If human mind is seen as a pattern that incorporates intricate designing – then music can be seen as the process that works through the mental designs to link it with the vast space beyond mind- the infinity. Music is fine-tuning of life in multiple terms. Hence there is music in everything – from the domestic space of cooking, internal decorating to the rhythmic physical activities of dancing, grazing the flock and finally the primitive human passion for creation. Like the ocean waves that hit the shore in billions of formations the “swaras” of a song exhilarate the listeners’ mind and links him/her to the ebullience of millions of life beyond personal experience. This article explores a specialized space of Indian classical music – the “Khyeal” and the “Bandish” in these terms.
 
“Archik”, “Gathik”, “Samik”, “Swarantar”, “Ourab” and “Sharab” – these six Ragas form the foundation of the rich heritage of Hindustani classical music. “Samgan” used three scales – two variation of the base and one treble. As Matangamuni- musical analyst in ancient India points out – music was used as a cultural index [Shudras and other lower classes used a less complicated musical formation]. Narada further divides the musical space in terms of gender in “Sangeet Makranga”. He categorizes the Ragas in three sets – 20 “male” [like those expressing courage, valour etc.], 24 “female” [expressing love, softness, sadness etc.] and 13 “neutral” [fear, peace etc.].
From these classifications till the 9th C. the Ragas moved towards a continental blend in the 14th C as Ameer Khasru combined the Western Parsian tradition with the Indian classical tradition to create a new Raga.
 
Raga gained its first entry to the royal court in the era of Hussein Sharki. Mohammed Shah [1719 - 40] patronized the “Kheyal” and soon other proponents popularized the rapid integral part of the Raga – the “Bandish” – among the masses. Classical music soon reached a much greater audience through its increasing emphasis on diverse issues from contemporary social and cultural space like the tense relation prevailing between the wife and the female members of her husband’s family, the act of collecting water from the river, extra-marital love affair, female sexuality etc.
 
This hints at freedom from the bonds of tradition, which highlights the issue of presenting the music. Any Indian classical performance begins with the “Alap” - the phase where the singer introduces the Raga to the audience. It is the phase where the artist shapes the foundation for the later expansion through various methods like skillful use of the “Meer”, tuning the instrument to the pitch of the vocal etc. to reach a state of “jugalbandi” with the audience. In the next stage the artist enriches the nuances of that particular Raga according to the theme of the Raga which shapes the atmosphere. Finally the boundary of “jugalbandi” is dissolved, the singer and the listener are merged together, and together they are merged in the very space of song itself [Raga] as music starts its great journey towards infinity across the vast spaces of human experience and natural wonder.
 
 

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