Daily Times

The language of music is universal and so are the enchanting beats that echo through the corridors of the heart. If on one hand, ‘Bhervi’ tunes up its melodies with early birds upon the crack of dawn, ‘Raag Eem’n’, on the other, hits the delightful chords under the watchful but diminishing eyes of the sun as the twilight heralds the calling of the day. Music certainly speaks loud in the wilderness of hate and distress; a catalyst that brings coalescing traditions of east and west closer to nourish their delicacies with fervour.

The subcontinent’s musical heritage is an epitome of musical brilliance that emanates the scent of unique enigmatic elegance. With all its pleasing and healing effects, it has become more of a cure for those who bear scars on their souls.

Music knows no boundaries. While the western instruments play Pop, Blues, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Rock and Roll and Hip Hop, the eastern counterparts hit chords with Armenian, Assyrian/Syriac folk, Berber, Coptic, Iranian, Jewish, Israeli and Kurdish music, apart from the non-Arabic and subcontinent genres of tunes.

The mystics believe that music notes are fine-tuned upon the magic buttons of the human soul, which are linked to ubiquity, the almighty. When these notes hit those buttons, they, in return, connect the listener with the creator. The act of Dhamal demonstrates an orbitual movement showing circle has no end and nor has God, a metaphorical representation of oneness.

The mystics believe that music notes are fine-tuned upon the magic buttons of the human soul, which are linked to ubiquity.

Eastern classical music is derived from the swaras (notes) Sa, Ma, Pa of the Indian classical system, which is compared with the sounds of peacock, cuckoo and heron respectively. The typical classical music of the subcontinent follows melodic modes called ‘Ragas’ and rhythmic modes called ‘Talas’. A long “A’lap” in free rhythm is first said in accompaniment of the instrumental music and followed by the drum or table beating.

For centuries, Khyal (or Khayal), Tarana, Dhurpad, Semi-Classical, and Thumri subcontinent music genres have mesmerised listeners. With maestros like Ameer Khusro, Tan Seen, Ustaad Bare Ghulam Ali, Ustaad Salamat Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Ustaad Chote Ghulam Ali, Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Ustad Bismillah Khan and rest, the language of classical music has prevailed in the nooks and crannies of globe. Historically the knowledge of music and its instruments was first derived from the second volume of Hazrat Amir Khusro’s book called Ejaz-e-Khusravi. Hazrat Amir Khusro (1253-1325 AD) was a legendary Muslim scholar, poet and musicologist who mentioned 26 musical instruments of his time. Later on, more musical instruments had been mentioned in the following centuries. The book, Koonzaul-Tohaf, from the 15th century and the historical document “Ain-e-Akbari” described nine and twenty-three further instruments respectively. The latter was written by Abu Fazal–a senior minister of the Great Mughal Emperor Akbar and known for his unparallel wisdom and intellect.

Off the assortment of musical instruments from the subcontinent, eighty have been discovered in Pakistan to date. The classical instruments are not only influenced by the distinctive ethos of the then cultural and ethnic trends but also have religious linkages. For example, the music most specifically related to the Hindu system of beliefs refers to the North India and Karnataka music of South India; despite the rendition styles and usage of instruments being different. North Indian musical heritage is inclined to Persian music due to the Muslim Persian reigns. It comprises Setar (kamanche), Santur and the Rabab as an integral part, while the Tambura, shehnai, sarangi, and tabla have remained in frangible parts of Hindustani classical music right from the inception. The vina, mrdangam, kanjira, and violin, however, belong to the Karnatak music of South India.

Major categorisation comprises stringed (plucked or bowed) and wind and percussion instruments. Each instrument is distinguished by its tonal characteristics, loudness, the effect of pitch, thickness, the intensity of tone and distinctive peculiar structure that differentiate it from the rest.

Sitar, Rubab, Iktara, Soor Bahar, Sarod, Taanpura, Damboora, Soorsinghar, Banjo, Veena, Vichatra and Santoor are classified as plucked stringed instruments, whereas the Sarangi, Sarinda, Taos, Siroz, Dilruba are referred as bowed stringed instruments. The wind instruments make up Bansuri, Soornai, Been, Shehnai, and Alghoza. The Khunjari, Ghara, Dhol, Tanboor, Dholak, Naqarah, Chimta, Pikhavaj are listed as the Percussion instruments.

Many of these musical devices either lost their players, whereupon they eventually disappeared, or they weren’t preserved at all. Lost to the wheel of time, the world would shortly see them in museums, in vintage musical instruments shows and ultimately on the leaves of books as the ‘done and dusted’ tales of symphonies.

The writer is a research-based analyst and communication specialist from Islamabad. He can be reached at mbilal.isbpk@gmail.com.