| I
often travel within U.S. and Canada to accompany visiting Carnatic musicians
on the mirudangam or to speak at universities about Indian music. A question
that is frequently asked during these visits, not only by Westerners but
also by people of Indian-origin is, "Is Indian music, religious music?"
My answer is: Yes and No.
The
word 'religion' can be interpreted in many ways. If we interpret 'religion'
to mean the faith, practices and biases of a specific community, then
no, Indian music is not religious music. If we interpret 'religion'
to mean a path that guides us to universal values - values that help
us rise above prejudices and limitations and realize the true purpose
of our lives - then yes, Indian music is religious music. Yeats, the
famous Irish poet, says that while it is complex in theory and practice,
Indian music is not just an art but description of life itself.
Indian
classical music is one of the oldest, if not the oldest music system,
in the world. As early as 400 B. C., classical music systems began to
develop in India. The Vedas, written thousands of years ago provide
the earliest reference to Indian music. One of the ritual elements of
the Vedas is the chant. The chants are musical expositions and are used
for individual and group recitation of mantras. Epic stories such as
the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha, the Buddhist scriptures and the Brahminical
literature also provide references to music and musicians. Similar references
to the development of music can be found in the medieval and modern
literatures. Further analysis of this literature shows that while the
compositions frequently used religious and mythological anecdotes, music,
as an art, had developed independently of the Hindu religions. Music
was not treated as an integral part of the religious rituals but as
a separate cultured and aesthetic activity. In other words, in India,
music was always considered a secular art.
If
Indian music is indeed a secular art, then why does it contain so many
mythological and religious references? Music, like any other art form,
is created by people and is an expression of their lives and culture.
For thousands of years, the heroes and villains of mythology were household
names in India. The legends and tales of these heroes and villains filled
Indian households and even today, they are featured prominently in films,
magazines and comic books. The stories have created larger-than-life
images of these characters and produced reverence and awe in the minds
of children and adults alike. Therefore, it is no surprise that, to
the Indian poets and composers, the mythological stories and the players
from these stories were a never-ending source to decorate and embellish
the music. Although the composers viewed music as a divine activity,
they did not use these stories as an excuse to promote their personal
agenda or publicize religious faith or orchestrated rituals. In their
view, music is a powerful tool and it must be used to affect social
change -- to convey important social messages and the central truths
of human existence.
The
twin belief that music is a divine activity and music can be used to
trigger social change - encouraged these poets and composers to draw
examples from Hindu mythology. The composers believed that using mythology
and religion as a background would be an effective way to convey the
sublime messages of wisdom put forth by visionaries throughout the ages.
People can identify with the mythological and religious stories that
they grew up hearing. Thus, with the addition of music to the description
of gods and goddesses and their lives, the listener can be transported
from the ordinary world to a higher spiritual and moral world. We can
find support for these notions in thousands of compositions written
by hundreds of composers. However, I will cite from the work of one
of the best-known music composers of Indian music, Saint Thyagaraja.
Saint
Thyagaraja lived in Tiruvayar, a small hamlet on the banks of the river
Cauvery in Tamilnadu. Thyagaraja was born in a society that was divided
by caste. The people from his community followed the religious rituals
meticulously but ignored the inner wisdom and meaning of these rituals.
Thyagaraja, a revolutionary, decided that he should use his compositions
to highlight the society's ills and point to values and conduct necessary
to overcome these ills. Drawing frequently from the Ramayana and its
hero, Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu), Thyagaraja illustrated the importance
of ethical and moral conduct in several of his compositions. He described
Rama's life and how Rama accepted misery with fortitude and never swerved
from the righteous path. Although Thyagaraja worshipped Rama and used
Rama as the principal character in most of his compositions, he never
promoted Rama as the only god or his religious beliefs as the only path
to salvation. On the contrary, he advises us against using our religion
or beliefs to discriminate against people of different faiths. In the
words of Thyagaraja, God does not care whether you are an Advaitist
or a Dwaitist (followers of the two major Hindu philosophies). For the
truly liberated, labels and names make no difference. A truly religious
person is one who transcends divisions and denominations (in other words,
it does not matter whether you are a Hindu, a Christian, or a Muslim).
Thyagaraja's
compositions also contain messages about every day life and its activities.
He claims that the purpose of education should not be to earn money
or to publicize one's accomplishments. Education should be used to mold
ones character and knowledge must be used to benefit ones society. A
donkey or a mule that carries a load of books on its back does not become
a scholar. Likewise, Thyagaraja also criticizes blind adherence to religious
rites without understanding the true meaning behind these rituals. He
says rituals for rituals' sake is useless; one must strive to use the
ritualistic practices to develop mental discipline. "What is the purpose
in doing pooja by ringing a bell, burning camphor, and sitting cross
legged, if all the while your mind is racing and thinking of money,
wealth, and power?" The birds and the fish bathe in water several times
a day. Does that make them spiritually liberated? The Stork and the
Crane stand on the banks of the river on one leg. Does that mean they
are doing penance and praying? They too are following their own rituals
but cannot claim spiritual enlightenment from this alone. The religious
rituals are vital to our lives. But, like the stork and the crane, the
rituals should not be used to obtain immediate gratification but should
be used to cleanse ourselves physically and mentally.
On
personal responsibilities, Thyagaraja says that we are responsible for
our actions. "No one else is responsible but I for my happiness and
sorrow." There is no point in asking an external God to save us from
internal misery. Inside each of us there resides a God and a Devil.
Poets and philosophers from other cultures also emphasize this view.
Schopenhauer, the German philosopher, says, "If you are looking for
God outside of yourself you are wasting your time." Jalaludhin Rumi,
the Iranian poet, says, "If you want to see the devil, look into the
mirror." But the interplay between the devil and God within ourselves
is the age-old drama that makes us either strive for personal greatness
or succumb to the pursuit of worldly possessions. This interplay is
also reinforced by Thyagaraja's message. The religious anecdotes and
references are only a means to an end. The ultimate objective is examining
our society, our lives, and our environment and improving our surroundings.
Religious stories merely dramatize these messages and help the listener
in relating to the true meaning of what is being said. Thus I conclude
that using examples from religion and mythology do not make the songs
religious music. The illustrative tools are simply one more component
within the system of music that complement the other components such
as notes, rhythm, and the grammar - all of which are essential to support
the edifice of music.
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