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Glossary

Acchop raga
Lesser Raaga
Aftab-e-Mousiqui
An honourable title conferred on an eminent musician.
Alaap/Alapchari
Gradual unfolding and development of a raga through monosyllables and without a fixed composition.
Alankar
Notes and other features which prominently indicate a raga.
Ang
Limb or part ; Raga-ang indicates towards the root to which a given raga might belong.
Apabhramsa
Distortion of language.

Bandish
A composition that is bound within the frame of a raga. The text, normally in Brijbhasha, provides space for musical elaboration through a felicitous selection of vowels.
Baithak
Informal music session within the close proximity of the performer.
Bhajan
Devotional compositions.
Bandish
A composition that is bound within the frame of a raga. The text, normally in Brijbhasha, provides space for musical elaboration through a felicitous selection of vowels.
Barhat
Development of a Raga.
Bol
Text of the lyrics
Bol Bant
Rhythmic variations in Dhrupad or Khayal with the text of the song.
Brajbhasha
A dialect of Hindi spoken around Mathura in U.P.

Chaiti
Folk songs of Uttar Pradesh, sung in the month of Chaitra (March - April).
Chaturang
Composition with four distinct features - Khayal, bols of tabla, sargam and tarana.

Dhol
A drum popularly used for light forms of music.
Dhrupad
Ancient,structured form of classical music reigning supreme for centuries in North India before the advent of Khayal.
Dadra
Form of semi-classical compositions / idiom.
Deshi
A regional version of music, more flexible than the classical style.
Dhak
A drum instrument mainly prevalent in Bengal, essentially used during festive season.
Dhamar
Ancient form of music set to Dhamar tala of the beats, the text describing colour play between Krishna and Radha and the inhabitants of Vrindaban.
Drut
Fast tempo.

Gamaka
A melodic embellishment giving special vibratory effects.
Gayakee
Style of singing.
Gharana
A concept peculiar to Hindustani Classical music. 'Gharana' is comparable to a style or school of dance or music (vocal/ instrumental). The names of Gharanas are almost always derived from the city, district or state that the founder lived in. Various Gharanas adopted their own particular approach to presentation, technique and repertoire.
Gharana Gayakee
Authentic style of singing following a specific gharana.
Gharenadar
A musician belonging to a traditional school.
Gul
Flower (Literally) - a feature of qawwali
Guru
Preceptor who shows the life - path, guide.
Gurukul
Abode or a traditional retreat where a guru teaches his students

Kalidasa
Famous Sanskrit poet.
Kajri
Folk music of Uttar Pradesh sung during rains.
Khayal
Imagination ; elaboration of a raga with lyrical composition consisting of two stanzas.

Meend
Glissando, glide from one note to another, faintly going over the intermediate notes.
Mishra Raga
Mixture of two or more ragas.
Mridangam
Two-faced cylindrical percussion instrument used by Carnatic (South Indian) musicians.
Mukhdas
First line of a song or composition.

Pakhawaj
A cylindrical percussion drum instrument, right side having a treble face and the left side the bass. This instrument is for solo playing and also accompanies the Dhrupad singers.
Pandit
Honorary title given to an expert.
Parampara
Tradition.
Prabandha
Perfectly composed piece of music.
Pukar
A musical intonation using higher notes.
Purab ang
Characteristics of style of music prevalent in the eastern Uttar Pradesh e.g. Benaras

Raga
Aesthetically pleasing (Literal). The basis of Indian Classical Music, raga is a musical structure of five or more notes with an identity and mood.
Raga Lakshana
Notes and other features which prominently indicate a raga.
Raga Vistar
Elaboration of a raga.
Riyaz
Practice.

Sadhana
Practice with devotion.
Sadra
Khayal composition set to slow Jhaptala.
Samay
Time - period.
Sangeet
Sam (together) + Geet (Song); earlier included vocal, instrumental and dance but now used only to refer to music.
Sangeet Natak Academi
A prominent body consisting of eminent people of Music, Dance and Drama.
Sammelan
Conference
Sarangi
A bowed string instrument without frets.
Sargam
Sol -fas.
Sarod
A popular stringed instrument without frets.
Shastriya Sangeet
Classical music
Shehnai
A wind instrument resembling clarionet.
Shishya
Disciple.
Shruti
Micro Notes
Sitar
A popular stringed instrument with frets.
Soz
Emotional appeal; a kind of composition (Qawali) sung in praise of Hasan Hussain
Sufis
Muslim saints and a community.
Surshree
An honourable title given to an eminent lady musician.

Taan
Musical notes rendered with speed weaving different patterns.
Taan Pradhan
Prominence of taans.
Taan Samrat
A title awarded to musicians who excel in the rendering of taans.
Tabla
A pair of drums, the treble is played by the right hand while the left hand plays the bass.
Tala
Rhythm - cycle containing a particular number of beats.
Talim
Training, process of learning / teaching.
Tanpura
A drone instrument , usually of four strings and is commonly used by vocal musicians.
Tap Khayal
A blend of Khayal and Tappa.
Tappa
A semi-art music developed in Punjab, created by Shori Mian - and later evolved into an intricate semi classical style with bol and taan thickly knitted at every possible step.
Tarana
Idiom / composition using musical syllables based on Persian and Arabic phonemes.
Thaat
10 different sets of musical scales with seven primary notes in order of ascent and in sequence only to help categorise the maximum number of Hindustani ragas under it.
Thumri
Popular semi classical idiom.
Trivat
Idiom / composition with three prominent features - sargam, bols of tabla and tarana.

Upanishads
Old Hindu scriptures.
Urdu
A composite Hindi-Arabic language evolved by Moghul soldiers ; mother tongue of Muslims and popular for its lyrical beauty.
Ustad
Guru, Expert, honorary title given to a learned musician.

Raga Online