Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s1.t3.35

v2.c11.s1.t3.35

**Indian Folk Music:** The Indian people are good at singing and dancing and the folk music is widely spread. The classical music is mainly for satisfaction of aesthetic needs while the folk music has many social functions. People cannot live without music in the productive labour and daily life. After harvest, when getting married or having children, people usually tend to gather together singing and dancing to celebrate. In India, from Kashmir to Cape Comorin, from Assam hills to Rajasthan’s Thar Desert, we can hear the melody from different nationalities with the graceful singing and rich in regional style and vitality. For example, Kashmirian songs are exquisite with strong Persia style while Tamilians living in the south have kept the ancient Indian Dravidian culture. The range of Indian folk music is also very extensive and many folk songs can even reach three octaves. A large number of Indian singing and dancing movies have also promoted the development of Indian folk music. Since the late 20ᵗʰ century CE, western pop music started to be introduced into India, which was welcomed by some urban youths.