The Mesmerizing Elegance of Kathak Dancers

[Indianetzone]

[font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] Traditional Indian music is a reflection of the country's extreme cultural diversity. There is a very rich legacy of cultural music in India which has been developed over several eras and spans centuries. Most often, the traditional music genre primarily includes devotional music,  [/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif]ghazal[/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] ,  [/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif]qawwali[/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif]  and patriotic songs among others. Since music can now be easily recorded, there has been seen a revival of the traditional style and its popularity remains intact. The several dozen ethnic groups in the state have contributed to a great variety and consequently we find a number of different types of traditional music which have developed over the centuries. The most well known forms and types of traditional music prevalent in India are mentioned below.[/font]

[font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif][b]Ghazal[/font][/b][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] : A Ghazal is a poetic form consisting of couplets, which share a rhyme and a refrain. The word means 'the mortal cry of a Kastori doe'. A Ghazal, thus, is a collection of couplets (called sher), which follow the rules of Matla, Maqta, Beher, Qafiya, Radif, Khayaal and Wazan. The traditional complete ghazal has a matla, a maqta, and three other shers in between. The first two shers of a ghazal have the form of a qatha. Strictly speaking, it is not a musical form, but a poetic recitation. Today, however, it is commonly conceived of as an Urdu song, with prime importance given to the lyrics. In some modernized ghazals the poet's name is hidden somewhere in the last verse, usually between the front and end of a word. The ghazal is a common song form in India and Pakistan today.[/font]

[font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif][b]Bhajan and Kirtan[/font][/b][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] : A bhajan or kirtan is a Hindu devotional song, often of ancient origin. A lot of importance is attached to the singing of Bhajans with [/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] Bhakti[/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] , ie, with loving devotion. Kirtans are deeply rooted in the tradition of the [/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] Veda[/font][font=calibri, candara, segoe, "seoge ui", oprtima, arial, sans-sarif] . Bhajans are often simple songs in lyrical language expressing emotions of love for the Divine, either for a single God/Goddess, or any number of divinities. Many bhajans feature several names and aspects of the chosen deity, especially in the case of Hindu sahasranamas, which list a divinity's 1008 names.[/font]