Emperor Akbar (1556 - 1605 A.D). The emperor himself was a great connoisseur of art and culture. It is said, that at point, he had as many as thirty six experts in music in his court. Three of the most famous and accomplished musicians of Akbar's time were Tansen, Baiju Bawra and Ramdas.

Jahangir's reign was also considered to be glorious for Indian Classical Music; his son Shah Jahan was a also a lover of art and music. Unfortunately Aurangzeb turned out to be quite different in his taste and he decided not to allow it in the Islamic religion. He even tried oput ways of insulting the propagation of music in many ways.

History - Fifteenth Century

Towards the 15th century , a writer-musician by the name of Lochana wrote 'Raga Tarangini' where he classified the 'group system' known as 'Thaat' as the origin of Ragas.

Raja Mansingh of Gwalior was the founder of the Gwalior Gharana and a great patron in Dhrupad style. His wives were also proficient singers and are credited with the composition of many melodies.

Towards the end of 15th century the Bhakti movement came up and all over North India, which was a tremendous help to spread classical and light calssical music among the masses.

History - The Moghul Period

There came a crucial and important period for North Indian Classical Music - the Moghul period. The Moghuls are remembered for various harms they inflicted on India at that period - looting, shattering ancient and divinely temples, imposing religion on many - but if we look at music, there is no major harm done in that field. It is also stated very commonly that they are the ones who brought Music from the temples. It is amazing that while making it mundane and vulgar, they have also enriched it.

When the Moghuls first came to India, all the books on Classical Music were in Sanskrit. Although they could hardly understand them, they gradually developed an interest, and became aprt and parcel of this art from. They later introduced new musical instruments and of course many new melodies. India was honored with many great milestones of Hindustani Classical Music in this period.

History of Raga Music - 1000 B.C to 1000 A.D

It appears that a form of classical music known as 'Jati' came into vogue in the period between 1000B.C and 1000 A.D. The Buddhist and Jain scriptures also contain reference to 'Jati' music along with some crude sketches of the Veena.