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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
Music was equally practised by both the sexes.1 Women were supposed to be having sweet voice? and men versed in music were given the compliment of gaṁdharva or kinnara." Gamdhavva-natta-sāla was the place where music was regularly practised.
Instrumental Music Instrumental music was played independently or along with the vocal music. Musical instruments were known as aojja5 or turiya. Aujjasāla was the place where the various musical instruments were kept.' These have been divided into four classes : (i) tata, (ii) vitata, (iii) ghana and (iv) jhusira. 8 Tata is explained as stringed instruments ( tant7 ) like viņa, flute etc.9 Vitata refers to percussion instruments. Vitata includes anaddha or avanaddha (stretched or leather-bound ) instruments like the various kinds of drums, tabors etc. 10 Ghana was the concussion instrument like the instruments played upon by sticks. 11 ghusiras were the hollow or wind instruments like vaṁsal2 etc. The Nišitha Sutra refers to the following list of 35 musical instruments which
1. NC, 2, p. 12. 2. (7-AYP-alightAiAE ...... 19-NC. 2, p. 20. 3. NC. 2, p. 12. 4. NC. 3, p. 297. 5. NC. 4, p. 24. 6. ag 3113FALEMI ar që Huulfar—NC. 3, p. 101. 7. NC. 3, p. 297. 8. 311551 zafone-a fastai qui —NC. 4, p. 2; Bịh. V. 3, p. 697;
Amarakoša, 1. 1. 16.; Yašastilaka, p. 384.; Bhagavati Sūtra (Ti,
Abhaya ), 5. 4. 148. 9. feruitrarfe aci...3769-aafé an-NC. 4, p. 201; Brh. VI. 3, p.
697; Harsacarita, Tr. p. 19. 10. agratë faadu Jahatfe faas-NC. 4, p. 201. 11. qui Filodag-Ibid. 12. ghi dhe Ibid. See also-Dharma, P. C., op. cit., p. 450.
For proper explanation of the four types of musical instruments see-Kapadia, H. R., "The Jaina Data about Musical Instruments - JOIB., Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 263-67, also Vol. II, No. 4, pp. 377--87.
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