The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c5.22

c5.22

Other works in the vernaculars have been written by practical musicians who really do possess the knowledge they try to impart, but will not do so without mixing it with the absurdities of these so-called Pandits. The fear of criticism or ridicule is one cause of this; but it is also due to the great dislike all native musicians have to imparting instruction to any but a favoured few; indeed, they rather prefer that the general public should continue in ignorance. This has, naturally enough, tended to hinder the growth of a popular taste for music until quite within the past few years. Societies, such as the Gayan Samaj of Poona and Madras, have recently sprung up and are doing much to encourage popular music; with the advance of general education there has been a growing feeling in favour of teaching singing in the schools, and in future years it is to be hoped that all such idle prejudices will have been rooted out completely, and that the study of the national music of the country will occupy, as it should, a foremost place in all Indian schools.