Music of India 8, The Caste.

The Caste Structure of India.

Although in more recent times the caste system in India has due to humanitarian organisations been devolved. It is still vary apparent. The Caste system is a large part of  Indian society, and covers all of the Indian populous. Every separate ethnic group or tribe is associated with its own caste, of which there are over two thousand. These are generally situated within one of the four main castes:

1. Brahmin-  the priests
2. Kshatriya - warriors, nobles, and kings
3. Vaishya - farmers, merchants, and businessmen
4. Shudra  -servants and laborers

There is then a fifth caste known as Dalit or the untouchables, these were quite often seen as almost a sub-human group. Comprised of lower tribal groups and relegated to such jobs as toilet cleaners or rubbish removal, the Dalit were seen as unclean. So much so that it was forbidden for them to touch a person from a higher caste, and taken to the extreme that they were even forced to walk around ringing a bell to let other castes know they were coming, enabling the higher caste to avoid becoming 'polluted' by them.

This caste system was extremely strict, and the belief was held that you could never rise above the caste you were born into. Similarly marrying or consorting socially outside of your caste was also taboo, and could result in death for the lower caste member.

This separation is also present in the music. The dalit would have musically been similar to the work chants of African slaves, a simple call and response system interspersed with simple percussion of membranophones or idiophones. As the Dalit were not allowed to be educated, or allowed in temples and could be executed for hearing religious text,their music would have retained that tribal folk feel again not unlike the uneducated African slaves. The Shudra would have also had a more simplified form of music, perhaps slightly more elaborate than the Dalit simple melodic instrumentation would have been present, reed based aerophones and perhaps crude chordophones filling out the instrumentation available. 

The strictness of the caste system meant that a musician would not be allowed to play instruments of higher castes.

The majority of Indian music would have permeated form the middle castes predominately the Vaishya which was the caste closely associated with musicians, poets, dancers and actors.

Though as we have seen in modern times these caste divisions are less rigid. The Brahmin caste who once upon a time would have only played temple music, have now evolved into a more wider musical reportorial diversity. It is interesting to note however that Doctors fall into the Brahmin caste, and from personal experience I have seen how classical Hindustani music is still very much locked into that caste. Having worked with performers from this Caste I have seen first hand not only how complex the music is, but also that the caste mentality is still very deeply ingrained into the Indian psyche. It is also interesting to note that perhaps the most well known Indian musician Ravi Shankar, is also of the Brahmin caste.

 Shankar was born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, Chowdhury literally meaning 'Holder of Four' referring to the four castes, it is derived from the sanskrit Chatur Dhrit meaning "One who holds all the four varns (groups) of society" i.e respected by all.This shows how deeply routed the caste system is, even down to surname denoting your place in society.






Reference:
 Heitzman. James, and  Worden Robert L. editors. Section 89 'Caste and Class-Varna, Caste, and Other Divisions' 'India: A Country Study' Washington. The Library of Congress(1995).[online] available at< http://countrystudies.us/india/89.htm> (accessed 30 November 2013)
Unknown 'CHAPTER IV: CASTE AND FOOD The Newari Caste System'(no date) (article) [online] available at<http://web.comhem.se/~u18515267/CHAPTERIV.htm> (accessed 30 November 2013)
Dileep Karanth 'Caste in Medieval India: The Beginnings of a Reexamination' (no date)(article)[online]available at< http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/h_es/h_es_karan_caste.htm> (accessed 30 November 2013)

Prof. M Narasimhachary' “So, you want to marry my daughter?” The Caste System: An Overview' Oxford Centre for Vaishnava and Hindu Studies 2002(lecture summary)[online] available at <http://www.ikfoundation.org.uk/eventfiles/IK%20Lecture%203%20Summary%20NSA%20oct02.pdf> (accessed 30 November 2013)

Vasey Christopher, 'The System of Castes-Shackle or benefit?' Health and Self Knowledge (no date) (article)[online] available at:<http://www.christophervasey.ch/anglais/articles/the_system_of_castes.html>

Pruthi R.K. 'Indian Caste System' New Dehli Discovery Publishing House 2004 pp.5-35,78-80 [online] available at:<http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rC1bJcd-MDUC&pg> (accessed 30 November 2013) 

'CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA' anonlineindia.com (no date)(article) [online] available at:< http://www.anonlineindia.com/facts/caste-system.htm>(accessed: 30 November 2013)

Music of India 7 Tabla, Mridangam and Tala

Tabla and Mridangam.

Both the Mridangam of Carnatic music and the Tabla of Hindustani music are played in a very similar way. The same percussive strokes or bols are played on the smaller Dayan("right") head in both styles, as are the bols played on the Bayan("left") head, and combination bols utilising both heads are also the same.

The general consensus is that the Tabla evolved from a mridangam being split in half, enabling the Dayan and Bayan to be played from the top, making more complexed rhythms possible.

The other theory it that it evolved from the Pakhawaj a Northern Indian twin headed barrel drum, that is almost identical to its Southern counterpart the Mridangam.

Mridangam

http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/mridangam_media/mridangam.jpg

Pakhawaj

http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/pakhawaj_media/pakhawaj.jpg

Tabla

http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/tabla_media/tabla.jpg

As these pictures show it is quite possible to imagine the evolution of the Tabla from either the Mridangam or Pakhawaj. 

Each bol or strike is syllabic, as the music is fundamentally an oral tradition, this makes it very easy to translate rhythmic patterns into vocable sounds, it is not uncommon to hear Tabla or Mrindangam players saying these syllables as they play.

The table below shows the most common of these different bol.

	Dayan	Bayan	Combination
Open resonance	tā	gha	Dhā = Tā + Ga/Gha/Gin
	nā	ga	Jhā = Ga/Gha/Gin + Tā delayed
		gin
Closed resonance	tī	Ka (loud)	Kat = Ka + Ti
	ra	Ka (soft)
	te
Partially  open resonance			Dhin = Ti + Ga/Gha/Gin

This Video is an excellent lesson on the Dayan bols and shows how each bol is played and vocalised. The full set of lessons is a well crafted instructional package on how to play the Mridangam.

Khol (Mridanga) Lesson 02 Part 1 of 2: Dayan Bols

Tala

The rhythmic patterns of both forms of Indian classical music, are thought of as a circle, not unlike a clock face. These patterns can be anything from six beats to sixteen beats.This is very different to the Western linear method of thinking. 

The link below has some excellent audio examples of some of the more common Hindustani Tala.

Indian Classical Music Tilos Radio - Budapest, The Tala http://india.tilos.hu/english_tala.htm

Also as the excerpt below shows, breaks down the complex rhythms into easy to understand charts.

Dhamartala (14 beats) 3+2+2+3+2+2 dhrupad
x			0		2
|	|	|	|	|	|	|
Ka	Dhi	Ta	Dhi	Ta	Dha	-a
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
0			3		4
|	|	|	|	|	|	|
Ge	Ti	Ta	Ti	Ta	Ta	-a
8	9	10	11	12	13	14

(taken from: http://india.tilos.hu/english_tala.htm)

This video shows a Kathak(storyteller) dancer performing a piece in Dharmertala, or fourteen beat cycle. It is interesting to note that at the beginning she sets the tempo by vocalising  the first cycle of the tala, and again at other points during the performance.

Rhythmosaic kathak taal dhamar by Mitul Sengupta

Reference:

 Courtney David,Basic Strokes and Bols, chandrakantha 2012 (article) [online] available at:<http://chandrakantha.com/tablasite/bsicbols.htm> (accessed: 29 November 2013)

'Khol (Mridanga) Lesson 02 Part 1 of 2: Dayan Bols' KrsnaKirtanaSongs Uploaded: 1 Sep 2010(video)[online]Available at:<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R4uWCvSIh8>(accessed 29 November 2013)

Szabi Tóth, 'The Tala' india.tilos.hu 2011(website)[online]Available at:<http://india.tilos.hu/english_tala.htm>(accessed 29 November 2013)

 Krsna Dhenu, 'KKSongs Khol Guide' Krsna Kirtana Songs 2012 (website)[online] Avalilable at:<http://kksongs.org/khol/>(accessed: 29 November 2013)
'rhythmosaic kathak taal dhamar by mitul sengupta' Mitul Sengupta Uploaded:  17 Jul 2009 (video)[online]Available at:<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekyd6iS4dPg>(accessed 29 November 2013)  

Music of India 6 Drones and Tanpura

Tanpura

What is a tanpura?

This short video from the Asian Music Circuit's Museum of Asian Music gives a brief introduction to the Tanpura. In the previous post I explained the importance of the Tanpura as a drone instrument that helped the vocalist stay on pitch. In both Carnatic and Hindustani music the tanpura is used to create the underlying tones for either vocal or instrumental performances. Generally a four stringed instrument, though five or more string varieties can be found. Like most plucked chordophones the tabla comprises of a neck attached to a sound box in this case a gourd and soundboard usually made of cedar or teak. Carnatic variations are usually made completly from wood.

Tanpura have no frets, and are usually played with a single hand plucking the strings quite high  on the neck. Played from a sitting position with the tanpura in a vertical upright position, the four strings are plucked one after the other commonly with the right hand, with a second finger, first finger, first finger, first finger pattern. this creates a circular drone as stated in the previous post of commonly the natural fifth, octave, octave, tonic or pa sa' sa' sa, it is interesting to note that the first finger plays all three sa perhaps showing the importance of this tone, where as a western player would perhaps use a alternating first, second finger pattern.

These images show the similarity between a Hindustani and Carnatic Tanpura

  

images taken from ( http://www.india-instruments.de/pag/glossar/g-tanpura.html)

References:
Ford Brad, 'What is a tanpura?' Asian Music Circuit uploaded 2011 (video) [online] available at:.<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g7asmyYg58>. (Viewed 1 November 2013) 
Tanpura(2001) (image) (article) [online]Available at: <http://www.india-instruments.de/pag/glossar/g-tanpura.html> (accessed 1 November 2013)

Music of India 5 Sruti - Pitch

Sruti (Carnatic) Sur (Hindustani)

Sruti or Sur roughly translates to pitch, but where in western music the pitch of a tone for example the  A=440Hz that western orchestras( and most other western musicians) tune to which would translate to the La of the Solfège system with the keynote being C. Indian music does not have this fixed pitch principal. So in western music traditions asking any vocalist to sing Do Re Mi from middle C would produce the notes C D and E with the frequencies 261.626Hz, 293.665Hz and 329.628Hz respectively, whereas in Indian music there is no fixed pitch point, Sa, Ri, Ga as tones depend on the vocal range of the singer. 

Saptak
One of the meanings of Saptak is register or octave ( the other being gamut or series seven notes used).This is the register that the vocalist or instrumentalist is most comfortable at performing in. So one performers Sa could be anything from a few cents to a few tones different to another's. Male singers for example would have a lower Sa to female singers. 

The saptak that a singer is most comfortable with will become their Sa, this could roughly relate to a western singer having a prefered key to sing in. This Saptak will become the middle register of the performance with an octave below and one above,  from low to high this gives us Mandra Saptak,Madhya Saptak and Taar Saptak. 

Once the Sa of a vocalist is found the Tanpura (tambura) will be tuned, on a four string Tanpura this tuning is pa sa' sa' sa which gives you the fifth, octave, octave and tonic of the Saptak( here refering to series of seven notes used). This tuning helps the vocalist stay on pitch.
An example of this tuning can be heard here in the key of G.

Your Tanpura - G Scale - 5 kattai

More recently these are now becoming closer to the fixed pitches of western music. In Hindustani music a vocalists Sa is usually described in relation to the Harmonium keys, with Safed denoting a white key and Kali a black key. In Carnatic these are called Kattai, and half Kattai.
Below these are related to traditional western notes.

Carnatic	Hindustani	Western
Kattai 6	Mandra Safed 6 (Low)	A (Low)
Kattai 6.5	Mandra Kali 5	A#
Kattai 7	Mandra Safed 7	B
Kattai 1	Safed 1	C
Kattai 1.5	Kali 1	C#
Kattai 2	Safed 2	D
Kattai 2.5	Kali 2	D#
Kattai 3	Safed 3	E
Kattai 4	Safed 4	F
Kattai 4.5	Kali 3	F#
Kattai 5	Safed 5	G
Kattai 5.5	Kali 4	G#
Kattai 6	Safed 6	A
Kattai 6.5	Kali 5	A#
Kattai 7 (high)	Safed 7 (High)	B

Reference:
'Your Tanpura - G Scale - 5 kattai' mccbala Uploaded 30 Dec 2011(video)[online]Available at:<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCtMNklEQKM>(accessed 1 November 2013)
Courtney David, 'Overview of Indian Classical Music' chandrakantha 2012 (article) [online] available at:<http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/> (accessed 1 November 2013)
Uttara 'Introduction to Indian Classical Music' Likhati 2010 (blog) [online]Available at:<http://www.likhati.com/introduction-to-indian-classical-music/> (accessed 1 November 2013)
 Krsna Dhenu, 'KKSongs Music Center' Krsna Kirtana Songs 2012 (website)[online] Avalilable at:<http://kksongs.org/music.html>(accessed 1 November 2013)
Szabi Tóth, 'Indian Classical Music' india.tilos.hu 2011(website)[online]Available at:<http://india.tilos.hu/english_raga.html>(accessed 1 November 2013)

Music of India 4 Tones

Swaras or Tones

There are seven basic Swaras or tones used in Indian Music. These are:

Sa=Shadja 

Ri (or Re) =Rishabha 

Ga=Gandhara 

Ma=Madhyama 

Pa=Panchama 

Dha=Dhaivata 

Ni=Nishadha 

Added to this are five more 4 flattened tones and one sharpened tone giving us the basic series of the following tones. 

Sari - a flattened Ri, Riga - a flattened Ga, GaMa - a sharpened Ma, Padha -  a flattened Dha, Dhani - a flattened Ni

The sharpened Ma is usually written uppercase and the 'natural' Ma lower case. This gives us the shorthand S,r,R,g,G,m,M,P,d,D,n,N. We could take this scale and superimpose it on the traditional Western system, but doing this we have to keep in mind that the Indian system is based on pure tones and not an equal tempered system.We also need to note that Indian Music is based around a three octave system the lower octave denoted with ' to the left of a tone and the upper octave with ' to the right.

Relating these tones to the western system is a good way to get an initial idea of the system thus:

Do - Sa, Re - Ri, Mi- Ga, Fa- Ma, So - Pa, La - Dha, Ti - N,i Do - Sa'

Here however the similarity abruptly ends for the Carnatic system. The Carnatic system divides the octave up into sixteen tones not twelve. Also the Carnatic system generally uses a numbering method thus:

SR 1R 2 , G 1R 3, G 2G 3M 1M 2PD 1D 2, N 1D 3, N 2N 3

On first glance this appears to be a twelve tone system with tones such as R2 and G1 being enharmonic equivalents, tonally they do sound the same but their function is distinctly different. Also we can see here that tones such as Dha now have three variations. This can perhaps be likend to the western system thus: D1 = Ab, D2 =A, D3=A#, this would then make N1 = A, N2 = A# and N3 = B. This shows that the two systems do not fit together perfectly but it is possible to create a link between them, to aid in understanding the Indian tonal system.

However what this does not take into consideration is the micro-tones used in Indian Music, For example R1 may for some Raga or scales sit closer to S, yet in another Raga sit closer to G1.
An excellent collection of examples about this are available on http://www.likhati.com A Blog written by a woman called Uttara. The Page titled Introducing Yourself to Indian Classical Music 11-Demonstrating the Srutis (Microtones) in Indian Classical Music containing an excellent set of YouTube clips covering these micro-tonal variations.







Reference:
Courtney David, 'Overview of Indian Classical Music' chandrakantha 2012 (article) [online] available at:<http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/> (accessed 11 October 2013)
Uttara 'Introduction to Indian Classical Music' Likhati 2010 (blog) [online]Available at:<http://www.likhati.com/introduction-to-indian-classical-music/> (accessed 11 October 2013)
Uttara 'Introducing Yourself to Indian Classical Music 11-Demonstrating the Srutis (Microtones) in Indian Classical Music' Likhati 2010 (blog) [online]Available at:<http://www.likhati.com/2010/04/18/introducing-yourself-to-indian-classical-music-11-demonstrating-the-srutis-microtones-in-indian-classical-music/> (accessed 11 October 2013)
 Krsna Dhenu, 'KKSongs Music Center' Krsna Kirtana Songs 2012 (website)[online] Avalilable at:<http://kksongs.org/music.html>(accessed 11 October 2013)
Szabi Tóth, 'Indian Classical Music' india.tilos.hu 2011(website)[online]Available at:<http://india.tilos.hu/english_raga.html>(accessed 11October 2013)