Indian Music

There are two major classical styles - Carnatic, one of the oldest forms in the world, which is found in the south and Hindustani music, which dominates the northern regions. There are also semi classical styles that are a convergence of classical and folk traditions, including sugam sangeet (Bhajan, Shabad, Qawwali), Rabindra Sangeet and Haveli Sangeet. Film industries and composers like Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman are known for incorporating Western styles into their work as well, creating a wide and versatile genre of modern music.

Carnatic, Hindustani, light classical, Lavani, Bhangra and Modern Bhangra, Sufi Folk Rock, Bengali Folk, filmy pop, to name a few. Classical music is characterised by microtones (shruti), notes (swaram), ornamentations (alankar), melodies improvised from grammar (raga) and rhythmic patterns (talam).

Indian music typically contains no harmony, can be completely improvised and is rarely written down. Almost all Indian performance is improvised - there are no musical notes read out during a performance. The songs are standard and known but nobody knows how the musician will interpret it, says violin virtuoso U. Srinivas. Another peculiarity is the sound called the 'drone', the background sound against which other notes are played for melodic tension.

India ranks 20th for global music influence and sixth for uniqueness in study, according to the Global Influential Music Index.

The most common in Hindustani traditions are the sitar, sarod, tambura, sahnai, sarangi and tabla. Karnatic music uses the veena, mrdangam, kanjira and violin.

Indian philosophy stresses the importance of sound, which serves as the focal point for truth. Truths were passed down orally to the sages, making sound instrumental to knowing and understanding the truth.