A Cross-Cultural Study on Indian Folk Music - sersc
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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No.9s, (2020), pp. 4301-4305
A Cross- Cultural Study on Indian Folk Music
1*
Sruthi Saji and Dr. Sreelakshmi N.2
1*
PhD Research Scholar, Department of English and Languages, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi
Campus
2
Assistant Professor, Department of English and Languages, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi
Campus
Abstract
Music always held a considerable place in Indian tradition. The diversity in the culture and tradition of India
leads to diverse music as well, especially in the regional music category. Folk songs are given prominence in
this study due to its value in marking what Indian tradition is. A cross-cultural study is made in-depth for
analyzing the cross-sections of Indian society paving way for miscellaneous cultures. The introduction will have
a brief history on the formation of Indian music, which thereby was developed and reshaped over centuries.
This paper particularly analyzes the question of whether there are any common factors connecting such
diversifying music or are they diverse in all the sense, how culture shapes art(music), paving way for defining a
specific community. And it also studies on how emotional aspects of music are similar among cultures which
help to validate the psychological theories of music and emotion. A historical-comparative reading with a
briefing on the culture and tradition of different states of India and the psychological intervention along with it
adds on to contributing knowledge as well.
Keywords: Indian Folk Music, Cross-cultural study, Culture, Emotion
INTRODUCTION
Music plays a prominent role in the shaping of a society. Even though music has its own peculiarities, it is
divergent in different cultures. It has its own unique inference in different cultures. Likewise, music in India is
also unique. Speaking of the Indian music, its tradition and culture, it dates back to the three thousand year old
paleolithic and neolithic cave paintings at UNESCO world heritage site at Bhimbheka rock shelters in Madhya
Pradesh. Indian has its own variety which is prominently divided into classical music and folk music. Classical
music which includes Carnatic music and Hindustani music was particularly used in peninsular regions and
northern, eastern and central regions respectively which were sung on the basis of shruti, swaras, alankar, raga
and tala. Hindustani Music dates back to the Vedic times which was diverged and reformed from Islamic
influences. It had been later on established at Pakistan and Bangladesh too. Persian performance practices of
Mughals were also influenced in its formation. Carnatic music had its beginning at 14 th and 15th century AD. It
had been originated in South India during the rule of Vijayanagar empire where in the dias, the
keerthanas(songs) had been composed and sung by Puranthara Dasa. And mostly they were performed in
improvised singing styles with fixed compositions.
Folk songs always held an important place in Indian history and tradition. The main peculiarity considering
Indian folk music is that as India is a nation of diverse cultures of different states, most of the states have its
own folk culture and tradition. And they are basically made in accordance with the traditional customs and
practices that a specific community had been following throughout the years. Therefore, folk music in Indian
had always been diverse in all its sense. Though it shares some of the common features, all are different when it
comes to the singing styles as well as occasions. This paper will be mainly studying on whether they are same or
what makes them different in all the sense. Earliest history of folk music trace back to Vedic literature which
was around 1500 BC. Pandavani is considered as one of the earliest folk music which is believed to be as old as
Mahabharata. Folk songs were initially used for community based festivals and to celebrate some special events.
It also helped in passing prominent knowledge from one generation to another. Tribal music was mixed up with
folk music, but considering folk music alone, they not only provided entertainment, but also imparted critical
information. All states of India have got different folk tradition and music. The style of singing and the usage of
instruments differ according to the culture of different states. Let’s have a brief look onto some of the different
folk music of India.
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Vol. 29, No.9s, (2020), pp. 4301-4305
METHODS
This paper will be dealing mainly with a cross-cultural study on the folk music of India. Culture is the most
important property that connects everything in a society. Cultures vary according to different contexts. India is
a country dealing with various cultures. As each state of India deals with different tradition and customs, they
also carry down different cultures. This led me in studying on the cross-cultural aspects of music, especially folk
music in India. Though every musical piece shares a common title as folk, they have different names, titles,
styles of singing and composition and different occasions to being used. A comparative study will be made on
the folk songs of India and will study on whether they share the same features or are they diverse somehow;
what makes it different and how culture shapes in the formation of different art forms. No primary materials are
taken into consideration in this study. Basically the secondary texts dealing commonly with the folk songs of
India, belonging to different states and their common features will be used for analysis. A comparative reading
of all the songs will help to find out about different features that connects them. A systematic study will be
made comparing culture to culture. This study will also focus onto the emotional aspects of music and whether
they are similar across cultures. This can also be used to validate the psychological theories of music and
emotion.
DISCUSSION AND RESULTS
Folk music of India
The folk musical forms of Jammu & Kashmir are mainly Hafiz Nagma, Surma, Ladishah, Chakri, etc. Based on
the classical music form ‘Sofiyiana Kalam,’ ‘Hafiz Nagma’ was introduced in the Mughal era. Sung in Dogri
language, ‘Surma’ narrates the anxiety of a woman, whose husband serves in the Army. A satirical form of
singing, ‘Ladishah’ narrates the social and political conditions of the state. Chakri is one of the most important
folk music of the state. As it narrates famous love stories, it is often sung at weddings. The important folk music
of Himachal Pradesh is Jhoori and Ainchaliyan. Jhoori is a satirical form of singing, associated with extra-
marital relations. The songs are often accompanied by dance performances. Ainchaliyan is a type of religious
songs often sung to a newly-wed bride or to an unmarried girl, who is expected to get married in near future.
The prominent folk music of Uttar Pradesh is Rasiya, Birha, Kajari and Qawwali. Rasiya songs narrate the love
stories of Radha and Krishna. Themes used in Birha folk songs often revolve around the separation of lovers.
Kajari songs are used to describe a woman’s longing for her lover. Qawwali is a form of Sufi music often sung
for devotional purposes.
Punjab’s folk music are Tappa, Bhangra and Jugni. Originated from the folk songs of ancient Punjab, ‘Tappa’
often depicts the plight of a lover. Bhangra is the most popular folk music of Punjab. It is also one of the oldest
forms of music in India. The music is often accompanied by the famous Bhangra dance. Jugni is an ancient form
of folk music, which is often used in Punjabi weddings. Uttarakhand’s folk music, Jhoda are the songs that are
usually sung by two groups of people and are often accompanied by a group dance involving men and women.
One of the most important music forms of Uttarakhand, ‘Thadya’ was originally performed in royal courts. Ja-
Jin- Ja is a form of folk music of Arunachal Pradesh that is sung by a group of singers, comprising of both men
and the women folk. Often sung during special occasions and festivals, ‘Baryi’ narrates mythological stories and
the state’s rich history. Sung during weddings, Nyioga is one of the popular folk music of Arunachal Pradesh.
Maand is a popular form of folk music of Rajastan, which sounds similar to ‘Thumri’ or ‘Ghazal. ‘Pabuji Ki
Phach’ honors Pabuji, who was a historical hero of the Bhopa community. It also narrates the splendor and
tradition of Rajasthan. Developed by the women folk of Rajasthan, ‘Panihari’ narrates the importance of water.
Performed mainly by the women folk, ‘Sohar’ is a folk song of Bihar that is usually sung during childbirth.
Sumangali is performed in groups during weddings. It is believed that these folk songs have a positive impact
on the groom..
Sikkim’s folk music includes Gha To Kito and Lu Khangthamoo. Often accompanied by dance performances,
‘Gha To Kito’ describes the natural beauty of the state. Performed by the young and old folks, ‘Lu Khangthamo’
is basically a thanksgiving song. Sung by a group of people, ‘Khubakeshei’ is a type of devotional folk music of
Manipur. Jharkand’s dolk music are Domkach, Jhumar and Bhajan. Often accompanied by a dance
performance, ‘Domkach’ is one of the most popular music forms of Jharkhand. Like many other folk songs of
Jharkhand, Jhumar too, is always accompanied by a dance performance. Bhajan is a form of devotional folk
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music of Gujarat, which is sung to seek the blessing of gods and goddesses. ‘Garba’ songs also belong to
Gujarat ; were introduced in order to accompany the famous dance form of the same name. Much like ‘Garba,’
‘Dandiya’ songs are usually used as an accompaniment to the popular dance form, ‘Dandiya Raas,’ which is
performed during festivals in Gujarat. Banvarh, Deknni and Fughri are the three import folk music of Goa. Sung
in funerals, ‘Banvarh’ is a song used to mourn the death of the loved ones. Often accompanied by dance
performances, ‘Deknni’ is a popular art form in Goa. Performed during religious occasions, ‘Fughri’ is often
accompanied by dance performances. Performed by an artisan group called ‘Madiga Dappu,’ this music form is
used during various occasions in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana. ‘Oggu Katha’ narrates the mythological tales
of gods and goddesses. Suvvi paatalu is another one of Andhra Pradesh and Telungana which are usually
performed by the women folk. The songs are in the form of question and answers and are performed in groups.
Jaanapada Geethe is the folk music of Karnataka which is a collection of folk songs that narrate the everyday
lives of people.
India as culturally diverse and the usage of folk music
India is a land of ‘Unity in Diversity’. The most important speciality of India is that even though every states
have their own cultural heritage and tradition, they are united. Every place differs in their culture, customs,
tradition, the way of living, language, food, etc. Music has always been an important aspect of the people of
India. The rich cultural diversity of India had greatly contributed to the formation of Folk music of various
forms. Every region in India has their own forms of folk music depending upon their way of life. As the word
suggests, folk music is closely associated with farming and such professions. To be said, it actually lost its real
value due to the advent of pop music and rap, but it is to be mentioned that no festivals or traditional
celebrations would be complete without a folk song. The reason behind its formation and its usage is almost
common for all the states. But the way in which it is sung and the style and occasion seems different for all
states. Speaking about the importance of folk music, it often plays a very prominent role in the socio-religious
reforms of India, especially the South Indian region. The ones who compose these songs were mostly the
leaders belonging to a specific religious community and they composed these in order to bring out the problems
in the society as to fight against them. Later on, it was cherished on by the people of that community as their
own songs. And some folk songs were particularly composed to mark the celebration, festivals, cropping,
farming, etc. So every songs marked its diversity.
Folk music is also considered to be helpful for educational purposes too. Sex education is taught in places like
Andhra Pradesh. It is actually taught as a practice or custom that they usually follow; ie; when a girl has her first
mensus, there is a custom of singing a folk song and cleaning her up and rebuilding her. This is actually a
custom that has widely been followed over the rural regions of Andhra Pradesh. Folk music and farming are
very closely related. It is noticeable that most of the folk songs, especially the ones sung in Kerala, Sikkim, etc
were made to be sung mostly during the crop cultivation period and they were sung as to praise God. Folk music
was mostly sung by women and most of the northern states used them in order to mark the weddings, anxieties
of women, the separation of lovers, etc.
Are they diverse? Is there a common factor connecting them?
Folk songs differ for every states in India. The way they are composed, the way they are sung and used, seem to
be different in all the sense. But there are certain features connecting them. It is seen that music in India had
been formed from the influence of various religions. That is, Carnatic music was basically composed at the
palaces of Mughal emporers and while considering the features of the compositions, it is evident that most of
the keerthanas were composed by Hindu musicians and therefore were based on Hindu epics, Mahabharata and
Ramayana. Also, Hindustani music had been formed from Islamic influences. Especially, Sufi music is seemed
to be one of the important streams which has a close resemblance to Hindustani music. As already mentioned,
apart from India, Hindustani music had its wide influences in Pakistan and Bangladesh which is basically
considered to be muslim nations. So it’s evident that Hindustani music had been formed out of Islamic
influences. Likewise, folksongs also had a great influence of religion in them. In most of the folk songs, we can
see that they actually follow the basic traditions and customs of religions and the religious practices are actually
given a boost with folk music.
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One of the other factors connecting folk music is the spirit behind the people of a community. This is what leads
some of the people to compose songs connecting the insecurities and problems that the lower class face. It is
evident that in some of the states in India, there are many people who had to face this problem of deprivation
since they belong to lower caste and community, for example, dalits are one of such categories who are deprived
of their rights. So in order to fight such consequences, some of the literate leaders among them or may be
outside may rise to fight for them through their compositions whether they be musical or just plays which can be
played on streets. These kind of music were mostly violent, but had a tone of melancholy in them. The spirit of
common people leads them to accept and take hold of such songs and make them as the common song of their
community. So here we can see that folk songs with such powerful lyrics and music were composed in order to
fight for the poor class people and this was considered as one of the other factors connecting the folk genre in
India, especially South India.
Folk Music and Emotion
Folk music is the music that evokes emotions. But the emotive effect of folk music varies according to the
composition of the song and the way and purpose of which it is written. Mostly the emotion of folk songs is
depicted on singing. The question is that in Western music, it is evident that the emotional aspects of music are
almost similar across cultures. But here, in Indian folk music, are they similar or not? Yes, some music shares
the same emotion. But mostly, they are different. As already mentioned, folk music is mainly written on two
purposes; the first one being written for celebrating special occasions and the other one as a representation of a
community as a protest. So as far as both purposes are concerned, individually the basic motives are same
among them. That is, if a folk song written for an occasion is considered, it’s clear that the purpose will be
mostly happy moments where the traditional customs might be followed and celebrated. There might be folk
songs made in order to praise God and deities. In such cases also the emotional aspect remains the same. But in
other cases like the ones written for the uprisal of lower classes, the emotion seems different from the other
ones. Here we could see an emotion of protest and the lyrics written, the music composed and the instruments
used in the music might be much stronger which even denotes a sharp tone of outcry and revolt. So the
emotions evoked through folk music across the cultures are different.
Though they are the music from divergent cultures, they share some of the common features as well. People
from different cultures do not respond to music in the same way. They all depend upon the cultures and tradition
that they have been learned till then, from their family and society. They are just forced to follow the culture and
thereby, their capability of human musicality are also culturally developed and shaped. Our native language also
affects the way we hear and experience music. So by doing a cross-cultural study, it is evident that culture is the
primary aspect in the building up of diverse folk music in India.
CONCLUSION
From the study made, it is seen that the folk music in Indian varies according to cultural differences. Looking
onto different states, it is evident that each state of Indian shows its difference in its culture and tradition, and
this leads to a difference in everything that follows it. This happens to the music in there too. Even though they
share the common title of being folk, the culture they follows and the tradition that build them up marks the
difference. Being different states, they produce different music used for different purposes. India as a country
which is culturally diverse, it marks a diversity in all its streams thereby shaping art, especially music that varies
in its styles, forms, lyrics, language, usage according to religion, age, etc. One of the other important feature is
that of the difference in the interest in musical types to people belonging to different age groups. We can see
that all the people belonging to different age groups have got difference in the types of music they are listening
to. As the culture varies, the interest of the people also varies, where some accept the traditional forms of folk
music, where as the others just hate such forms of music. So the people who compose new forms of folk music
in the form of albums or popular folk music also have diverse spirit and thoughts behind their compositions.
Emotion is another factor connecting them, or in other words, might be the factor that diversifies them,
ironically. Emotions of the composers seem to be different rather than the ones sharing the common feature of
penning down for the poor. Folk music emerges and lives as an expression that is culture specific to the
community they belong to. Therefore, culture plays an important role in shaping the society, where society
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creates art and music, shapes them according to the variation in culture and traditions that had been leading
them throughout their lives.
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