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FINE ARTS
271
Music in ancient India was associated with semi-gods like the gandharvas, kinnaras and jakkhasl who practised it in assembly of gods in heaven ( deva-sabha ) to please the higher gods. A proper classification of music along with description of the various musical instruments given in the NC. displays the wide knowledge of the author on this subject. Music was divided into two groups--vocal and instrumental-although the former was also invariably accompanied with some type of musical instrument.
Vocal Music Vocal music known as gandharva, gita or geya2 was divided into four categories; (i) tanti sama, (ii) talasama, (iii) gahasama and (iv) layasama.8 Tanti sama was the music accompanied by stringed instruments (tamti) like vīņi or vivañci. Talasama was the music in accordance with rhythm or rhythmic beating of the drums ( tala ).* Gahasama is explained as music in unison with 'voices' or 'notes' ( svara ) and lavasama was music adopted to different 'speeds' or layas ( a kind of measure in music ).6 According to the Rāmāyaṇa, the essential qualities of music were : (i) it should be in accordance to a recognised scale, (ii) it should be composed of seven notes or svaras and (iii) it should be accompanied by one of the stringed instruments like vīņa or vivañci. It should also be adapted to three speeds-(i) druta, (ii) madhya and (iii) vilambita, i. e. fast, slow and medium.?
1. NC. 2, p. 12; NC. 3, p. 141; NC. 4, p. 2. 2. TEITUT AHITI ar Ai-NC. 4, p. 199; NC. 2, p. 12. 3. tej zelor-fagri ISHH TEH TAR F-NC. 4, p. 2; Brh. V. 3,
p. 697. 4. Tāla is a technical term in music used for rhythmic beating. 5. Gaha is explained as instrumental music by J. C. Jain (LAI., p. 183 ).
According to the NC., however, it was music in accordance with the svaras (NC. 4, p. 2). For seven svaras or notes or voices in music
SCC-Amarakosa, 1. 611. 6. According to the Amarakoia, laya is the perfect harmonious combi
tion of nrtya-gana and vādya. 7. Sec-Dharma, P. C., "Musical Culture in the Rāmāyana", Indian
Culture, Vol. IV ( 1937-38 ), p. 447.
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