Article in the Chhandayan annual journal – Popularization of Indian Classical Music

Popularization of Indian Classical Music

A commentary on the growth and rise of Indian music in popular domain

 – By Samarth Nagarkar

Indian classical music, as is common knowledge, is a tradition that dates back several centuries. It has evolved from time to time and responded in a tenacious manner, to constantly changing social, political and economic dynamics. What is it that enabled a musical system that is so traditional in its core to survive and remain resolute in the wake of adversities such as cultural invasions, imperial colonization and an unprecedented extent of globalization? And more importantly, as practitioners of this art form, where do we stand in this journey?

It has been a long standing notion that Indian classical music was meant for a niche group of listeners who possess some degree of knowledge of the music and its various technical details. This opinion possibly had more to do with circumstance than with the essence of the music itself.

Until the early 20^th century, Maharajas and land owners, known as Zamindaars, were the main patrons of musicians. Under their patronage and care musicians, their disciples and their families were well looked after.  By the end of the 19^th century, at the peak of the British Raj, the Indian Kingdoms and States collapsed. The isolation of classical music and musicians was among various social consequences of this collapse. With no patrons, their economic standing in society began to dwindle and consequently, so did their social status and respectability. Pursuit of music and arts came to be looked down upon in society. As a natural reaction of a society whose economic freedom and right to a motherland were being seized, art and music were placed on the backburner.

Two towering personalities, Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, emerged in the early 20^th century. They changed the course of this musical tradition forever. They gave contemporary music a theoretical basis, wrote treatises in Sanskrit as well as in popular languages and most importantly, initiated an institutional training methodology. Classical music came to be taught on a mass scale in schools and colleges. People from middle class families began to understand that this was not a forbidden art, but something that was sublime and that had the ability to enhance one’s intellect and spirit. Around the same time radio, gramophone companies, and other media brought classical music further into the domain of common society.

By the mid 60’s this was a widely appreciated form of music across independent India. The 70’s saw the advent of the first generation of ‘superstars’ in Indian classical music. It was then that the glamor of show business entered this music. Mainstream newspapers carried large front page articles on music events and musicians. In large numbers, musicians were exploring newer and greater avenues to travel abroad and take their art overseas. Collaborations with international musicians and groups took Indian classical music to wider global audiences.

By the 1980s, several Indian classical musicians had begun to relocate to different countries in the west, including the United States. They established schools. Very quickly, they built up a strong fan following as well as student base. This eventually led to universities and other formal educational institutions opening their doors for Indian music. The study of Indian music as a part of ethnomusicology became increasingly popular. Through this period, and for decades thereafter, the number of musicians traveling to the US and Europe for concert tours steadily increased. Serious music organizations came to thrive, giving music lovers in the US opportunities to listen to good Indian classical music throughout the year.

Over the last decade or so, a new crop of performing Indian classical musicians emerged in the US. These musicians were born and raised in this country. They trained under highly accomplished gurus who either traveled to the US every year or had migrated here. These musicians have a far better understanding of the social, professional and other factors in this country than an emigrant musician. Their networks and ability to relate to local society makes them more accessible to music listeners and students.  This has opened up unlimited potential for Indian classical music to become popular in common households. This is indeed a curious situation that remains to be watched as it unfolds in the decades to come.

Through the past two centuries that were discussed in this article, the core of the music – the raga and the system of unfolding and exploring it – was never compromised. This is despite the fact that there was no dearth of innovators. But now, this threat looms large. In the quest for novelty, and with a perceived need for some sort of innovation, contemporary musicians are sometimes willing to risk crossing lines that may erode the very essence of this music. The great masters of Indian classical music attained legendary status with their creative innovations without relinquishing the soul of this music. They created new styles and techniques, brought in a fresh approach to their presentation and even added to the repertoire of ragas and compositions. And all through, one sees their strict adherence to parameters set within the tradition. It is crucial and imperative for every musician today to look within and ensure, with utmost sincerity, that the integrity of this music is guarded and not compromised under the pretext of popularization, out-reach, or innovation. Change and innovation notwithstanding, it must remain pristine.