Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

Author(s): Sureshchandra Benarji
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 50

Instrumental Music
(iii) Muktā-it arises when the holes are free from all fingers;
it produces a free sound. (iv) Ardhamuktā—when the holes are half-free; it produces
halting sounds. (v) Nipiditā--when all the holes are fully covered by fingers,
and the flute is filled with wind. Śārrgadeva says (Vādyādhyāya 662 ) that the merits and defects, stated in connexion with voice under vocal music, are to understood mutatis mutandis in this case also
A band of fluuists is generally said to be constituted as follows : one principal flutist and his four followers.
Dbătu
The notes, produced by particular kinds of strokes, are called dhātu. The dhātus develop the music of vīņā, cause unparalleled delight and give rise to faultless sounds. Dhātus are fourfold, viz. vistāra, karana, āviddha and vyañjana. Of these, vistāra has four varieties, karaņa five, āviddha five and vyañjana ten. The total number of dhātus, along with their divisions and subdivisions, is 34. Kinds of Instrumental music
It is of four kinds, viz. śuska, gitānuga, nýttānuga and gitanţttānuga. Vadya without gita and nịtta is called suska; it is called gosthi. The other terms are self-explanatory. Āśrāvaņā is the name of the playing of the lute without song; there are nine other kinds of lute-playing also without song,
The use of song and instrumental music, as the predominant or subservient factor, is called vịtti. It is threefold : (i) Citrā-instrumental music primary and vocal music
secondary. (ii) Vịtti- vocal music and instrumental music are of an
equal position. (iii) Dakşiņā-vocal music prominent and instrumental music
secondary.