Indian Classical Music And Sikh Kirtan by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982 Origin and History |
| CHAPTER 1 Origin and History Indian music is the product of centuries of innovation and development of melody and rhythm The origin of Indian music lie in the cultural and spiritual values of our country and go back to the Vedic Age. In those times, music was handed down orally from the guru (teacher) to the shishya (disciple). The art was called sangeet and included vocal music, instrumental music and dance. The great sages who dwelt in ashramas (hermitages) imparted instruction to their students who lived with them on the premises. The art of music was regarded as holy and heavenly. It not only gave aesthetic pleasure but also induced a joyful religious discipline. Devotional music was intended to take man towards God and give him an inner happiness and self-realisation[1]. Subsequently this art branched off into three separate stream: vocal music (geet), instrumental music (vadya) and dancing (nirtya). |