Indian Music: In Professional and Academic Institutions

About the Book This book is an attempt to document the history of teaching institutions imparting training music. Indian music before independence was taught mainly by the Gurus to their Shishyas (teacher to student). The pioneering work was done by two great scholars of Indian music Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkande. It is only because of these two great stalwarts, Indian music was popularised and easily available to the masses. After independence of India there have been many institutions of music which were established and being taught either in a school or in college. In this book the author has tried to document these institutions and their contribution not only for the propagation this art but also for preservation of this age old system of Guru-Shishya-Parampara. Another dimension of this book is the compilation of the family history of different Gharanas and their contribution.

In this book the author has not only covered the values of education during the Vedic times but also has taken up the teaching music in the medieval period to the present times but also focused the attention of the present day teaching system in the institutions and its problem. This is an authentic collection of existing institutions in India with special reference to North Indian Music. Although it cannot be denied that the value of GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA based education system in music is still relevant today as it existed before. Although we have spread the message of music through institutions, we have only succeeded in making them as KANSEN and not TANSEN. It is an attempt of focus how it has become popular through these teaching institutions, but qualitatively it has not helped much but certainly helped to enlarge a number listeners in quantity.

After a gap of few years she again started to work for Ph.D project and at the same time teaching music in Salwan School for girls in New Delhi. Due to her preoccupation with her family and the only child Prateek, she had to give up her job and practicing music. After a gap of few years she, once again, started her research work in the same department under the guidance of Prof. V.K. Aggarwal. Due to her serious illness she could not complete her thesis in time but with her tremendous zeal and determination, she completed her thesis and later on she got her Ph.D award. This book is based on her thesis on teaching Hindustani music in professional and educational institutions in Northern India.

About the Author Manjusree Chaudhuri was born 12th November, 1942 in Bengal. Since her childhood she was interested in music. After her school education in Bengal, she came to Delhi and joined Delhi University, Music Department to study music and later on she got her Master Degree in the Year 1965, one of the students of the first batch of the music department. She also had the fortune of learning Vocal music from the great Ustad Yunus Husain Khan of Agra Gharana. Later on the married Padma-Bhushan Prof. Debu Chaudhuri the famous sitar Maestro. After her marriage she had to take a break in her effort to learning music regularly and started travelling all over the world a number of time with her husband. She also participated in many concerts abroad, along with her husband, in USA, SOUTH AMERICA, CANADA, JAPAN, THAILAND, KOREA. UK, FRANCE, GERMANY, IRAN, MAURITIUS and many countries in the world.

Foreword Many books have been published on Indian Music in the past and quite a few during the last 50 years. But on "Indian Music in Professional and Academic Institutions", writted by Dr. (Mrs.) Manjusree Chaudhuri is a subject which is off the main line. The subject, I understand, was her work on Ph.D., submitted earlier at Delhi University. Such a subject is worth undertaking and manjusree has done an exhaustive analysis of different Gharanas and their contributions to our music. The contribution of Pt. Paluskar and Pt. Bhatkhande in this regard has a special significance and the other has done full justice to it.

I specially admire Manjusree, who, inspite of her serious illness, not only completed her thesis, but has also succeeded in publishing it. I congratulate her tremendous spirit and hope this work will help the researchers of tomorrow, who would like to know more on our teaching institutions in Indian Music Baroda to Bengal. An interesting aspect of this work, is the inclusion of photographs of many great masters of our music. This is an exhaustive and informative work on Gharanas, teaching institutions, Universities and private schools - a remarkable attempt indeed. After a speedy recovery, I am sure, Manjusree will engage herself in further researches.

Preface The Trinity of 'Bramha', 'Vishnu' and 'Mahesh' have been attributed the quality of being 'Nadatmak'. Music was synonimised with 'brahman' (ert) in the form of 'Nada' and as such it was called. "Nada Brahman"

Meaning: We worship "Nada-Brahman", that comparable bliss which is immanent in all the creatures as intelligence and is manifest in the phenomenon of this universe. Indeed through the worship of Nada are worshipped gods (like) Brahma, Visnu, and Shiva, since essentially they are one with it.

(Ref- 'Sangeet Ratnakar' (written) chapter one - Pt. Sharangdev Pratham Adhyay (Chapter 1 - Nadasthan).

Music in India thus in essence identified with divinity and Devine beings. In Indian parlance, 'Saraswati' is installed as the goddess of all learning of music and all creative arts.

She is envisaged as holding a 'Veena' a book of knowledge, a 'mala' (); her Vahan (a) is a swan (hans) having the capacity to separate milk .

Introduction The trinity of 'Brahma', 'Vishnu', and 'Mahesh' have been attributed the quality of being Nadatmak Music was monimised with Brahman () in the form of Nada and as such it was called "Nada Brahman"

Meaning: We worship "Nada Brahman" that incomparable bliss which is imminent in all the creatures as intelligence and is manifest in the phenomenon of this universe.

Indeed through the worship of nada are worshipped Gods (like) Brahama, Vishnu and Shiva, since essentially they are one with it.

(Ref: Sangeet Ratnakar chapter one, written by Pt.Sharang Dev ) (Chapter 1 - Naad Sthan).

Book's Contents and Sample Pages