Comparison between Persian Music and Indian Music by Shraman Sen ( Section 2)

Shraman Sen ( Section 2)

The objective of this narrative is to provide a written explanation of the early connections between Middle Eastern ( Primarily Persian) and South Asian melodic forms and how such connections can reflect the influences the former had on the latter’s ancient and contemporary culture.  In this narrative, I will endeavor to primarily establish the connection between melodic systems of Irani or Persian classical music and South Asian classical music. The former is know as the Dastgah system and the latter is called the Raga system. The Indian Raga system flourished during the Mongol and Pathan invasion of India. Many of the musical melodies of the system became influenced by their Persian counterparts. With music came the inflow of other elements from the Middle East which shaped South Asian culture, such as modes of architecture, styles of writing, and different varieties of clothing. I will strive to evaluate how such ancient cultures influences between the two regions lingered on in the contemporary lifestyles of the Middle East and South Asia.

The gist of my narrative will deal with the musical connections between the Middle East ( primary the Persian region) and South Asia. After briefly marking a comparison between the Persian melodic system, Dastgah, and its Indian counterpart, Raga system, I will shift my focus to the invention of a prominent Indian classical instrument, the sitar. Although invented in the Indian subcontinent, the sitar has many influences from the Persian region. I will analyze this further as the narrative progresses.

As mentioned before, the Dastgah is the system of  melodic forms utilized by Persian classical compositions. Though not comprising of as many melodic forms as its Indian counterpart, the Dastgah system, which consists of 7 melodic forms, serves as the central figure of all Persian/Irani classical compositions. The rules associated with the Dastgah are not fixed and allows the performer to embrace a great deal of improvisation. It is important to note that each of the melodic  forms under the Dastgah system has sub-modes called Gushehs. There are several Gushehs which makes each performance in Irani classical music unique as the performer is given the liberty to choose the type of Gushehs to play.

The melodic system of Indian music which parallels the Dastgah system is called the Raga system. A Raga is a melodic form, each of which consists of general patterns which the performer must abide by. However, just like the Dastgah system, the performer is given ample liberty to improvise, hence every performance is quite unique.

A striking example of a prominent connection between the two melodic forms lies in the formation of the most fundamental Indian Raga, Raga Yaman. Although first established in the Indian subcontinent, Raga Yaman is said to have received substantial influences from its Persian counterpart, Ei’man. Together, with Persian and Vedic influences, Raga Yaman was born. Many other Indian Ragas share striking resemblances with Persian melodic forms, indicating an obvious musical exchange between the two regions.

In the instrument world, there is an obvious connection between the percussions of the two musical forms. In Perisa, a tombak is used widely to provide rhythm for Irani compositions. The tombak is strikingly similar to the tabla, an Indian instrument which is used to provide rhythm for South Asian compositions.

Let us now establish a primary aspect regarding how the music between the two regions could serve as a reflection of the culture between the two regions. As mentioned before, I play the sitar, a stringed instrument invented in the Indian subcontinent by famous philosopher, Amir Khusro. Interestingly, when one looks at the etymology, he or she will realize that the word

“ sitar” comes from the Persian word “sehtar” which , in its literal definition, means three strings. An evident relationship is present here the languages of the two regions.

Additionally, it is important to note that while Amir Khusro introduced significant compositions and singing styles ( which eventually became applicable to instruments as well) to Indian classical music, he received a lot of influence from Persia. This means that a lot of the tunes to Indian music are strikingly similar to tunes of the Middle East, once again showing the cultural relationship between the two regions. I will endeavor to show the similarities between the two types of compositions in my audio recording.

To bring one final example, allow me to bring an example from modern entertainment. It is no secret that many Bollywood  ( Indian film industry) films have many songs which have melodies influenced by the Middle East. For example, the Bollywood film “ Ek Tha Tiger” has melodies which have an obvious connection to the Middle East. Additionally, during the music videos, Middle Eastern clothing and decorations were depicted, further highlighting how the musical relationship between the two regions could indicate the cultural similarities.

I ,Shraman Sen, am a student of economics and mathematics. I also play the sitar, a popular Indian classical instrument.