ADITI SARAWAGI
Styles and Types
of Music in India
Part 2
Music is an essential part of the socio-religious life in
India. It is made up of countless cultures from every
region of the country with its own traditions, languages
and also music. Continuing last month’s series, here
are different styles and types of music in India.
Hindu Devotional Music or bhajans are religious songs
popular all across the country chanted by pilgrims at
festivals and religious ceremonies and even in the comfort
of their homes. Devotional songs are in place from as far
back as the first millennium. In South India, Kriti is the
most important form of devotional song or thirupugazh.
Sufi Devotional Music is often described as entering
into a trance and lies at the heart of Sufism and is played
extensively at mosques in honour of Sufi saints.
Talking about music in India, one cannot not mention the
myriad Folk Music and its rich tradition from various
states like Baul music from Bengal, Dogri love songs and
Chakri music from Jammu and Kashmir. Sufiyana Mosiqi
is a traditional form of Kashmiri choral music performed
using traditional Kashmiri musical instruments such as
the saze kashmore (a violin-like instrument), the santoor,
sarangi, the Kashmiri sitar, dhol, and the dhorkas.
Kerala is famous for its ceremonial drumming with chenda
drums, played along with the Kuzhai oboe, bronze cymbals
and kombu horns. Chenda drums are extensively played
during Kathakali performances. Rajasthan has an active
folk music scene as well with members of the manganiyar
community performing at various events with instruments
like kamayacha, ravanahatha and drums. Jogis or wandering
mystics are also perpetuators of folk music. Rajasthani
music is synonymous with a wide range of instruments
such as the sarangi, morsing, nagara, dhol and ektara.
Kalbelia Folk Songs and Dances of Rajasthan are on
the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity. This form of music is transferred
from one generation to the other orally and no texts or
training is available. Music is part of the identity of being
part of the Kalbelia community. Another music form of
India is on the UNESCO list-Sankirtana or the ritual
singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur. This form
of music centres around Lord Krishna and is typically
performed in religious places with two drummers.
Jhumair and Domkach are Nagpuri society music and
a number of instruments are used to create this beautiful
sound-dhol, mandar, bansi, nagara, dhak, shehnai, khartal,
and narsinga amongst others. Uttarakhandi Music has its
root in nature and its wonders and their music defines the
grandeur of different seasons, social practices, celebrations,
and even religious ceremonies. Instruments used include the
dhol, damoun, hudak, dholki and masakbhaja. One cannot
forget the Bauls and Bengali Folk Music when talking
about the music in India. Baul music is popular all over and
is very active in West Bengal. They are known as ‘travelling
minstrels’ and they perform joyful songs with instruments
like the harmonium, cymbals, and of course the ektara.
Music in India is synonymous with Bollywood Music
or film music which has its own set of followers and the
soundtracks of films cover a wide range of genres from sufi
to hip hop to rock to ghazal to even fusion music. Indi-pop
music is another popular genre in India wherein individual
artists or bands release their albums which have been
popular from the time of cassettes to today’s digital age.
Music has innumerable forms and genres and each form has
its own unique style. Every corner of the country speaks
a different language and is defined by its own culture.