Ragas in Indian Music

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Classical music has ancient roots, and it primarily developed due to the reverence for arts, for both spiritual (moksha) and entertainment (kama) purposes in Hinduism. The Buddha discouraged music aimed at entertainment, but encouraged chanting of sacred hymns. The various canonical Tipitaka texts of Buddhism, for example, state Dasha shila or ten precepts for those following the Buddhist spiritual path. Among these is the precept recommending "abstain from dancing. singing, music and worldly spectacles". Buddhism does not forbid music or dance to a Buddhist layperson, but its emphasis has been on chants, not on musical råga. Raga, along with performance arts such as dance and music, has been historically integral to Hinduism, with some Hindus believing that music is itself a spiritual pursuit and a means to moksha (liberation). Ragas, in the Hindu tradition, are believed to have a natural existence. Artists don't invent them, they only discover them. Music appeals to human beings, according to Hinduism, because they are hidden harmonies of the ultimate creation.

Beginners are sometimes overwhelmed with the richness of Hindustani (North Indian) classical music as they attempt to understand it better. It uses too many subtle microtones and embellishment patterns which makes it hard to notate. Hindustani classical music is one of the two subgenres of Indian Classical Music. Carnatic (South Indian) music is the other classical subgenre, which is sung in South India. In layman's terms, a raga is defined as a collection of musical notes that pleases the ear; the notes of which are arranged in a particular order and scale with specific melodic movements. But unlike a tune, a raga is not fixed and is more like a framework and can be improvised by musicians. The tone in a raga have a particular order and hierarchy, a particular manner of intonation, relative strength and duration and specific approach.

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