Singing the Praises Divine: Music in the Hindu Tradition

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This volume presents a selection of lectures and essays on the theme of music in the Hindu tradition, with special emphasis on song as a mode of worship in Vaisnava bhakti. Beginning with two general expositions to introduce the reader into the topic of music in the Indian religious matrix, the thematic focus then turns towards the practice of devotional music in Vraja, one of India’s foremost pilgrimage centers. Aspects considered in this context include musical activities in the temples of Vrindaban, the seasonal cycle of devotional songs, implications of the daily liturgical cycle for the treatment of ragas, the rasalila dramas, as well as the musico-literary heritage of the Vraja region. The theme of musico-literary traditions and their transmission is taken up again in the discussion of the works of the Madhvaite Vaisnava poet-composers of Karnataka. A further essay considers aspects of music and space in temple muic performances, while the concluding set of articles is reserved for the dhrupada tradition of North Indian classical and devotional music.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Selina Thielemann

Selina Thielcmann, who belongs to a family of musicians, began her academic carrier with a first degree in Western music and violin performance. Thereafter she completed her M.Mus. in ethnomusicology from the school of Oriental and African Studies/University of London, and M.Phil from the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on Indian music, in particular on dhrupada and on Vaisnava devotional music. Since 1994 she is based in Vrindaban where she studies dhrupada singing with Pt. Vidur Mallik. She is currently completing her doctoral thesis on Vaisnava temple music ofVrajaat Banaras Hindu University.