Historical Development of Indian Music: A Critical Study c8.45

c8.45

The newly evolved *jātirāga* songs were known as the pure parent type of music of the beginning of the classical age, and they were named after the initial letters of the seven *laukika* or *deśi* notes, *ṣadja*, *ṛṣabha*, *gāndhāra*, etc., They were possessed of ten characteristics like sonant (*vādi* or *aṃśa*), consonant (*samvādi*), assonant (*anuvādi*), melodic movements or *varṇas*, spanning of the scale or *mūrcchanā*, notes like initial (*graha*) and final (*nyāsa*), etc. The *jātis* were both melodies and songs themselves, like the *rāgagītis*, as mentioned by Mataṅga of the fifth-seventh century, but the *jātis* were the source or forerunners of both the *grāmarāgas* and the *rāgagītis*. The *jāti* type of melodies had their full play in the ancient scales or *grāmas* like *ṣadja*, *gāndhāra* and *madhyama*, with three registers or *sthānas* and successions of notes, in their ascending and descending orders. They were impregnated with eight emotional sentiments and moods. Different musical instruments like lute or *Vīṇā*, flute or *Veṇu*, cymbal and different types of drum followed them. In the *Rāmāyaṇa* (400 B.C.) we find the practice of pure seven *jātirāga-gānas*. The wandering Bards, Kuśa and Lava, were efficient in both Vedic and Classical types of music, and they were trained by their Master Vālmīki.