The Dictionary of Hindustani Classical Music

111 Pages·16.878 MB·English

by  Rāyachaudhurī B.K.

The
Excerpts -from reviews:
'This is an excellent text-book for it imparts knowledge of the ocean of Dictionary
music in the form of little drops. It is interesting to note that every word in
music literature has a depth of meaning while the author explains
the origi,n of each word with its history and development over the years
along with suitable examples. The book reveals the meaning of 341
of
words and is indeed a music encyclopedia. "
Ind i ca
Vol.: 40, No. 2, September, 2003 Hindu tani
"The work explains, in very simple and clear language, the technical
terms as found in Sastras and also those in common use. The history of
the origi,n of the words, description of seventy-eight musical instruments
Classical Mus·
andf orty-seven varieties oft alas. "
Dwaram VJ. Lakshmi
S.V.U. OrientalJournal Vol.: 46, No. 182, 2003
"In this era, when Indian music is spreading worldwide, the author
has rightly felt it a duty to prepare this Dictionary of musical terms. He
Bimalakanta Roychaudhuri
presents the proper interpretation of musical terms of the andent Sanskrit
Sastras and explains them with reference to their origi,n and development.
An additional fact is that the author remains true to Indian tradition
and is not influenced by the Western methods of interpretation and
presentations. Styled and arranged in such simple and predse form,
this book will definitely be an essential aid for researches and students
ofm usic."
V.K.
Journal of Oriental Research Vol. 71-73. p. 18
"This one covering words and terminology, Sanskrit, derivative and
colloquial, applicable and applied to Hindustani Classical (Art) Music,
is the foremost one, even considering the more recent publications on
the usage ofm usic terminology. "
R.C. Mehta
Journal of the Indian Musicological Society Vol.: 31,Jan-Dec. 2000
ISBN 978-81-208-1708-1 Performing Art I Music
~ E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mlbd.com
1903
~ 350
9788120 817081 MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBUSHERS PVT. LTD • ~~~ PERFORMING ARTS SERIES
THE DICTIONARY OF
HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL MUSIC
The Dictionary
of
Hindustani Classical Music
B1MALAKANTA RovcHAUDHURI
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS
PRIVATE LIMITED• DELHI
Reprint: Delhi, 2007, 2013
First Edition: Delhi, 2000
© IMDADKHANI SCHOOL OF SITAR
Note
All Rights Reserved
ISBN: 978-81-208-1708-1 The author has given all rights of his published and
unpublished works to lmdadkhani School of Sitar, an institute
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS founded by him in 1948. The first Bengali version of the
41 U.A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110 007 present book was published in 1965 and received the Sangeet
8 Mahalaxmi Chamber, 22 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 026
Natak Academy award in 1971 as the best book on music in
203 Royapettah High Road, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004
236, 9th Main III Block,Jayanagar, Bengaluru 560 011 Bengali language published during the period from 1960 to
Sanas Plaza, 1392 Baji Rao Road, Pune 411 002 1968. The book was later published in Hindi in 1975 by the
8 Camac Street, Kolkata 700 017
Ashok Rajpath, Patna 800 004 Bharatiya Jiianpith of New Delhi. The Hindi translation was
Chowk, Varanasi 221 001 done by Sri Madanlal Vyas of Bombay. The present English
version of the book was made by the author himself in 1967
but could not be published earlier for want of a publisher. I
express my gratitude to M/ s Motilal Banarsidass for their
kindly agreeing to publish the book. I am also grateful to Ms.
Mitali Chatterji, Assistant Librarian, Asiatic Society and to
Mr. Shabbir Ahmad of Islamic Section, Asiatic Society, for
the kind help rendered by theqi in the transliteration work.
S.CHANDA
President, Imdadkhani School ofS itar
Printed in India
oy
RP Jain at NAB Printing Unit,
A-44, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase I, New Delhi-110028
and published by JP Jain for Motilal Banarsidass Publishers (P) Ltd,
41 U.A. Bungalow Road,Jawahar Nagar, Delhi-110007
Publishers' Note
\..
We are pleased to bring out the English version of this works
which has already been published both in Bengali and Hindi
and had got Sangeet N atak Academy award in 1971.
In this English version 'Gharana-Table' has been left out
because we plan to publish another book on Gharana, where
the subject will be dealt with separately in detail.
Preface
The growing interest of the Western, especially the English-speak
ing nations towards the North Indian Classical Music is more
evident now than ever before. It is no doubt a sign for us to be
happy about; at the same time it causes us deep concern whenever
we try to appreciate the great responsibility that has devolved upon
us in presenting the correct interpretation of musical terms of the
ancient Sanskrit Sastras.
Aphoristic couplets of the ancient Sanskrit Texts, as they
mostly are, even with their annotations, easily lend themselves to be
misinterpreted today. Painfully bearing this in mind the author has
attempted this dictionary with great trepidations. He has depended
solely on his own inner resources in interpreting th~ musical terms
rather than allowing himself to be influenced by any other publi
cations in English or in any other languages, lest he should tread
on the trap of terminological inexactitude. For the present author
it has been a very difficult task indeed primarily for two reasons-
1. The technical terms that we 'have in Indian music are too
difficult for a foreigner to comprehend fully unless these
are presented in the right manner of interpretation.
2. However much the author may have tried to express
himself in English, it is not his mother tongue and he is
therefore, not infallible in expression.
The author has also tried, as far as possible, not to borrow
terms used in the Western music to ease out the difficulty in
explaining Indian terms; that would have been apparently easier
and would have saved some arriount of space but that short-cut
would not have served the purpose intended.
A few words are necessary to explain certain features in the
dictionary. It will be found that some of the Western musical
instruments that have long come to be used in Indian music have
also been described under the entry 'Vadya' (musical instruments)
x The Dictionary of Hindustani Classical Music
for the benefit of those Indians who are interested in them, with
due apology to Western readers.
This dictionary, being the first comprehensive attempt of its
kind, would naturally call for improvement and corrections. The
author would feel gratified to have suggestions for improvement.
Calcutta, 1967 B.K RAYACAUDHURi
References
The following books and magazines have been consulted:
S = Sanskrit B = Bengali
H =Hindi M =Marathi
E =English
Abhinava Ragamafijari (S) PaIJ.Qit Vi~IJ.u Sarma
Ananda Samgita Patrika (B) Magazine
Betarajagat (B) Magazine
Catalogue of I~dian
Musical Instruments (E) Col. P.T. French
Dictionary of Music (E) . R. Illing (Penguin)
Gitasutrasara (B) Kr~IJ.adhana Bandyopadhyaya
Guide to the Musical
Instruments exhibited in
the Indian Museum
Calcutta (E) Dr. A.M. Meerwarth
Hindustani Samgita Paddhati PaIJ.Qit Vi~IJ.unarayaIJ.a
2nd Part (M) Bhatakhai:i9e
Hindustani Samgite
Tansener Sthan (B) Birendrakifor Rayacaudhuri
Introduction to the Study
of Indian Music (E) E. Clements
Introduction to the Study
of Musical Scales (E) Alain Danielou
Lives of Great Musicians (E) S.P. Banerji
Music of Hindustan, The (E) A.H. Fox-Strangways
Music of India, The (E) Herbert A. Popley
Musical Instruments (E) AJ. Hipkins
Musicians of India, The (E) Harendrakifor Rayacaudhuri
On the Gramas or Musical
Scales of the Hindus (E) J.D. Paterson
xii The Dictionary of Hindustani Classical Music
On the Musical Modes of
the Hindus (E) · Sir William Jones
Prakrtivada Abhidhana (B) Ramakamala Vidyalarilkara
Ragas and Raginis (E) o.c. Ganguli
Sabdakalpadruma (S) Raja Sir Radhakanta Deva
Bahadur
Contents
Sarilgita (H) Magazines
Sarilgita Candrika (B) Madanamohana Adhikari
Sarilgita Kala Vihara (H) Magazines
Samgita Prakasika (B) Magazines Note v
Sarilgita Pravdika (B) Murarimohana Gupta Publisher's Note vii
Sarilgita Sara (B) ~etramohana Gosvami Pnface ix
Sarilgita Sudarfana (H) Par:iqit Sudarsanacarya References xi
Sastri The Symbols of Notations XXlll
Sarilgita Sudhakara (S) Par:iqit Vi~r:iu Sarma THE DICTIONARY
Sarilgita Vijiiana Pravdika (B) - Magazines
Sarilgi taratnakara ( S) Nil)fanka Sarngadeva (with 1. Abhirudgata 1
Kallinatha and Sirilha 2 Ahhoga 1
bhiipala Tika) 3 Acala Svara 1
Sarilgi te Parivartana ( B) Harinarayar:ia 4 Acala Thata or Acala Thata 1
Mukhopadhyaya ·5. Adhicakradara .2
Science and Music (E) Sir James Jeans 6 Adhunika Sarilgita 2
Short Historical Survey 7. Aqi 2
of the Music of Upper 8 Agantuka Svara 3
India (E) A speech by Pt. V.N. 9. Ahat a 3
Bhatakhar:iqe 10. Alarilkara 3
Smrtira Atale (B) Dr. Amiyanath Sanyal 11. Alamkarika Pada 6
Souvenirs of Different 12. Alamkarika Svara 6
Musical Soirees (E&B) 13. Ala pa 6
Sura - 0 - Sarilgati (B) Dhurjatiprasada 14. Alpatva 15
Mukhopadhyaya 15. Arilga 15
Surachanda (B) Magazines 16. Arilga Pradhanya 16
Tabla-Prakafa (H) Ramasevaka Misra 17. Arilfa 16
Tabla-Sik~a (B) Durgadas Lala 18. Anagata 16
Tabla-Vadana (H) Gandharva Mahavidyal~ya 19. Anaghata 17
Theory of Musical 20. An ahat a 17
Evolution (E) Margaret H. Glyn 21. Anibaddha 17
· Treatise on the Musi<;: 22. Antara 17
of Hindustan (E) Capt. Augustus Willard 23. Antara Gandhara 17
Urdu - English Dictionary Ramanarayr:ia Lal 24. Anudatta 18
Yantrako~a (B) Raja ,,Sir Saurindramohana 25. Anuloma 18
Thakura
xiv The Dictionary of Hindustani Classical Music Contents xv
26. Anuvadi 18 67. CikarI 30
27. Apanyasa 18 68. Cilla ( Chillah) 30
28. Arcika 18 69. Classical Sarilgita 30
29. Aro ha 18 70. I;:>agara Vai:ii 31
30. Arohi Vari:ia 18 71. Daksii:ia Bharatiya 31
31. Afa or Syurilt 19 72. Damkham 31
32. Asraya Raga 19 73. Ddi Sarilgita 31
33. Asthayi 19 74. Dha 31
34. ASvakranta 19 75. DhacJi 31
35. Atat 19 76. Dhaivata 31
36. Ati Komala 19 77. Dhamara 32
37. Atita 19 78. Dhatu 32
38. AucJuva or AucJava 20 79. I;:>hima Laya 33
39. Avarda 20 80. Dhrupada 33
4Q. Avaroha 20 81. Dhuna 34
41. Avarohi 20 82. Dhuya 34
42. BacJhat or BacJhat 20 83. Dhvani 34
43. Bahutva 21 84. Druta Laya 35
44. Bai 21 85. Dumni or Domni 35
45. Baj 21 86. Garn aka 35
46. Baril ta 22 87. Gana 37
47. Bandis .or Bandeja 22 88. Gandhara 37
48. Barabara 22 89. Gandhara Grama 38
49. Bern amc a 23 90. Gat 38
50. Bemafija 23 91. Gathika 39
51. Bhajana 23 92. Gat i 39
52. Bhao 23 93. GaucJi Giti 39
53. Bhava 23 94. Gayaka 39
54. Bherua or BhacJva 24 95. Gayaka Do~as 40
55. Bhinna Giti 24 96. Gayaka Gui:ias 40
56. Bidari 24 97. Gazal (Ghazal) 41
57. Bola or Vai:ii .2 6 98 . Gharana 41
58. Cakradara 28 99. Gha~it 42
59. Cal a 28 100. Gita 42
60. Calana 28 101. Gita Bidari 42
61. Capa ka 28 102. Gita Khai:icJa 42
62. Caturanga
28 103. Giti 42
63. Chanda
29 104. Gi~ari 43
64. Chayalaga 29 105. Gobarahara Vai:ii 43
65. ChecJ 29 106. Graha 43
66. Chiit 29 107. Grama 44
xvii
xvi The Dictionary of Hindustani Classical Music Contents
108. Halak Tana 44 149. Lacava Thumrl 57
57
109. Halka 44 150. Laqaguthao
57
110. Harmony 44 151. Laqalapet,a
57
111. Hindustani Paddhati 46 152. Laql
57
112. Imdadkhanl 46 153. Ll.gdamt
57
113. Jabaqa 48 154. Laggl
114. Janaka Raga 48 155. Laghu Sarhglta 58
58
115. Janya Raga 48 156. Lahara
58
116. Jati 48 157. Lahara-Gat
59
117. J avab Sarhgat 50 158. Ll.sya
59
118. Jhala 50 159. Laya
60
119. Jharhkara 50 160. Layakarl
62
120. ]hara 50 161. Madhya Laya
62
121. Jhatka 50 162. Madhya Saptaka
62
122. Joq 50 163. Madhyama
62
123. Joyarl or Javarl 51 164. Madhyama Grama
124. ]uqi Tar 51 165. Marhca (Manca) 62
125. Kaqi Madhyama 51 166. Marhdra Saptaka (Mandra Saptaka) 63
126. Kaisikl Ni~ada 51 167. Marhjadar or Mamjhadar 63
63
127. Kakall Ni~ada 51 168. Mamjha or Marhja
128. Kala 52 169. Marga Sarhgl ta 63
129. Kalavana (Qalawfoa) 52 170. Masidkhanl or ivlasitkhanl 63
66
130. Kampana 52 171. Mata
71
131. Kal).a 52 172. Matha
71
132. Karnataka Paddhati (Carnatic System) 52 173. Matra
71
133. Kattara 52 174. Matsarilqta
71
134. Kattara Jhala 52 175. Mat u
71
135. Kawal (Qawwal) 52 176. Mela
71
136. Kayada (Qaeda) 53 177. Melakarta
72
137. KhaJ.lQara VaJ.11 53 178. Metronome
72
138. Kharaja 53 179. MIQ
139. Kharaja Parivartana 53 180. Mlqakhal).Qa 72
72
140. Khatka 54 181. Miras!
141. Khayal 54 182. Moqedar 72
73
142. Khuli 55 183. Moh ara
73
143. Klrtana 55 184. Mrdu
74
144. Kamala Svara 56 185. Mu di
145. Krama 56 186. Mudi Bolas 74
74
146. Krntana 56 187. -MUdra
74
147. Kuaql and Baraql 56 lS8. Mukha
148. Kuta Tana 57 189. Mukhaqa, Mohaqa or Moqa 74