{"id":31573,"date":"2026-10-31T17:18:56","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T11:48:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=31573"},"modified":"2026-10-31T17:18:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T11:48:56","slug":"hindustani-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/hindustani-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Hindustani Music, History, Fundamentals, Forms, Instruments"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Hindustani music<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> began to diverge from Carnatic music in the 14th century. It draws inspiration from Bharatamuni's Natyashastra. It uses the Shudha Swara Saptaka scale and focuses on improvisation and musical structure. Dhrupad, Dhamar, Hori, Khayal, Tappa, Chaturang, Ragasagar, Tarana, Sargam, and Thumri are the ten primary vocal and compositional styles of Hindustani music.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Indian classical music originally followed a unified system but diverged during the medieval period when North India came under Persian influence, leading to the formation of two schools: Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian) music.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Classical Hindustani Music About<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani music represents one of India\u2019s richest cultural heritages as a classical music tradition that has evolved over centuries, shaped by Persian influences, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/bhakti-movements-in-south-india\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Bhakti movement<\/strong>,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mughal patronage, and various stylistic gharanas into a sophisticated improvisational art form fundamental to India\u2019s identity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-31623 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/10\/31171329\/Hindustani-Music-Instruments.webp\" alt=\"Hindustani Music Instruments\" width=\"512\" height=\"268\" \/><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Examples<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani music includes various vocal and instrumental forms such as Dhrupad, Khayal, Dhamar, Thumri, Tappa, and Tarana. Prominent instrumental traditions feature instruments like the Sitar, Sarod, Sarangi, Shehnai, Santoor, and Bansuri, while major gharanas such as Gwalior, Kirana, Agra, and Jaipur-Atrauli have contributed to its development.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Singers<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani classical music has been enriched by renowned vocalists such as Dagar Brothers (Dhrupad), Bhimsen Joshi, and Amir Khan (Khayal), Girija Devi, and Begum Akhtar (Thumri). Other notable artists include Kishori Amonkar, Gangubai Hangal, Kumar Gandharva, and Mallikarjun Mansur.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Evolution<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani music denotes the cultural traditions of Hindustan, encompassing regions east of the <\/span><b>Sindhu River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, primarily Northern India. The origin of Hindustani music dates back to ancient times, with references to musical notes and incantation rituals found in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/vedic-literature\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Vedic Literature<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The process of differentiation from Carnatic music began in the 14th century, under the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/emergence-and-administration-of-the-delhi-sultanate\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Delhi Sultanate<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Amir Khusrau developed Hindustani classical music by synthesising Indian music with Persian \"Mausiqui\", introducing new ragas and instruments like the sitar and tabla.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Key Developments:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> In the 16th century, under Akbar's patronage, the renowned musician Tansen took Hindustani music to new heights. His compositions in the band style are timeless and have had a lasting impact on the genre.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other notable musicians like Swami Haridas and Baiju Bawra rose to prominence in the courts of Gwalior and Jaipur, further enriching the Hindustani tradition.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Gharanas and Regional Styles:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> In the 19th century, specific stylistic schools were developed with the foundation of gharanas bearing regional names.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, the Gwalior, Patiala, and Kirana gharanas each have unique characteristics that distinguish them from one another. They contributed to the diversity and richness of Hindustani music.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Elements<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani music derives its unique flavour from improvisational exploration within the framework of ragas (melodies) and taals (rhythmic cycles). <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The following fundamental elements give Hindustani music its unique flavour:-<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Ragas:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Hindustani music employs a 12-note scale using seven basic notes and five interspersed half-notes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Taals:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A taal is a cyclic arrangement of time units like laghu, guru, and pluta. The tempo of the taal, which keeps the time span uniform, is called the laya.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most common taal is the \"teental,\" which has 16 beats. Other important taals include Jhaptal and Ektal.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Swar:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Swar, or notes, form the basic building blocks of Hindustani music. There are seven swaras (Sapta Swaras): Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Thaat: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a system used in Hindustani classical music to classify ragas according to their underlying note arrangements.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thaats provide a systematic way to study and organise ragas, although a thaat itself is primarily a classificatory scale rather than a complete performing raga.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Rasa: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rasa refers to the aesthetic emotions evoked in performers and audiences through music. Traditionally, there were eight rasas, later expanded to nine (Navarasa) with the addition of Shanta (tranquillity).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Samay (Time Theory): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Hindustani classical music, ragas are traditionally associated with specific times of the day. The 24 hours are divided into Poorva Bhaag (12 AM\u201312 PM), associated with Poorva ragas, and Uttar Bhaag (12 PM\u201312 AM), associated with Uttar ragas.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Forms:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Different presentation formats are used: Thumri, Ghazal, Dhamar, Dhrupad,<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and Khayal, each with a distinct tempo and complexity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Anthara and Sthayi: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Melodies are divided into sthayi (main phrase) and antara (second phrase) sections, and improvisation happens mainly in the antara section.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Ragas<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Raga is the melodic foundation of Hindustani classical music. Derived from the Sanskrit word Ranj, meaning to delight or evoke emotions, it creates distinct moods through specific arrangements of musical notes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Raga Structure: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Each raga has a distinct ascending (Aroha) and descending (Avaroha) sequence of notes. It is more than a musical scale, as it has a unique melodic identity and emotional character.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Classification (Jati): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Based on the number of notes used, ragas are classified as Audav (five notes), Shadava (six notes), and Sampurna (seven notes).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Types of Raga (Raga Bhed):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Shuddha retains its basic identity, Chhayalag incorporates the influence of another raga, while Sankeerna combines two or more ragas.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Important Notes: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vadi is the most prominent note, Samvadi is the second most important, Anuvadi refers to the other notes used, and Vivadi denotes dissonant notes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Laya and Performance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ragas are performed at different speeds\u2014Vilambit (slow), Madhya (medium), and Drut (fast). Their performances may begin with Alap, a slow, non-metric elaboration of the raga.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Major Styles\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani music includes 10 main styles of singing and compositions. These are Dhrupad, Dhamar, Hori, Khayal, Tappa, Chaturang, Ragasagar, Tarana, Sargam, and Thumri. The prominent forms of Hindustani music:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Hindustani Music Classical Form: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani classical music has evolved through several vocal forms, each characterised by distinct styles of composition, improvisation, and expression.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Major forms include Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Thumri, Tappa, Tarana, and Dadra. These forms reflect the diversity and richness of North Indian classical music.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Hindustani Music Semi-Classical Form: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music's semi-classical styles use swara but deviate slightly from the standard raga structure by using lighter raga versions in a faster tempo. Greater emphasis is placed on bhava and lyrics over alap-jod-tan-jhala. Major examples include Thumri, Tappa and Ghazal among others.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Classical Form<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani classical music comprises various vocal and instrumental forms that emphasise melody, improvisation and emotional expression. Its major forms include Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Thumri, Tappa and Tarana.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dhrupad<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dhrupad is an ancient Hindustani vocal music form that derives its name from 'Dhruva' (the fixed pole star) and 'pada' (poetry). It is monophonic and known for its modal structure, characterised by a single melodic line without harmonic parts.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Historically, it became a classical form in the 13th century and flourished under Emperor Akbar with noted singers like Tansen and in the court of Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Typically, Dhrupad is performed by a solo vocalist, accompanied by the Tanpura and Pakhawaj.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are four main schools or vanis of Dhrupad: Gauhar Vani, Dagar Vani, Khandar Vani, and Nauhar Vani, each having distinct styles and collections.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Khayal<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Khayal is one of the most popular forms of Hindustani classical music, offering considerable scope for imagination and improvisation. The word Khayal is derived from Persian, meaning an idea or imagination.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Historical Development: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its development is traditionally associated with Amir Khusrau, while Sultan Hussain Shah Sharqi of Jaunpur is credited with encouraging its growth. It gained prominence under later Mughal patronage.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Characteristics:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Khayal compositions, known as Bandish, allow musicians to explore ragas through improvisation, Alap, Taan, and rhythmic variations. Its two main forms are Bada Khayal (slow tempo), which allows elaborate improvisation, and Chhota Khayal (fast tempo), which emphasises rhythmic and melodic agility.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tarana<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tarana is a rhythmic vocal form of Hindustani classical music characterised by the use of syllables rather than conventional lyrical compositions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Characteristics:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It employs syllables such as Tana, Dere, Tom and Yali to create rhythmic and melodic patterns. These syllables are arranged to complement the rhythm and enhance musical expression.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Performance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Tarana is generally performed at medium or fast tempos and highlights rhythmic precision, vocal agility, and improvisational skills. It is often presented towards the concluding part of a classical vocal performance.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dhamar<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dhamar is a traditional vocal form closely related to Dhrupad and is particularly associated with the festival of Holi.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Themes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Its compositions generally depict the playful activities of Radha and Krishna, including the celebration of Holi, colours, and devotional expressions.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Characteristics:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is traditionally performed in Dhamar Tala, a rhythmic cycle of 14 beats. Compared with Dhrupad, it has a relatively lighter, playful, and expressive character.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thumri<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thumri is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music that originated in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. It is influenced by Hori, Kajri, and Dadra and is often referred to as the \"lyric of Indian classical music\".<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Themes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Its compositions frequently explore love, separation, and devotion, especially the relationship between Radha and Krishna. The lyrics often draw upon themes from Krishna's life and devotional poetry.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Characteristics: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It allows greater freedom in melodic expression than strict classical forms and uses graceful ornamentation and improvisation. The Lucknow and Banaras styles are particularly prominent, with Begum Akhtar, Girija Devi and Siddheshwari Devi among its noted exponents.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tappa<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Tappa<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0is a semi-classical vocal style that originated from folk songs of camel riders in North-West India and gained legitimacy at the Mughal court under Emperor Muhammad Shah.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0It is characterised by quick turns of phrase, vigorous taans, irregular melodic patterns, and lyrics expressing love and physical intimacy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Origin: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tappa was developed into a classical music form by Mian Ghulam Nabi Shori, popularly known as Shori Mian, a court singer of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah of Awadh.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Ragas: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It employs ragas such as Khamaj, Jhinjhoti, Kafi, Tilang, Bhairavi and Des, conveying emotions ranging from affection and joy to sadness.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Features: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unlike Khayal and Thumri, Tappa features short lyrics with less elaborate lyrical development. It is particularly associated with the Gwalior Gharana, where its singing is embellished with techniques such as geetkari, khatka, murki and harkat.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ghazal<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><b>Ghazal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is a form of poetry that expresses the pain of loss and separation alongside the beauty of love. It originated in Iran in the 10th century CE and spread to South Asia in the 12th century under the influence of Sufi mystics and the courts of emerging Islamic sultanates. It reached its zenith during the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/mughal-empire\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Mughal Empire<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Composition: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A ghazal traditionally consists of a series of couplets, known as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ashaar<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and generally contains between 5 and 15 couplets. <\/span><b>Amir Khusrau<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> was among the early exponents of the ghazal tradition in the Indian subcontinent.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Famous Poets: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Famous poets associated with ghazals include Rumi (13th century), Hafez (14th century), Mirza Ghalib, Muhammad Iqbal and Kazi Nazrul Islam.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Gharana System<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Gharana system is a social organisation linking musicians\/dancers by lineage or apprenticeship and adherence to a distinct musical style. It denotes a comprehensive musicological ideology distinguishing one school from another. It impacts musical thinking, teaching, performance, and appreciation. Well-known Hindustani singing gharanas are Agra, Gwalior, Indore, Jaipur, Kirana, Patiala, etc.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Major Gharanas of Hindustani Music<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gharanas are distinct schools of Hindustani classical music that have developed their own styles, techniques, and traditions of singing. They are traditionally associated with particular regions and influential musicians.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Gwalior Gharana: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0It is one of the oldest and most influential gharanas in Hindustani classical music.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Founders:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ustad Hassu Khan, Ustad Haddu Khan, and Ustad Nathu Khan.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Prominent Artists:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ustad Amir Khan, Pandit D.V. Paluskar, and Pandit Krishna Rao Shankar Pandit.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Agra Gharana: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was founded by Haji Sujan Khan and Ustad Gagghe Khuda Bakhsh.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Tradition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Also known as the Rangeela Gharana.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Prominent Artists:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan, and Ustad Khadim Hussain Khan.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Jaipur Gharana: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was founded by<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ustad Alladiya Khan and Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Prominent Artists:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, Pandit Jasraj, and Pandit Rajan-Sajan Mishra.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Patiala Gharana: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Founders include Ustad Fateh Ali Khan and Ustad Ali Bakhsh.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Prominent Artists:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, and Ustad Salamat Ali Khan.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Instruments<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani music uses string, wind, and percussion instruments to produce melody, rhythm, and tonal support. Instruments such as the sitar, sarod, tabla, and sarangi are closely associated with its performance tradition.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sitar:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A plucked string instrument widely associated with Hindustani classical music and known for its resonating strings.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sarod:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A fretless string instrument valued for its deep, resonant tone and used for both solo performance and accompaniment.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sarangi:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A bowed string instrument capable of closely imitating the expressive qualities of the human voice.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tabla:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A pair of drums that provides the principal rhythmic accompaniment in many Hindustani performances.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Pakhawaj:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A barrel-shaped, double-headed drum traditionally associated with Dhrupad.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bansuri:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A bamboo flute used as a major melodic wind instrument in Hindustani music.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Shehnai:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A reed wind instrument traditionally associated with auspicious occasions, ceremonies, and religious performances.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tanpura:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It provides the continuous drone or shruti, creating the tonal foundation for a performance.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Harmonium:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A keyboard instrument commonly used for vocal accompaniment, particularly in lighter classical and semi-classical forms.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music and Carnatic Music Difference<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani and Carnatic music are the two major traditions of Indian classical music. While both share common foundations such as Raga, Tala and Swara, they differ in their historical development, musical styles and performance practices.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<table style=\"width: 93.988%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 14.0281%\"><b>Basis<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 36.1706%\"><b>Hindustani Music<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 42.8967%\"><b>Carnatic Music<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Region<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Predominantly practised in North India.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Predominantly practised in South India.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Historical Influence<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Influenced by Persian, Central Asian and indigenous musical traditions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Retains stronger continuity with ancient Indian musical traditions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Nature<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Emphasises improvisation and elaborate melodic exploration.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Emphasises structured compositions and intricate rhythmic patterns.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Major Forms<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Thumri, Tappa and Tarana.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kriti, Varnam, Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi and Javali.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Raga System<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uses the 10-Thaat classification system developed by V.N. Bhatkhande.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uses the 72-Melakarta system of parent ragas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Instruments<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sitar, Sarod, Sarangi, Santoor, Shehnai and Tabla.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Veena, Violin, Mridangam, Ghatam and Nadaswaram.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Performance Style<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Often begins with an elaborate, unaccompanied Alap followed by rhythmic compositions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Commonly follows a structured sequence involving compositions and improvisational sections.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Prominent Exponents<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tansen, Bhimsen Joshi, Ravi Shankar, Bismillah Khan and Amir Khan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri, M.S. Subbulakshmi and Balamuralikrishna.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 14.0281%\">\r\n<p><b>Patronage<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 36.1706%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Historically received patronage from royal courts, particularly during the Mughal period.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 42.8967%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traditionally developed through temples, royal courts, and religious institutions, particularly in South India.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music Significance<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani music is a major tradition of North Indian classical music, shaped by centuries of interaction between indigenous musical traditions, devotional movements, and courtly cultures. Its significance extends to India\u2019s cultural heritage, artistic expression, and musical traditions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cultural Heritage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Preserves centuries-old traditions of ragas, talas, compositions, and performance practices.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Ganga-Jamuni Culture:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Reflects the interaction of Indian, Persian, and Central Asian influences, particularly in its medieval development.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bhakti and Sufi Traditions:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Provided a medium for expressing devotional and spiritual themes, helping music reach wider sections of society.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Musical Innovation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Developed diverse forms such as Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumri, and Tarana, offering different approaches to musical expression.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Gharana Tradition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Gharanas preserve distinctive styles, repertoires, and methods of musical training through the guru\u2013shishya tradition.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mental Well-being:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The meditative nature of Carnatic music can promote relaxation, stress reduction, and mental well-being.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cultural Integration:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Its development across different courts, regions, and communities demonstrates the evolution of India's composite cultural traditions.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Global Outreach:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Indian musicians have taken Hindustani classical music to international audiences through concerts, teaching, and cultural exchanges.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hindustani Music UPSC PYQs\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><b>Q1:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A community of people called Manganiyars is well-known for their<\/span><b> (UPSC Prelims 2014)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(a) martial arts in North-East India<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(b) musical tradition in Northwest India<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(c) classical vocal music in South India<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(d) pietra dura tradition in Central India<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Ans: (b)<\/b><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hindustani music is the classical music tradition of northern, eastern, and central regions of the Indian subcontinent. Read its Ragas, Instruments, Examples &#038; Songs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":31590,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,23],"tags":[2180,40,619],"class_list":["post-31573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-upsc-notes","category-upsc-art-culture-notes","tag-hindustani-music","tag-quest","tag-upsc-art-and-culture-notes"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31573"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31573\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31624,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31573\/revisions\/31624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}