History of Indian Music and Major Acharyas and Composers
What the exam tests
History questions ask for acharyas, their texts, and the contribution of composers to Hindustani music. You need dates only where they are secure; contributions matter more.
Core rules
- Bharata: Natyashastra; discusses 22 shrutis, grama and murchhana.
- Matanga: Brihaddeshi; uses raga as a technical term with lakshana.
- Sarangadeva: Sangita Ratnakara; consolidates raga, tala and prabandha.
- Amir Khusrau: tradition credits him with qawwali and early tarana-style forms.
- Tansen: court musician of Akbar; associated with Miyan ki Malhar, Miyan ki Todi and Darbari Kanada.
- Sadarang (Niamat Khan) and Adarang (Feroz Khan): shaped the khayal in the Mughal court.
- V. N. Bhatkhande (1860-1936): systematic notation, Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati, music conferences and institutional teaching.
- V. D. Paluskar (1872-1931): founded Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in 1901, promoted notation and public music education.
Worked example
Who first used the word raga in a technical sense? Answer: Matanga in Brihaddeshi. Reasoning: Bharata's Natyashastra deals with shruti, grama and murchhana; the developed idea of raga with defining phrases appears later. Do not credit the 22 shrutis to Sarangadeva.
Traps
- Making Tansen the founder of Hindustani music.
- Confusing Bhatkhande's notation with Paluskar's.
- Attributing Sangita Ratnakara to Matanga.
- Giving legendary claims as certain history.