Traditional music and dance
It's no secret that Indian dances are one of the finest treasures of the nation's culture. What is less well known, however, is that they originate from the four Vedas (the body of "revealed knowledge", the sacred texts on which Hinduism is based) and the Natya Shastra, a sacred compendium, somewhat regarded as the fifth Veda, in which drama, poetry, dance, song and music are codified.
In southern India, there's a form of Indian classical dance considered to be the oldest: Bhârata-natyam. Once performed in temples, it has now moved from the sacred to the stage. Originally a marriage of classical dance and martial art, its movements draw a majestic line between pure dance and mime-like expression. Handed down orally from master to pupil for millennia, this dance requires a long and difficult apprenticeship to master. And although it's aimed more at young girls, it's not at all closed to boys.
In fact, one of the most illustrious exponents of this dance is a man, Raghunath Manet, a native of Pondicherry, who even adapted the dance to the male body type. The Indian dancer and choreographer Chandralekha, another leading exponent of this art form, initiated a certain renewal - notably by combining it with yoga - and was greatly admired by the great German choreographer Pina Bausch. Yamini Krishnamurthy also established herself as a dancer of both Bhârata-natyam and kuchipudi.
Kuchipudi is another local dance, originating in the village of the same name in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Also once practiced in temples, it is traditionally masculine but has become more mixed over time. A performance always begins with prayers and offerings, before the dancers perform fluid gestures and masterful facial movements to the rhythm of Carnatic music. Kuchipudi is distinguished from most other classical dances by its use of song.
The other major choreographic practice in South India is kathakali. Originating in Kerala, this art form lies somewhere between dance and silent theater, and features Hindu mythology, particularly the two epics Râmâyana and Mahâbhâ̄rata. Which explains why a show can last an entire night. The art of kathakali is distinguished in particular by the complexity of its make-up, serving to convey the personality and status of the characters. For example, if they are noble or virtuous, they wear green; if they are evil or diabolical, their make-up is dominated by red. Female roles, played by men, have yellowish faces, and so on.
Kochi is by far the best place to see a Kathakali show. This is where you'll find the Kerala Kathakali Centre , which puts on a daily show on its stage, in what is, moreover, a superb setting.
Mohiniyattam, "dance of the enchantress", is another form of classical Indian dance. Very similar to Bhârata-natyam in its ample, delicate movements, but more graceful and even more sensual, it calls for a lot of swaying of the torso and great expressiveness of the face and eyes, as if to bewitch the spectator. The dancer generally wears the white and gold outfit typical of Kerala.
Of course, dance isn't the only treasure of South India, and the region is bursting with music. Common to the regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra, bhavagite is a form of sung poetry quite similar to ghazals, dealing with love, nature or philosophical themes.
In Maharashtra, one of the most popular musical forms is sangit natak. Literally meaning "musical drama", the genre is, as its name suggests, a form of sung theater, not far removed from the Western concept of musical comedy (although it was once often compared to opera). Indeed, it is widely acknowledged that sangit natak has influenced Marathi theater, and hence Marathi cinema, and indeed the entire Indian film industry. An art to which Bollywood owes a great deal.
In the same region, the powada, a kind of ballad depicting historical events with great panache, appeared in India at the end of the 17th century. Composers and singers are called shahirs, and their dramatic narration alternates between recitation and storytelling. While powada used to be a kind of chronicle of its time, sometimes glorifying military events, in the 1980s the genre took on a more militant dimension, sometimes carrying very strong social messages.
Still in Maharashtra, let's not forget lavani, a combination of song and dance performed to the rhythm of the dholak, a small drum played lying down, renowned for its power. Performed by women, the genre is distinguished not only by the huge saris they wear, but also by the erotic content (and often satirical tone) of their texts. Satyabhamabai Pandharpurkar and Yamunabai Waikar are the most popular names in the genre.
Classical music
There are two main currents in Indian classical music: Hindustani music, from North India, and Carnatic music, from the South. The roots of the latter date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. While based on an equivalent of North Indian ragas, Carnatic music differs from its Northern cousin in its emphasis on structure, free ornamentation and improvisation.
Part of the beauty of Carnatic music lies in the smoothness with which it moves from one note to the next. This delicate flow through the music is no doubt due to the fact that the compositions are always intended to be sung, even when performed by instruments, the latter working to "imitate" the voice.
The discipline boasts an extensive gallery of illustrious figures. Starting with Purandara Dasa (1484-1564), considered the father of Carnatic music, and Tyagaraja (1767-1847), a major influence in the development of this aesthetic. In the 18th century, Shyama Shastri, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar formed the "Trinity of Carnatic Music", an exceptional trio of composers who opened a new era in the history of this music. In the 20th century, the singular style of Manjapara Devesa Ramanathan, the great mridangam (drum) player Palghat Mani Iyer, the skilled singer Madurai Mani Iyer and the great female voice Aruna Sairam brought the genre to its peak.
Chennai Music Season is an annual event held from mid-November to mid-January (that's nine weeks!) dedicated to Carnatic music. Inviting both headliners and amateur artists, it has established itself over time as the must-attend event in the field.
Classical music - in its Western sense - is also firmly rooted in the country. This is undoubtedly the legacy of two centuries of British colonization. One of the first important figures was violinist and composer Mehli Mehta (1908-2002), who founded the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in 1930. But his fame was second only to that of his son Zubin, by far the most important Indian figure in classical music. Born in Bombay in 1936, Zubin Mehta is a pianist and violinist, and above all a much sought-after conductor. His career began in Liverpool as an assistant to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1960, he became Music Director of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1962. In 1978, he took the helm of the New York Philharmonic, and since 1970 has conducted the Israel Philharmonic, of which he has been Music Director for life since 1981.
Param Vir is a much lesser-known Delhi-born composer, whose operas and concertos are steeped in his native India.
Popular music
South India has been a fertile breeding ground for many musical stars. One of the best known is Kattassery Joseph Yesudas, widely considered to be the greatest Indian singer of all time and also perceived as a cultural icon of Kerala. Extremely prolific, the man nicknamed "Gaanagandharvan" ("the heavenly singer") is said to have recorded over 50,000 songs.
Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam (1946-2020), also considered one of India's greatest singers, is a playback singer, presenter, actor, composer, dubbing artist (to name but a few) of particular importance in the South Indian artistic landscape.
One of the South's most beloved singers, affectionately known as "South India's Nightingale", is Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra (or "K. S. Chithra" or even "Chithra"). At the pinnacle of a career spanning four decades, she has sung in an incredible variety of languages, including Arabic, English and even Latin and French, further cementing her status as one of South India's cultural icons.
Another local star, Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, popular for his work in Indian cinema. Long a composer of Tamil-language films, he gained international recognition with his compositions for the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire.
Last but not least, Hariharan, a renowned ghazal singer, is also considered one of the pioneers of Indian fusion music, blending Western pop aesthetics with Indian sounds.
