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Classical Music and Dance
Indian classical music and dance for CGPSC: Natyashastra, Hindustani vs Carnatic, gharanas, instruments, the eight classical dances, Chhau and the Raigarh gharana.
Prerequisites
- Architecture and Sculpture — temples were the first stages of Indian dance and music.
- Bhakti and Sufi Movements — devotional poetry supplied much of the song and dance repertoire.
- Folk Arts of Chhattisgarh — the state’s folk dances, so you can keep “folk” and “classical” apart.
The Hook: Ganesh Chaturthi in Raigarh
Connect
Every year around Ganesh Chaturthi, the town of Raigarh hosts the Chakradhar Samaroh (चक्रधर समारोह), where Kathak dancers, vocalists and instrumentalists from across India perform. It honours Raja Chakradhar Singh (1905–1947), the ruler of Raigarh who danced, played the tabla, wrote treatises on dance and rhythm, and gave his name to the Raigarh gharana (रायगढ़ घराना) of Kathak. A few hours away, Khairagarh is home to the Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, opened in 1956 as a university for music and the fine arts.
So Chhattisgarh is part of India’s classical story. What are the two systems of Indian classical music, how is a Kathak dancer different from a Kathakali performer, and which facts do examiners keep asking?
Why it matters: Dance-to-state, instrument-to-maestro, gharana and “who wrote which treatise” questions are standard Prelims fare, and Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh gharana links the India and state halves of Paper I.
1. Foundations
| Text / idea | Facts |
|---|---|
| Samaveda (सामवेद) | Vedic hymns set to melody; traditionally the root of Indian music |
| Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र) | Attributed to Bharata Muni; dated variously between c. 200 BCE and 200 CE; the foundational treatise on drama, dance and music; describes rasa (aesthetic emotion) and bhava (feeling). Bharata lists eight rasas; shanta (peace) was added by later theorists as the ninth. The Natyashastra and the Bhagavad Gita manuscripts were added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in April 2025 |
| Brihaddeshi | By Matanga (early medieval); the first text to define raga systematically |
| Sangita Ratnakara | By Sarangadeva (13th century, Yadava court of Devagiri); last major text before music divided into two systems |
| Gita Govinda | Jayadeva (12th century); its songs (ashtapadis) are sung in Odissi and many traditions |
| Abhinaya Darpana | Attributed to Nandikeshvara; manual of gestures used in Bharatanatyam |
Basic vocabulary: swara (note; seven: sa re ga ma pa dha ni), shruti (microtone; 22 in theory), raga (melodic framework), tala (rhythmic cycle), laya (tempo).
2. Hindustani vs Carnatic
From about the 13th–14th centuries, north Indian music absorbed Persian and Central Asian influences and the two systems drifted apart.
| Point | Hindustani (हिंदुस्तानी) | Carnatic (कर्नाटक) |
|---|---|---|
| Region | North, Central, East and West India | South India |
| Influences | Persian and Central Asian, plus Indian | Largely indigenous, temple-centred |
| Raga classification | 10 thaats (V.N. Bhatkhande) | 72 melakartas (Venkatamakhin, Chaturdandi Prakashika, 17th century) |
| Emphasis | Improvisation; ragas linked to time of day and season | Composition (kriti) is central; improvisation within it |
| Main vocal forms | Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Thumri, Tappa, Tarana | Varnam, Kriti, Kirtanam, Javali, Tillana, Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi |
| Key instruments | Sitar, sarod, santoor, sarangi, shehnai, tabla, pakhawaj | Veena, violin, mridangam, ghatam, nadaswaram, kanjira |
Hindustani vocal forms
| Form | Facts |
|---|---|
| Dhrupad (ध्रुपद) | Oldest surviving form; grave, devotional; popularised under Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior (late 15th–early 16th century); Tansen and Swami Haridas in tradition; the Dagar family keeps it alive |
| Dhamar | Like dhrupad, sung in dhamar tala; themes of Holi and Krishna |
| Khayal (ख़याल) | “Imagination”; flexible, improvisatory; traditionally traced to Amir Khusrau, developed by Sadarang and Adarang at Muhammad Shah “Rangila”’s court (18th century). Today the dominant form |
| Thumri | Light-classical, romantic, in Braj; flowered at Lucknow under Wajid Ali Shah |
| Tappa | Quick, ornamented; from the songs of Punjab’s camel drivers; refined by Shori Miyan |
| Tarana | Fast; uses syllables without meaning (ta, na, dir, dim); attributed to Amir Khusrau |
Gharanas of Khayal
| Gharana | Associated names |
|---|---|
| Gwalior | Usually called the oldest khayal gharana |
| Agra | Faiyaz Khan |
| Kirana | Abdul Karim Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal |
| Jaipur–Atrauli | Alladiya Khan, Kesarbai Kerkar, Kishori Amonkar |
| Patiala | Bade Ghulam Ali Khan |
| Mewati | Pandit Jasraj |
Carnatic music
- Purandara Dasa (15th–16th century, Vijayanagara period) is the “Pitamaha” (father) of Carnatic music; he set the graded lessons still used to teach beginners.
- The Trinity, all born in Tiruvarur (Tamil Nadu), 18th–19th centuries:
- Tyagaraja — Telugu kritis devoted to Rama; the annual Tyagaraja Aradhana at Thiruvaiyaru
- Muthuswami Dikshitar — Sanskrit kritis
- Syama Sastri — kritis to the goddess Kamakshi
- Other composers: Annamacharya (Tirupati, 15th century), Swathi Thirunal (king of Travancore, 19th century).
3. Instruments
The Natyashastra classifies instruments into four groups:
| Class | Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Tata vadya (तत) | Stringed | Veena, sitar, sarod, sarangi, santoor, violin |
| Sushira vadya (सुषिर) | Wind | Bansuri (flute), shehnai, nadaswaram |
| Avanaddha vadya (अवनद्ध) | Membrane (drums) | Tabla, pakhawaj, mridangam, dholak |
| Ghana vadya (घन) | Solid (struck) | Manjira, ghatam, jal tarang, kartal |
| Maestro | Instrument |
|---|---|
| Bismillah Khan | Shehnai |
| Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan | Sitar |
| Ali Akbar Khan, Amjad Ali Khan | Sarod |
| Hariprasad Chaurasia | Bansuri |
| Shivkumar Sharma | Santoor |
| Zakir Hussain, Alla Rakha | Tabla |
| Ram Narayan | Sarangi |
| Lalgudi Jayaraman, L. Subramaniam | Violin (Carnatic) |
Musicians honoured with the Bharat Ratna: M.S. Subbulakshmi (1998, the first musician), Ravi Shankar (1999), Lata Mangeshkar and Bismillah Khan (2001), Bhimsen Joshi (2009), and Bhupen Hazarika (2019, posthumous).
4. Classical Dances
The Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises eight classical dances. The Ministry of Culture also lists Chhau, making nine in its list. Options in MCQs may use either count, so read the question’s wording.
| Dance | State | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Bharatanatyam (भरतनाट्यम्) | Tamil Nadu | From the temple dance (sadir, dasiattam) of devadasis; codified by the Tanjore Quartet at the court of Serfoji II; revived by E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale (Kalakshetra, 1936). Items: alarippu, jatiswaram, shabdam, varnam, padam, tillana. Often called the “fire dance” because of its flame-like poses |
| Kathak (कथक) | North India (UP, Rajasthan) | “Katha kahe so kathak” — the storyteller; temples, then Mughal and Awadh courts; chakkars (spins), tatkar (footwork), ghungroo; the only classical dance linked with Hindustani music. Gharanas: Lucknow (Wajid Ali Shah; Birju Maharaj), Jaipur, Banaras, Raigarh |
| Kathakali (कथकली) | Kerala | 17th century, from Ramanattam and Krishnanattam; dance-drama of epic stories; traditionally all-male; elaborate make-up: pacha (green, noble heroes), kathi (proud anti-heroes), thadi (bearded), kari (black, demons and hunters), minukku (women and sages). Kerala Kalamandalam was founded by poet Vallathol Narayana Menon (1930) |
| Mohiniyattam (मोहिनीअट्टम) | Kerala | “Dance of the enchantress”; solo, female, graceful (lasya); white-and-gold costume; patronised by Swathi Thirunal, revived at Kalamandalam |
| Kuchipudi (कुचिपुड़ी) | Andhra Pradesh | Named after a village in Krishna district; dance-drama tradition of Brahmin male troupes (bhagavatulu); Siddhendra Yogi (Bhama Kalapam); tarangam — dancing on the rim of a brass plate, often with a pot of water on the head |
| Odissi (ओडिसी) | Odisha | Evidence in the Udayagiri caves; temple maharis and boy dancers gotipuas; tribhanga (three bends) and chauka (square stance); Gita Govinda; revived by Kelucharan Mohapatra and others |
| Manipuri (मणिपुरी) | Manipur | Vaishnavite Ras Lila, given form by Rajarshi Bhagyachandra (18th century); roots in Lai Haraoba; gentle, rounded movements; no ghungroo; Pung cholom (drum dance); introduced at Santiniketan by Rabindranath Tagore |
| Sattriya (सत्रिया) | Assam | Created by Srimanta Sankardev (15th–16th century) in the sattras (Vaishnava monasteries) with Ankiya Naat plays; recognised as classical by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2000 |
| Chhau (छऊ) (Ministry of Culture list) | Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal | Martial, energetic; three styles: Seraikella (Jharkhand) and Purulia (West Bengal) use masks; Mayurbhanj (Odisha) does not. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (2010) |
Chhattisgarh angle: the Raigarh gharana
- Raja Chakradhar Singh of Raigarh (1905–1947) made his court a centre for Kathak and music, drawing gurus from the Lucknow and Jaipur traditions. The Raigarh gharana grew from this blend.
- He wrote treatises on dance and rhythm, including the Nartan Sarvasvam and Tal Toyanidhi (spellings vary).
- The Chakradhar Samaroh in Raigarh around Ganesh Chaturthi keeps his memory alive.
- Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh, inaugurated on 14 October 1956 in the palace donated by Raja Birendra Bahadur Singh and Rani Padmavati Devi, is named after their daughter Indira and is often described as Asia’s first university of music and fine arts.
The state’s folk dances (Panthi, Raut Nacha, Karma, Sua, Gaur) are in Folk Arts of Chhattisgarh.
5. Theatre and UNESCO Intangible Heritage
Kutiyattam (कूडियाट्टम), from Kerala, is the only surviving tradition of Sanskrit theatre, performed in temple theatres (koothambalams).
India on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (16 elements as of October 2026, the latest being Deepavali, inscribed on 10 December 2025 at the committee session held at the Red Fort, New Delhi):
| Year | Elements |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Kutiyattam, Ramlila, Vedic chanting |
| 2009 | Ramman (Garhwal) |
| 2010 | Chhau, Kalbelia (Rajasthan), Mudiyettu (Kerala) |
| 2012 | Buddhist chanting of Ladakh |
| 2013 | Sankirtana (Manipur) |
| 2014 | Thathera brass and copper craft (Punjab) |
| 2016 | Yoga; Nowruz (multinational) |
| 2017 | Kumbh Mela |
| 2021 | Durga Puja in Kolkata |
| 2023 | Garba (Gujarat) |
| 2025 | Deepavali |
Analysis for Mains: Classical Arts and Society
- Temple to court to stage: dance moved from temple ritual (devadasis, maharis) to royal courts (Mughal, Awadh, Thanjavur, Raigarh) and then to public auditoriums and academies in the 20th century.
- Revival and reform: after the anti-devadasi laws, reformers such as Rukmini Devi Arundale and Vallathol reshaped the arts as respectable national heritage, a move debated today for sidelining hereditary performers.
- Patronage today: Sangeet Natak Akademi (inaugurated 1953), state festivals (Chakradhar Samaroh), universities (Khairagarh), and soft power through UNESCO listings.
- Chhattisgarh: a princely court (Raigarh) and a princely gift (Khairagarh) put a tribal-majority state on the classical map.
Memory Tricks
Eight dances: B-3K-M-O-M-S
Bharatanatyam (TN) · Kathak (North) · Kathakali (Kerala) · Kuchipudi (Andhra) · Mohiniyattam (Kerala) · Odissi · Manipuri · Sattriya (Assam).
Kerala has two: Kathakali (male, dance-drama) and Mohiniyattam (female, solo).
Four instrument classes: Ta-Su-A-Gha
Tata = taar (string) · Sushira = suns (breath) · Avanaddha = attached skin · Ghana = ghanta (solid bell).
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Kathak — North, Hindustani music, chakkars | vs | Kathakali — Kerala, dance-drama, heavy make-up |
| Thaat (10) — Hindustani, Bhatkhande | vs | Melakarta (72) — Carnatic, Venkatamakhin |
| Sangita Ratnakara — Sarangadeva | vs | Brihaddeshi — Matanga |
| Mayurbhanj Chhau — no masks | vs | Seraikella and Purulia Chhau — masked |
| Raigarh — Kathak gharana, Chakradhar Samaroh | vs | Khairagarh — music university (1956) |
Common Mistakes
MCQ traps
- “India has nine classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.” The Akademi’s list has eight; Chhau is added in the Ministry of Culture’s list.
- “Sattriya was among the original classical dances.” It was recognised only in 2000.
- “The Natyashastra lists nine rasas.” Bharata lists eight; shanta came later.
- “Kuchipudi is from Kerala.” It is from Andhra Pradesh.
- “Bhimsen Joshi belonged to the Gwalior gharana.” He was the best-known singer of the Kirana gharana.
Practice
All questions are original practice questions in CGPSC style, not previous-year questions.
Level 1: Foundation
- The 72-melakarta scheme of Carnatic music is associated with ______.
- The dance in which the performer may dance on the rim of a brass plate is ______.
- The Chakradhar Samaroh is held at ______ in Chhattisgarh.
Answers
- Venkatamakhin (Chaturdandi Prakashika).
- Kuchipudi (the tarangam).
- Raigarh.
Level 2: Prelims MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements:
- Sattriya was recognised as a classical dance by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2000.
- Mohiniyattam is traditionally performed by male dancers in elaborate green make-up.
- Manipuri dancers traditionally do not wear ankle bells (ghungroo).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 3 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 1 and 2 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
(a) 1 and 3 only. Statement 2 describes Kathakali (all-male, pacha green make-up), not Mohiniyattam, which is a graceful solo dance by women in white and gold. Sattriya was recognised in 2000, and Manipuri dancers perform without ghungroo.
Q2. Match List I (Musician) with List II (Instrument):
| List I | List II |
|---|---|
| A. Bismillah Khan | 1. Santoor |
| B. Shivkumar Sharma | 2. Sarod |
| C. Amjad Ali Khan | 3. Bansuri |
| D. Hariprasad Chaurasia | 4. Shehnai |
- (a) A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
- (b) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
- (c) A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3
- (d) A-4, B-1, C-3, D-2
Answer and explanation
(c) A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3. Bismillah Khan made the shehnai a concert instrument; Shivkumar Sharma did the same for the santoor; Amjad Ali Khan is a sarod maestro; Hariprasad Chaurasia plays the bansuri (flute).
Q3. According to the Natyashastra’s fourfold classification, the ghatam (clay pot) of Carnatic music is a:
- (a) Tata vadya
- (b) Sushira vadya
- (c) Avanaddha vadya
- (d) Ghana vadya
Answer and explanation
(d) Ghana vadya. The ghatam is a solid instrument struck directly, with no membrane, string or air column. Avanaddha would be correct for skin drums such as the mridangam.
Q4. The Raigarh gharana is a tradition of:
- (a) Dhrupad singing
- (b) Kathak dance
- (c) Pandavani narration
- (d) Sitar playing
Answer and explanation
(b) Kathak dance. It grew at the court of Raja Chakradhar Singh of Raigarh. Pandavani is a Chhattisgarhi folk narrative form, not a classical gharana.
Q5. Which of the following was the first element from India to be inscribed on UNESCO’s list in the 2020s?
- (a) Garba
- (b) Durga Puja in Kolkata
- (c) Kumbh Mela
- (d) Deepavali
Answer and explanation
(b) Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021). Garba followed in 2023 and Deepavali in 2025. The Kumbh Mela was inscribed in 2017.
Level 3: Mains-Style Answer Writing
Q1. (150–200 words) Compare the Hindustani and Carnatic systems of music and explain how they came to differ.
Model answer outline
- Intro: Both share roots in the Samaveda, the Natyashastra and the Sangita Ratnakara (13th century).
- Divergence: North India absorbed Persian and Central Asian influences under the Sultanate and Mughals; the south kept a temple-centred tradition.
- Comparison: thaat (10, Bhatkhande) vs melakarta (72, Venkatamakhin); improvisation-led vs composition-led; forms (dhrupad, khayal, thumri vs kriti, varnam, tillana); instruments (sitar, sarod, tabla vs veena, violin, mridangam).
- Common ground: raga and tala, guru–shishya parampara, devotional content.
- Chhattisgarh angle: Khairagarh university and Raigarh’s court show the Hindustani tradition’s reach into central India.
- Conclusion: Two systems, one grammar: diversity within shared foundations.
Quick Revision Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Natyashastra | Bharata Muni; 8 rasas; UNESCO Memory of the World (2025) |
| Sangita Ratnakara | Sarangadeva, 13th century |
| Thaat / Melakarta | 10 (Bhatkhande) / 72 (Venkatamakhin) |
| Oldest form / oldest khayal gharana | Dhrupad / Gwalior |
| Pitamaha of Carnatic music | Purandara Dasa |
| Carnatic Trinity | Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri |
| First musician Bharat Ratna | M.S. Subbulakshmi (1998) |
| SNA classical dances | 8; Chhau added in Ministry of Culture list |
| Latest SNA classical dance | Sattriya (2000) |
| Kalakshetra | Rukmini Devi Arundale, 1936 |
| Kerala Kalamandalam | Vallathol, 1930 |
| Raigarh gharana | Kathak; Raja Chakradhar Singh |
| Khairagarh university | Inaugurated 14 Oct 1956 |
| India’s 16th ICH element | Deepavali, 10 Dec 2025 |
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- The Natyashastra is the common root of Indian music, dance and drama.
- Hindustani and Carnatic differ in classification, emphasis, forms and instruments, not in basic grammar.
- Learn the eight classical dances as dance → state → one unique feature.
- Know the instrument classes and the maestro → instrument pairs.
- Chhattisgarh’s classical identity rests on Raigarh (Kathak) and Khairagarh (university).
What’s Next
- Literature and Philosophy — the poets and texts behind the songs and dance-dramas
- Festivals and Traditions of Chhattisgarh — where classical and folk arts meet the public
- Bhakti and Sufi Movements — devotional music from Kabir to the qawwali
- Painting — Ragamala paintings visualise ragas
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