The terms associated with Indian Classical Music can be confusing at times, and familiarity with them helps understand & appreciate music and converse in the same language with fellow aficionados!
Here is a Glossary with some audio-visual links. … More The Vocabulary of Indian Classical Music
When Kumarji passed away, his lifelong friend and admirer Ramubhaiya Date said:
“Artists go to heaven after they pass away.
But Kumar had already come from heaven.
Where will he go now?”
Read more about the Maverick genius here… … More Maestros: Kumar Gandharva
Pt Bhimsen Joshi was a legend and a doyen of Indian Classical Music from Karnataka in the Southern part of India, best known for khayal gayaki, as also devotional bhajans and abhangs in Marathi, Santavani, Dasavani. He belonged to the Kirana Gharana, and received the highest honor of “Bharat Ratna” … More Maestros: Bhimsen Joshi
Have you ever heard a ghazal and felt it to be similar to another tune of some film song?
Or a raag that you are familiar with but not quite there?!
For example, “Zindagi mein to sabhi pyaar kiya karte hain” in Dadra Taal sung by Mehdi Hassan is in Raag Bhimpalasi, while his most popular “Ranjish hi sahi, dil hi dukhane ke liye aa” is in Raag Yaman!
Here’s a list to get you going! … More Raag – Based Ghazals
Why do you feel what you feel when you hear Hindustani classical music? Is Todi restful and serious and Bhairavi restless… evokes sadness?
Why do some Raags make us Restless? … More Restless Raags
Some basic understanding of how to decode a complete Indian Classical Music concert can help us embark upon a musical voyage and lead us to unexplored parts of our Self…
It is precisely this connect that has largely contributed to the constant reshaping… re-discovery… and even re-invention… of Indian Classical Music…!
And when we are in complete sync with the performers, remain mesmerized, and unite with our inner Selves where the world stands still! … More An Indian Classical Music Concert – a Spiritual Experience?
Thumri is an important and common form of North Indian Classical Music.
Even though it is referred to as a “light” classical form, it is in the sense of being joyous or playful, not trivial or shallow. It has an integrity, which can be harmed by refusing to let it grow in natural ways, or by combining it with alien styles. … More Thumri
Nat Bhairav is distinct from other prakaars of Bhairav in that it uses shuddha Rishab.
This Raag was earlier known as Hijaj Bhairav but now is called Nat Bhairav.
It is Raag Nat in Poorvaang (S R R G G m,R R S) and Bhairav in Uttarang (m P d d N S’ d d N d P). … More Raag Nat Bhairav
Some Short – Cuts & General Tips, The Ideal Method to Identify a Raag in a Film Song & Problems in Identifying Raags of Film Songs; To get you started, a Ready List of Hindi Film Songs & The Raag they are based on is also provided. … More How to Identify a Raag in a Film Song
In Indian Classical Music, a Composition has four parts, of which only the first two are performed regularly e.g. in a Khayaal: 1. Asthaai including mukhda 2. Antara 3. Sanchari 4. Abhog Note: It is presumed that the reader understands the concept of “sam“ – the first beat of a taal (rhythm) cycle. It is also the syllable(s) … More Parts of a Composition in Indian Classical Music
