MUSIC AND NATURE
Written by : Nithya Rajendran , a dual Indian Classical vocalist in Hindustani and Carnatic music with over 3 decades training . She is founder and curator of Music Vruksh , an initiative to spread awareness and appreciation of Inidan Classical music for its aesthetic , spiritual , wellness and transformative potential .
Ramtanu Pandey was wandering around the palace gardens of emperor Akbar one monsoon evening . It was a cloudy day , foretelling the rains ; the sky was pregnant and dark grey . It was then that Ramtanu heard a peculiar sound of a bird . The sound oscillated between what would later be coined as Kaisiki Nishadam and Kakali Nishadam ( Carnatic ) or Komal and Shuddh Nishad ( Hindustani ). Mesmerized and drawn to this special sound , Ramtanu closed his eyes and within minutes composed what is now known as Raag Miyan Malhar . This raag to this day is sung during monsoons . Miyan stands for ' Miyan Tansen ' - the name with which Akbar anointed Ramtanu when he became one of the Ratnas or jewels of Akbar ' s court .
This anecdote is one among many that testify to the connection between nature and music . There are legends about how the sound of Tansen singing Raag Deepak could light a thousand lamps . In Carnatic music , Raagam Amridavarshini is supposed to herald rain . Raag Sarang of Hindustani music was born in the hot deserts of Rajasthan and is still sung in the afternoon or in summer time . Boopalam in Carnatic music , with its ' gambhir ' or heavy notes , signifies the wee hours of dawn when the sky and nature wait with bated breath for the sun to come out . Raagas like Bhairav , Aahir Bhairav and Vibhaas of Hindustani do the same . Raagas like Puriya Dhanashree and Puriya Kalyan come to life in the evening twilight where the mix of flat and sharp notes of the Raagas mirror the interplay between day and night that twilight symbolizes .
There connection between classical music and nature goes back a long way . The seven notes of the Indian music scale , Sa , Re , Ga , Ma , Pa , Dha and Ni are believed to have originated from the sounds of different animals and birds like elephants , peacocks , goats , the cuckoo and so on .
The connection with nature does not end here . The Vedas , the birthplace of Indian classical music , include chants which were composed as odes to the powerful life forces of nature including the sun , the moon and the stars . Also included are verses that express obeisance to the elements that make up our earth , and by extension our bodies , namely fire , earth , air and water . The evolution of Indian musical scales from the Samaveda is confirmed by historical texts .
Why is this important for us to know ? This is important because from time immemorial , nature has been the best reservoir of physical and mental well-being . The grand beauty of nature has a powerful healing effect on stresses and maladies . A walk on fresh dewy grass with the backdrop of mountains and valleys filled with flowers has an almost magical effect on anyone in a stressful state of mind . When we start to experience Indian classical music not just as music but as a way to connect deeply and spiritually to nature , and by extension to God , we can truly begin to appreciate the depth of this art-form . Then the process of spiritual and physical healing can begin in such a natural and organic way that we will not even realize that it is happening . Let us begin to swim in the ocean of notes and feel the warmth of a Taal like a baby in the womb feels the beat of the mother ’ s heart . Let us feel the cool breeze of Kalpana Swaras and Taans and the firm earthy grounding that the Swara ' Sa ' gives at the end of a performance . Let us experience the magic of nature through Indian classical music .
The Score
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