The Traditional Music of Kashmir: In Relation to Indian Classical Music

My exploratory efforts in tracing the extant source material have enabled me to reach the conclusion that the traditional music of Kashmir during the Hindu period was more of less a shadow of Indian music. The slender evidences in Nilamata Purana and Kalhana’s chronicles are also suggestive that the Ancient Music of Kashmir was a version of India music. Ancient Kashmir had been a prominent center for learning art. A rich culture flourished in the region during early medieval era. The rulers of Kashmir were great patrons of men of art and their courts were thronged by artists and musicians. The art of writing on the subject of music had not been in vogue. The musicians and artists did not also relish writing during those days. Little attention was devoted by historians to a comprehensive study of this subject in the cultural history of Kashmir, as a results of which we do not possess any source material on the notations and grammar of music which was prevalent at that time. However some styles of music and singing like temple sangeet, Shiv Gayan and traditional folk music survived the upheavals and persisted to appeal on account of their sentimental values and emotional attachment. These styles of music are continuing even now as a distinct genre and as a tradition of ancient Kashmir. Music is a part of culture of any place. Kashmir’s music is so full of melody and rhythm that it distinghuishes itself easily from the music of any other state. The delicacy, the grace and the charm of Kashmir folk music is ultimate. The folk music of Kashmir is rhythmic and fast and when its full swing attracts the attention of each and every listener. This book is divided into six chapters. First chapter deals with Kashmir in its historical perspective. After that mentioned the ups and downs that Kashmir witnessed. Then I focused on the origin and the development of the traditional music of Kashmir. Then I have given various categories of traditional music prevalent in Kashmir. The examples, the meanings and the occasions on which they are sung. I have also presented some songs with their singing patterns by way of notations of Indian classical music. Lasts chapter deals with the musical instruments used as accompaniments in various categories of the traditional music of Kashmir. Their origin, description and the way they are played, in the last presents some of the songs which have classical basis or are close to Ragas.