We all know that Music is a sound organized in an aesthetic sense.
Thanks to the involvement of the mind, we are able to distinguish music from noise, though both of them stem from sound waves. In other words, it is the mind that makes a sound, music. The human mind attributes a sense or meaning to the sound heard.
For Hegel, the German philosopher, music expresses many nuances of emotion. Our emotions share with music some common traits such as gait, tempo, force, attack, intensity, spread and depth. Talking about feeling in music is, however, not the same as experiencing an emotional dimension within the music. Yet another quality of music is that it allows freedom to express one’s feelings such as joy, compassion, valour, devotion, sensuality, pathos, wonder, anger, fear and peace. It is the song or music that helps in expression of one’s feelings which otherwise may not be expressible.
The system of Raga, well known for its emotional appeal is a unique contribution to the world of music by the Indian mind. Unlike in the western system of music, which makes use of rigid frequencies of the notes, Indian system tends to be more accommodative and includes not only the tones but also their quarter tones thus making ragas as the miracles of microtones! Every raga has invariably an emotional appeal, though it may be difficult to point out which raga conveys which emotional aspect. The reason is that various factors such as tonal configuration, rhythmic structure, timbre, gait and tempo have a say in the matter. In addition, factors such as literary content, texture, style of presentation and loudness besides the listeners’ mental state and moods also play an important role in affecting the emotions.
Broadly speaking, certain ragas or their passages woven in certain particular rhythmic patterns and tempo do convey a definite emotional appeal for a keen listener.
Here, we will examine those ragas, which convey certain feelings. We will also make an attempt to identify those elements in ragas which impinge upon our moods.
Joyful Raga: Bilahari in Fast Tempo
To start with, let us celebrate joy, an important emotion that makes our lives sunny and bright. Raga Bilahari for example, reflects the effervescent joy in good measure when you lace it with a rapid tempo, while rendering. In essence, the beauty about the raga Bilahari lies in the fact that all its notes are agreeable. It is the quality of rapid kala pramana fused with the melodic structure that creates joy in our mind. In this raga, Rishabam, Nishadam and Dhaivatam are the Key notes. The softness and smoothness of these sustained notes in the raga Bilahari with their leaps, turns and shakes do contribute in a significant way to make this music experience joyful. This is an ideal raga for the morning moods as it evokes courage, confidence and heroism etc, necessary for us to face and withstand the rest of the day. (Try Narayana Thirthar’s fast tempo rendering Pooraya Mama Kamam with accompaniments such as veena, violin, mridangam, kanjira etc. and observe the joy and sunshine brought about in your mental horizons!)
Compassion-Laden Kaanada in Medium Tempo
Now, let’s take up karuna rasa or compassion, referred to, in Indian literature as the greatest of all virtues (paramo dharma). Kaanada, an offshoot raga of the parent raga, Karaharapriya exhibits a gem of a note (swara) , gandhara, which oscillates like nobody’s business (dirgha kampita). By swinging this delicately, the artist brings out a magic that envelopes the listeners with special feelings of love and care to take a ready refuge! I would recommend a soft rendering of Swati Tirunal’s composition preferably in flute or violin, `Mamava Sada Janani’ to get the desired effect.
Naata: The Valour and Pride in the Raga!
I find Naata is the raga which abundantly portrays the veera rasa or the valour and pride. Please try a taanam rendering of this raga in a fast tempo and observe the special note (Rishabam) and observe how with its oscillation (dhirga kampita), ego and pride of the raga could be felt by us!
Dwijavanti for Devotion or Bhakti
Bhakti (Devotion), an essential ingredient in the Indian culture can be found in many melodies. Dwijavanti, an offshoot of Harikambhoji (and known in north as Jayjaywanti) has magical Rishabam and Madhyamam as key notes with special embellishments like ullasita (sudden gliding from a lower to higher note without any intermediate notes or similarly from higher to lower notes) and kampita oscillations, which fuel devotion and admiration. Try Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s `AkhilandeswarI’ in gentle and slow tempo on violin or in veena solo and see its impact!
Sensual Raga: Khamas
Now let’s descend into a raga of sensuality from that of spirituality and devotion. It is strange that like spirituality, sensuality also involves certain devotion and admiration! Khamas, the raga often sung in javali, an erotic form of composition in Carnatic music is supposed to bringin matrimonial bliss. Perhaps the lyric content of the javali song and also the usage of the note Kaikali Nishada go towards making this raga sensual or erotic. Watch the love notes of KHAMAAS —particularly those curvatures and intonations one may find in dhaivatam, madhyamam and gaandhaaram These are the erotic fantasies, that allow wild imagery! A rare raga Dhanasri (composition `Geethaku Nikuthaka’ in medium tempo) can also be placed under a similar category. According to some musicologists, variability in the rhythmic as well as melodic structures can create sensuality in the minds of the listeners.
Sweetest songs are those…
Pathos or shoka rasa, a sentiment from which we can never escape from our mundane life, is available aplenty in several melodies. Sweetest songs, says Wordsworth, the English poet, are those that tell of saddest thoughts. One can easily succumb oneself to the sweetness emanating from the sadness poured down by the raga Subapanthuvarali. I would recommend any composition in slow or medium tempo in this rich raga! However, one can try Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s composition ‘Sri Sathya Narayanam’ gently and slowly rendered for its true flavour. The root cause for pathos seems to lie in one of the star notes of the raga, Pratimadhyamam, which shines like a diamond in a necklace of precious stones. Maybe the gentler the rendering of this raga, better would be the effect! Slow phrases, no doubt, pour down the elements of pathos.
The Wonder Raga Behag
The sparkling raga BEHAG, with its dazzling sangatis, which employ both shuddha madhyamam as well as madhyamam, and also kaithi nishadam as well as kakali nishadam can be easily a wonder raga, creating a sense of awe and fascination. Annamacharya’s kriti `Narayanathe Namo Namo’ is the personification of wonder itself!
The Raga of Rage : Atana
An offshoot of Sankarabharanam, Atana is a raga which has in it anger, complaint, querulous traits and what not. In fast tempo, veena or violin can pour down this negative emotion on us. It is curious that to fight the anger in us, we need a dose of this musical anger as well as a real good medicine! After all, poison kills poison! The velocity and the vivacity of the violin or veena can be useful in depicting the inherent anger hidden in this raga. I would recommend a composition of Purandara Dasa `Sakala Graha Bala Neene’ in Kanta Chapu talam foretaste.
Fear in Raga Revathy
On exploring a raga that creates a sense of fear, we land up on Revathy. Here, the elongation of notes rishabam and nishadam is perhaps the reason for arousing fear. One can even perceive the emotion of valour or veera rasa in certain passages of Atana. In yet another song composed in this raga with resonating syllables. ‘Bho Shiva Shambho’ the mridangam plays DHIMITA-DHIMITA-DHIMI-DHIMIKITA-KITA-TOM to supplement the melody.
In African music, the use of drums by the tribal enables them to dispel their fear about nature, supernatural elements and other hostile tribes who encroach upon their territories.
Last, but not Least
Lastly, everyone wants peace — a near impossible goal in life! Music however, can guarantee peace diverting the mind of the listener from harsh realities. Take the raga Saama, a raga of great charm, played in slow tempo which can help us gain our inner peace by resolving the inner conflicts within us. Please linger on these powerful sounds and find out how these sounds by the virtue of their serenity, can prove to be intense. It is the inner peace which can contribute towards the external peace: a world without wars and a society without tensions.
Conclusion
Before I conclude, I want to invite the attention of the listeners to the fact that listening to music is a subjective experience and no specificity can be attached to this unique experience.
But it is necessary to have a coordination of mind and music to obtain best results.
It is the feel-good factor that is guaranteed in music that contributes to our health.
So feel good and enjoy music. Don’t question or try to cerebralise music. Let’s go for a music that makes us withstand our negative thoughts and emotions and that helps us spread the message of love and peace to everybody around us. One final word : If possible, enjoy appropriate music!
This article was published in ‘Ayurveda And All’ April 2010, Page 21 -24
Edited by Geeta Shreedar, August 5, 2021