Types of Music in India

India is a country known for its unity in diversity. The country has twenty-eight states, and each one has its mother tongue, religion, culture, and tradition, but the music is the one thing which makes all the country together. However, there are many types of music in the country. Music is the soul of nature; it may be present everywhere in the crackling of trees, in the sound of birds, in the flow of the river, etc. Today we will talk about Types of Music in India.

Types of Music in India
Indian Music

The music of India is said to be one of the oldest unbroken musical tradition of the world. The origin of Indian music goes back to the Vedas. Many different legends have grown up on developing Indian music.

Types of Indian Music

Indian music is divided into three main categories

  1. Indian classical music
  2. Folk music
  3. Modern music

1] Indian classical music

It is one of the most complex and complete music systems ever developed. It is broadly divided into two mainstream. One is the north Indian tradition known as Hindustani music, and another is the Carnatic music which belongs to the South Indian traditions. Indian classical music is monophonic, and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talls.

2] Folk music

Rajasthan folk music
Rajasthan folk music

It consists the music according to the state and regions. Some of them are:

Bhangra music-It is a lively form of folk music and originated from the land of Punjab. It is performed with one person playing the dhol drum, and another is flute, dholak drum and other musical instruments.

Dandiya music-It is a type of music generally performed in the state of Gujarat. The modern musical style comes from the traditional musical accompaniment to the folk dance.

Haryanavi music-The folk Music of Haryana spread because of the Bhats, Saangis, and Jogis. It is sung and played in the state of Haryana, parts of western UP and neighboring districts of Rajasthan and Punjab. The tradition of music in Haryana goes back to the Vedic times, and it is the only state in India to have towns and villages named after different ragas.

Qwallis music– It is the traditional form of Islamic songs and closely linked to the spiritual and artistic life of Northern India. It is also linked to the Sufi tradition and performed with one or two lead singers with several musical instruments like harmonium, tabla, dholak, etc.

Gazal music-It is a type of music with a short poem with a series of couplets. Each couplet is an independent poem.

Rabindra sangeet-It refers to a complete range of songs written by Rabindranath Tagore. Many elements of Indian classical music used in Rabindra Sangeet to make it useful. Many singers in West Bengal and Bangladesh base their entire careers on the singing of Tagore musical masterpieces. The national anthem of India and the national song of Bangladesh are the example of Rabindra Sangeets.

Rajasthani music-It is one of the most popular forms of music in India. The essence of Rajasthani music originates from the creative symphony of string instruments, percussion instruments, and wind instruments accompanied by melodious renditions of folk singers. It enjoys a respectable presence in Bollywood music as well.

3] Modern music:

Indi-pop-Indian pop music, often known as Indipop or Indi-pop, is based on an amalgamation of Indian folk and classical music, and modern beats from different parts of the world.

Related: Types of Dance Styles in India and Dance Institutes in India and abroad

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