Tremendous scope exists for utilizing ragas to cure illnesses.
Indian music is emotional as well as intellectual. It attaches importance to serenity and a thoughtful state of mind. As such, it helps in balancing the left and right hemispheres of the brain, which are assigned the functions of analysis and intuition respectively by neurologists.
In the Indian systems of music – both Hindustani and Carnatic – drone is an essential requirement. The drone that emanates from tanpuras can be compared to the state of equilibrium as it fully represents the essence of the musical scale on which ragas can be conceived. Drone offers the basic framework akin to a balanced mind, which has the inherent capacity to fall prey to emotional upheavals, ascendance or decadence, the same way a raga could meander.
Healing Ragas
According to an ancient Indian text, Swara Sastra, the 72 melakarta ragas control the 72 important nerves in the body. It is believed that, if one sings with due devotion adhering to the raga lakshana and sruti suddhi, the raga could affect the particular nerve in the body in a favourable manner.
Certain ragas do have a tendency to move the listeners – emotionally as well as physically. For instance; the unintended nod of the head, limbs or body with lilting tunes.
Simple melodic structures, slow tempo, low pitched notes, which are repeated over and over again, as in bhajans and kirtans have been found to be soothing and relaxing. Such musical pieces are found to impart a sense of relaxed spaciousness besides reducing stress, deepening the breathing process, leading the listeners to consciousness frequencies akin to the earth’s electro-magnetic field.
Introvert and Extravert
While the descending notes in a raga (avarohi) are found to create inward-oriented or introverted feelings, the ascending notes (arohi) represent an upward or expansive mobility. Thus, music played for soldiers or for dancers has to be more lively and uplifting with frequent use of arohi content. More ascending notes are found in war music or in joyous dance music all over the world. Similarly, melancholic songs should opt for ‘smooth’ avarohis.
Some Experiments
In India, music therapy is still in its infancy, though tremendous potential exists in its systematic study and application.
It is only in recent times that some psychologists (Dr. B. M. Manjula of Natural Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences) bio-physicists (Srirama Bharathi of Chennai), neurologists and a few scientists have started showing interest in this ancient art.
Ganapati Satchidananda Swami of Mysore, a Spiritual healer, has developed his own system of music for healing which, he says, soothes 72,000 nerves and 14 essential nadis. The Swami himself plays a Roland synthesizer to his audiences, accompanying musicians.
Plants React
Pandurangshastri Deshpande, a musicologist-cum-ayurvedic practitioner from Pune, has explored the beneficial impact of the notes of mridangam and Pahadi ragas on those who suffer from breathing problems, such as asthma. He has also carried out experiments with ragas, such, as, Bhairavi
Records of this raga, sung by nine maestros, were played before nine potted ‘touch me not’ plants daily for a: month to observe their impact. The plant exposed to Abdul Karim Khan’s Bhairavi was found to exhibit a record growth of 430 per cent compared to others.
Dr. B. M. Manjula is reported to have used music (an hour of listening to sitar every day and bhajans every night) along with minor doses of anxiolytic drugs to cure anxiety neurosis effectively. It is believed that this therapy can be of great use in aiding de-addition.
| Raga Chikitsa–The Music Therapy Long before acoustics came to be understood in Europe as a subject of study, the ancient Arab, Greek and Indian civilisations were familiar with the therapeutic role of sounds and vibrations. The Indian civilisation had gone a step forward to attribute a curative aspect to music. Nada Yoga, which dates back to the time of tantras, has fully acknowledged the impact of music on body and mind and put into practice the vibrations emanating from sounds to uplift one’s level of consciousness. By stimulating the moods, and controlling the brain wave patterns, ragas could work as a complementary medicine. Raga, we all know, is the sequence of selected notes (svaras) that lend appropriate ‘mood’ or emotion in a selective combination. Depending on its nature, a raga could induce or intensify joy or sorrow, violence or peace and it is this quality which forms the basis for musical application. Thus, a whole range of emotions and their nuances could be captured and communicated within certain rhythms and melodies. Historic References The ancient Hindus had relied on music for its curative role: The chanting and toning involved in Veda mantras in praise of God have been used from time immemorial as a cure for several disharmonies in the individual as well as his environment Several sects of bhakti, such as Chaitanya sampradaya and Vallabha sampradaya, have accorded priority to music. The great composers of classical music in India, called the ‘Musical Trinity’, were quite sensitive to the acoustical energies. Legend has it that saint Tyagaraja brought a dead person back to life with his Bilahari composition, Naa Jiva Dhaara. Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s Navagriha kriti is believed to cure stomach ache. Shyama Sastry’s composition, Duru Suga, uses music to pray for good health. Raga Chikitsa, an ancient manuscript, deals with the therapeutic effects of ragas. The library at Thanjavur is reported to contain books that spell out the application of ragas in fighting common ailments. |
Music and Herbs
The biophysicist-turned therapist, Srirama Bharathi of Chennai, has conducted a unique experiment with ‘sound and herbal therapy’, in which patients were made to simultaneously view a picture, eat a herbal paste and listen to music. According to him, music by itself may not be therapeutic unless combined with other forms of medicine. He follows a traditional form of music therapy called Arayar Sevai’ in which the songs traditionally used in temple rituals are sung.
Music and Ayurveda
Ayurveda views all diseases as aggravation of doshas. As each of the three doshas – kapha, pitta and vata –refers to specific functioning such as maintenance, transformation and dynamic action respectively, is pertinent to have an idea of the approximate time of a day in which each of them would normally be found in imbalance.
According to Pandit Shashank. Katti, who has worked with an anesthetist, Dr. Himalaya Pantvaidya, and an ayurvedic practitioner, Dr. Sanjay Chhajed, an approximate time chart could be drawn indicating the time of the day when a particular dosha remains aggravated, as indicated below:
An inference could be drawn from the above that an appropriate morning raga could help in addressing the problems of kapha-aggravation, whose imbalance is common between 7 and 11 AM. Similarly, pitta imbalance (11 AM to 3 PM) and vata imbalance (3 PM to 7 PM) could be addressed by selecting appropriate afternoon or evening ragas. After listening to the prescribed raga regularly for about 20-25 days, twice or thrice a day, patients were found to derive desired results.
| Imbalance of the Dosha | Timing I | Timing II |
| Kapha | 7 AM to 11 AM | 7 PM to 11 PM |
| Pitta | 11 AM to 3 PM | 11 PM to 3 AM |
| Vata | 3 PM to 7 PM | 3 AM to 7 AM |
Premature Babies
Pandit Shashank Katti has also found premature babies responding well to music and gaining weight. He has also found music enabling easy delivery of babies. His team has brought out audio-analgesic cassettes for arthritis, back, joint, muscular pain, spondylitis and the like.
Dr. P. Bharathi recently initiated an extensive research on music therapy in collaboration with the Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai. She has worked with post-operative patients and found that they are more receptive to music. It could be because pain makes one more aware of body emotion. Added to this is the deep desire to be cured.
Some Therapeutic Ragas
To cure insomnia, one listens to Nilambari raga; likewise, martial fervour is believed to be instilled by listening to Bilahari or Kedaram; Sriraga, listened to after a heavy lunch, is said to aid digestion and assimilation; while Sama raga restores mental peace, Bhupalam and Malayamarudham, sung before the dawn, serve as an agreeable invitation to people – including the Lord of the Seven Hills – to wake up from their slumber.
Relief from paralysis is reported by listening to Dwijavanthi raga. Those prone to depression are often recommended Bilahari raga to overcome melancholy. Nadanamakriya is supposed to ‘soften’ adamant people and even hardened criminals.
Defusing Mental Tension
Some ragas, such as Darbari, Kanada, Kamaj and Pooriya; are found to help in defusing mental tension, particularly in the case of hysterics for those who suffer from hypertension, ragas such as Ahir bhairav, Pooriya and Todi, are prescribed.
To control anger and bring down the violence within, Carnatic ragas, such as Punnagavarali and Sahana, come in handy. For stomach-related disorders, there are ragas from the Hindustani school: Deepak for acidity, Gunkali and Jaunpuri for constipation, and Malkauns (Hindol) for intestinal gas. For controlling high fever, such as malaria, ragas such as Malkauns (Hindol) and Marva are considered useful. One can try Darbari Kanada, Jayjaywanti or Sohni for relief from headache.
This article appeared in Tattvaloka March 2005 – Pages 27 to 33
Edited by Geeta Shreedar, Mar 16, 2021