Ragas and Raginis: A Pictorial and Iconographic Study of Indian Musical Modes Based on Original Sources c10.212

c10.212

The latest poet who has bequeathed to us a dissertation on Indian music in Hindī is a modern poet of great distinction who wrote voluminous verses on a variety of topics under the pen-name of Bhānu Kavi, and which were collected and published under the title of Kāvyaprabhākar.² This volume treats of various conventions at topics, which it has been the practice of old Hindī poets to write verses upon. The topics are divided under 15 chapters (mayukhas), the second chapter being devoted to music (Sangīta). As explained in the short preface to this chapter, the author's materials are derived from older authorities and treatises e.g. Mūlādhār, Rāga-ratnākar and others. Bhānu Kavi, has thought fit to give us a short metrical treatise on music with a complete rāga-mālā text for the current rāga-system. As pointed out above, his verses describing the iconography of