Hindustani Ragas- The Concept of Time and Season

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About the Book This book throws light on the most distinguishing features of Hindustani Music System dealing with Time-Theory Concept or practice of assigning stated time of the day or night or any season prescribed for singing/playing a particular Raga. This concept according to ethno musicological aspect is only found in Hindustani music among the world music cultures. This practice has existed in India from time immemorial. Our Sanskrit scholars have uniformly stuck to this practice.

Our music passed through numerous transformations during the last several centuries, but Time-Theory-Practice has been scrupulously maintained. Our current music has outgrown the old Shastras, but still we find clear tendency to stick to Time- Theory. This seems to be a most indigenous and mysterious concept.

Although good amount of papers and chapters have been written on the aspect of Time-Theory, but this book deals in detail with the psychological and philosophical concept of Hindustani Ragas from the very beginning.

About the Author Mrs. Vijay Bazaz Razdan born in Srinagar, Kashmir has completed her M.A. Degree in Hindustani classical music from M.S. University of Baroda with a gold medal. She was trained in Violin, Sitar and Vocal. Vijay also completed her M.A. degree in Ethnomusicology with distinction from the University of Pittsburgh, U.S.A. She has many stage performances to her credit. She has received several awards in music. Vijay is the daughter of well-known author, scholar, journalist and freedom fighter of Kashmir Pt. Prem Nath Bazaz and secular-minded Smt. Badri Bazaz Vijay Bazaz Razdan is presently busy in writing on Santoor, Sufiana and Sufism, and Film Music of India (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow).

She is a research scholar with American Institute of Indian Studies, which has Archive and Research Center for Ethnomusicology at Gurgaon (Haryana).

Foreword The author has said that she wished to write about Hindusthani Ragas-its time and season which is specially specified to only Hindusthani Ragas in ancient treatises and also was practised in performing tradition in her college days at M.S. University, Baroda. Her wish became fulfilled after her Masters in Ethnomusicology at the University of Pittsburgh, U.S.A. in which this topic was the title of her thesis.

The author has chosen this topic when the time-theory of raga and the seasons assigned to Ragas have almost disappeared in the modern days which are admirable. The topic is presented in a logical manner giving a brief survey of the concept from ancient time from the vedic period up to contemporary India. The seasonal ragas are dealt with interestingly as to how they are related with Nature.

Vadi-samvadi concept is an important characteristic feature of Hindusthani Ragas which helps to bring out the identity of Roopa of the Raga. The author has brought out the importance of the concept with many examples. The chapter on the Time Theory in Contemporary Hindusthani Music brings out how the concept of time theory and seasonal concept of Ragas vanish with the changes in society and culture.

The book will be no doubt useful for students of modern age and a welcome addition to the world of music’s bringing out the uniqueness of Indian Raga concept - time and season.

Preface The idea of writing this book developed during my college days at the Faculty of Indian Music, Dance and Dramatics at M.S. University of Baroda (Gujarat). Those days it was made mandatory for all the music students of the faculty to attend all the yearly music festivals held at the University campus or the surrounding cities. This practice is rare now-a- days in the music faculties of India for students to attend to music conferences for days and nights continuously. Baroda, being the Princely state of the prepartition days, had all the renowned and known musicians in the 'Darbar' of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad. Ustad Faiyaz Khan Sahib being one among many whom there with his thundering voice. These Sangeet Sabhas continued for days and nights together for a week at least, and at times for longer duration too. We, the students were expected to write compulsory, about the appreciation of Hindustani Ragas, that being one of the papers for examination, to obtain the Master of Music degree. We listened to the Ragas belonging to the Group-Prahara 1. Before Sunrise-After Sunrise, 2. Forenoon-Noon, 3. Early afternoon -Afternoon, 4. Before Sunset-Sunset-After Sunset, 5. Sandhi- Prakash, 6. Evening, 7. Midnight, 8. After midnight and finally 9. Before Sunrise. We were only allowed to go for our daily necessities and return for the session. This is the time when I had the privilege of listening to the great renowned musicians like Ustad Bismillah Khan Sahib, Pandit Ravi Shankar ji, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan Sahib, Smt. Sharan Rani ji, Ustad Vilayat Khan Sahib, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi ji, Smt. M.S. Subbalaxmi ji. Begum Akhtar Sahiba, Ustad Abdul Halim Jafar Khan Sahib to name a few. They were the musicians who chose the ragas to be performed at the sessions.

**Contents and Sample Pages**