Facebook Twitter Instagram
    India Art Review
    • Dance
    • Music
    • Art
    • Heritage
    • Theatre
    • Books
    • Films
    • Team
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    India Art Review
    Home»History»Bhakti and Evolution of Music (Part II)
    History

    Bhakti and Evolution of Music (Part II)

    G S PaulBy G S PaulFebruary 1, 2021
    Bhakti and Evolution of Music (Part II)
    Share
    WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Telegram

    Marking the death anniversary of the saint-composer , the acclaimed Thyagaraja Aradhana is being held today at Thiruvayyaru. From the bhakti poets of the eighth century to the trinity that includes Thyagaraja, Indian music advanced through devotion. This was induced by ragas that are unique to the subcontinent’s music system.

    All the ancient books right from Natyasastra, have looked upon music as a spiritual pursuit. Sangita Ratnakara defines both marga and deshi sangeeta. Marga sangeeta, it says, is that which is margita i.e. the way that was shown by Brahma and other divine beings and which was put into use by Bharata and other musicians; which when performed can lead to prosperity and bliss.

    The very word nadopasana shows that it was a form of yoga (union) between the human and the divine. Sangita Darpana says, “One who knows the principles of playing the veena, one who is an expert in sruti, jaati etc and has a mastery of tala attains moksha without any effort”. Externally observed, music comprises raga, tala, sahitya and so on. It is a stream of sound having a particular effect.

    In Indian tradition, this effect is identical with the experience of the mystic. The seers realised that nada has the power to attract the mind and absorb it. Thus nada-yoga came to be seen as an effective and safe means of self-realisation or self-awareness – a vehicle to attain a level of consciousness beyond emotions marked by “calm of mind, all passions spent” – a pathway to peace that surpasses all understanding.

    Bhakti poets and bhajans

    It was therefore inevitable that those who expressed bhakti through poetry or those who recited such poetry to voice their devotion would combine poetry with the sound of music. The result, therefore, was fabulous. India abounds in devotional music, perhaps to an extent no other culture does.

    One can see how the prodigious output of numerous bhakti poets and musicians has been instrumental in the shaping of our music. Gnanasambandar, Thirumangai Alwar of the eighth and ninth century, Jayadeva, Namdeva and Jnaneshwar, of 13th and 14 centuries, Guru Nanak, Purandaradasa, Annamacharya of 15th and 16th centuries, Tulasidas, Surdas, Meera of 16th and 17th centuries, Narayanatheertha, Guru Govinda Singh, Bhadrachala Ramadas of 17th and 18th centuries, to mention a few.

     The bhajan music that emerged during this period enjoyed enough clout on the compositions of the vaggeyakars(composers) the most prominent among them being the trinity (Thyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar and Syama Shastri) itself. And of course in Kerala, Maharaja Swathi Thirunnal .  Of the different aids to bhakti namely sravanam, vandanam, smaranam, sevanam and kirtanam, the vaggeyakars dwelt on kirtanam, the hymns sung in praise of the deity of their choice.

    Thyagaraja: The epitome of devotion

    Of the thousands of Thyagaraja’s compositions, only very few have been salvaged. All of them are striking paradigms of his unstinted devotion to Rama as well as music. In ‘Moskshamu galada’, set to Saramathi raga, he expresses his doubt whether one ignorant of sangeeta gnana can ever get moksha. Again in the Dhanyasi composition, ‘Sangeeta gnanamu bhakti vina’, he argues that sangeeta gnana is a blending of bhakti and sanmarga. An attempt to analyse the compositions of Muthuswamy Dikshitar and Shyama Shastri can also reveal bhakti as the leitmotif. Needless to mention those of Swathi Thirunnal  who had called himself as Padmanabhadasa. His work Bhakti Manjari contains 1000 slokas in praise of Padmanabha.

    Raga and rasa is an interesting topic in musicology. But the association of rasa with raga occurs only in applied music and not in art music. The function of art music is to provide aesthetic enjoyment, which is independent of any rasa. By listening to this type of music we derive genuine pleasure without, at the same time, receiving any suggestion of a particular feeling. We feel lifted to sublime heights. It is this experience that has been described as sangeetananda. And this is beyond description in any language too. You may call it ecstasy, bliss, visranthi or whatever.

    Raga: The identity

    It is worthwhile at this juncture to know how Indian music has been described as irrational and intuitive as against its western counterpart that is rational and discursive. While the latter appeals to the intellect, the former appeals to our psyche. The communication in art music takes place at a psychic level, which is well above the intellectual level. Evolution of this esoteric system of music would have been impossible without the motivating spirit of bhakti.

    The demarcating character of Indian music, namely bhakti is both its strength and weakness. The strength emanates from the ingenious technique of raga with the use of the 22 microtones that elevates melody to sublime levels, insuperable to any other system of music in the world. At the same time, it can’t entail any motif that warrants thematic descriptions as possible in western music.

    But these are days when such attempts are being made for which the influence of western music and its techniques are instrumental. Even in such attempts for fusion, we can see how a raga retains its identity and creates an ambience of spirituality for the short duration of its occurrence. The style of all art is a product of social consciousness, goes the axiom. But one wonders how far it is true in the case of the Indian art music, the intrinsic factor of which is nothing but bhakti.

    Read Part 1 here

    Bhadrachala Ramadas Dikshitar featured Guru Govinda SIngh Guru Nanak Indian music Jayadeva Jnaneshwar Namdeva Purandaradasa Sangita Ratnakara Sangita Sarpana Shyama Shastri Swathi Thirunnal Thyagaraja
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Telegram WhatsApp
    Previous ArticleBhakti And Evolution of Music (Part 1)
    Next Article Carnatic Musician Geetha Bennett’s Battle with Cancer
    GS Paul
    G S Paul

      GS Paul is an eminent art columnist and critic. He has been writing for national dailies such as The Hindu for more than three decades. Currently, he is the Editorial Advisor of India Art Review.

      Related Posts

      Parisha Vadyam

      Parisha Vadyam: Where Kerala’s Percussive Legacy Began

      May 6, 2025
      P Jayachandran

      The Interview That Never Happened

      January 29, 2025
      M T Vasudevan Nair

      MT: Malayalam’s Talisman (Part 7)

      October 29, 2023

      Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

      Author In Focus VK Karthika

      Pathaan

      Pathaan: A Triumph of Love Over Hate

      V K KarthikaMarch 31, 2023

      Pathaan breaks the typical stereotype of Islamic Terrorism.

      Avatar

      Eastern Ethos Lifts up Cameron’s Avatar Sequel

      V K KarthikaJanuary 31, 2023

      Eastern ethos and laws of the nature are set to get a new tech-driven meaning as Cameron is planning two more sequels.

      Yazh

      Reviving Yazh, the Indian Harp

      V K KarthikaNovember 28, 2022

      Without Tharun, Yazh, an ancient instrument would not have taken birth in modern times

      Tholppavakoothu

      Girl Power up in Puppetry

      V K KarthikaSeptember 30, 2022

      Rajitha Ramachandra Pulavar and her team gave a new meaning to Tholppavakkooth and the body politics went in for a change in 2021

      Nanjiyamma tribal singer of Attappady

      Why the National Award for Tribal Singer Nanjiyamma Matters

      V K KarthikaAugust 27, 2022

      India witnessed a debate on the ‘purity of music’ when tribal singer Nanjiyamma won the National Award.

      EVENTS

      Nangiyarkoothu

      Celebrating 60 Years of Dance Excellence

      India Art ReviewMay 23, 2025

      Swara-dhi: A Soulful Summer Camp for Music Connoisseurs

      India Art ReviewMay 23, 2025
      Sooryakanthi festival

      Sooryakanthi Dance Festival From Nov 28- Dec 1

      India Art ReviewNovember 25, 2024

      Memorial Awards and Dance Performances in Chennai

      India Art ReviewNovember 25, 2024

      Have You Read These?

      Youth

      The Fountain of Youth

      Vineeth AbrahamMay 16, 2023

      What will happen when a bookworm set out to clean his library? One of the…

      The Elephant Whisperers

      Poetics of Fostering the Animal: The Elephant Whisperers

      Babu Rajan P PMay 1, 2023

      With the decline of natural habitats, human-elephant conflict has seen a surge, often leaving the majestic creatures as unwitting participants. “The Elephant Whisperers” documentary pays homage to the conservation endeavors aimed at preserving these habitats and raising awareness among communities about the perils of anthropocentrism.

      1899 and the Virtual Studio: Futuristic Filmmaking

      IAR DeskMarch 12, 2023

      1899, the new web series from the creators of German masterpiece Dark, will be filmed entirely in a virtual studio. Here’s all you wanted to know about ‘Volume’ and why it matters to futuristic filmmaking.

      Yazh

      Reviving Yazh, the Indian Harp

      V K KarthikaNovember 28, 2022

      Without Tharun, Yazh, an ancient instrument would not have taken birth in modern times

      A ‘Lyrical Dance’ Tribute to Edassery’s Poem

      G S PaulNovember 8, 2022

      Choreographic ingenuity of Vinitha Nedungadi created alluring visuals of the sublime poetic imagination of Edassery in Anthithiri.

      vijayakumar menon

      Vijayakumar Menon Taught Kerala How to Appreciate Art

      Renu RamanathNovember 3, 2022

      The only wealth Menon amassed during his solitary journey was that of art. When Vijayakumar…

      About
      About

      India Art Review is a dedicated digital journal of art and culture, based in Chennai and with representatives in Kerala, Delhi, the UAE, Canada and the US.

      We're social, connect with us:

      Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Telegram
      People in Art
      Kalamandalam Satheesan: Make-up Hand for Koodiyattam & Kathakali

      Kalamandalam Satheesan: Make-up Hand for Koodiyattam & Kathakali

      December 25, 2020
      Kalamandalam John

      Kalamandalam John: Kerala’s Lone Christian Kathakali Artist Celebrates Golden Jubilee

      July 8, 2021
      Kalamandalam Sugandhi: The Versatile and Vivacious Mohiniyattam Guru

      Kalamandalam Sugandhi: The Versatile and Vivacious Mohiniyattam Guru

      December 2, 2020
      PhotoMuse: A Museum on Photography and the Art of Living

      PhotoMuse: A Museum on Photography and the Art of Living

      August 19, 2021
      Must Reads
      Mangad Natesan

      Remembering Carnatic Musician Mangad Natesan

      May 3, 2024
      P K G Nambiar

      PKG Nambiar(1930-2023): The Man who Redefined the Role of Vidooshaka

      May 10, 2023
      Kanak Rele

      Dr. Kanak Rele (1937-2023): A Revolutionary in Dance 

      February 22, 2023
      Pandit Shivkumar Sharma

      Adieu, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma

      May 10, 2022
      Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube RSS
      • Home
      • About
      Copyright © 2022. India Art Review

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.