Music – we say is art. It, however extends beyond just art and is actually a combination of art, science and commerce. The beauty of music is its art while the combination of sound and rhythm and its resonance is one element of sound that relates to physics. The mingling of notes and its impact is chemistry and taal is all about mathematical progressions. Classical music has a mathematical precision. That, combined with sound, resonance and vibrations can do incredible things to people and to situation. There are scientific researches conducted since 1980’s in parameters like the phonetic quality and articulation patterns in Indian Classical music and its similarity and conjunction with western classical music, likewise research are being done on the Alankars like Taan Meed and Gamak, Musical scales, consonance and dissonance, shrutis and the intervals used in the Indian Classical Music performances are also subjects of extensive scientific research.
We all are familiar with stories of Tansen and Baiju Bawra which has a lot of science of sound and its effects involved. In a musical competition between the two disciples of Guru Haridas, Tansen first sang in Raag Todi and filled the atmosphere with music. Soon a small flock of deer fascinated by the music, came to Tansen and stood there. Tansen put a garland around the neck of a deer fascinated by music. As soon as the music was over, the deer frightened of the human crowd, ran away into the forest. Baiju Bawra sang Raag mrigranjani which brought that same garlanded deer back to him. Impressed with his musical genius, Akbar requested Baiju bawra to sing more. He then sang Raag Malkauns which melted a stone like wax. There is a traditional belief of Jain Agamas that Tirthankar Paramatmas deliver their religious discourse in the Malakamsa mode The religious discourse delivered in the Malakaumsa mode is capable of changing hearts of the greatest men. Likewise, Raag Jaunpuri was sung in front of Humayun which forced the flow of sentiments of mercy from his heart to people and his heart was filled with pity and he stopped the slaughtering and made the prisoners free. While Raag Deepak was sung by Tansen to light lamp, two girls Tana and Giri sang Malhara to cool the effect of heat from Raag Deepak. Raag Bhairav was sung to squeeze sugar from sugarcanes and oil from oil seeds, Raag Hindola for swinging softly, Raag Sree to comfort one with greenery even in scorching heat.
Music has a lot of significance in medical science and in modern days we hear a lot of music therapy which again is a scientific research and analysis. This however is not new. In the last three verses of Sri Ajitsanti Stotra compiled by Muni Sri Nandisena of Jain Svetambara sect mentioned the importance of chanting stotras in the morning and evening, that the person chanting and listening to these stotra will never have any diseases or if they are suffering from any disease, they will be cured of it like Defect of Blood- Punya, Malakaumsa Defect of Fat- Kalavati, Megha Malhara, Siddha Bhairava, Defect of Bone- Bhairavi and Defect of Marrow- Kedara, Darabari Kanada, Samaveda. Some musical healings that come from our ancient books are
Anaemia: Priyadarsini Samaveda, for Asthama: Puriya, Malakaumsa, Yaman, for Cancerous ailments: Nayaki Kanada, Siddha Bhairavi, Ragsri, Samveda. Nervousness can be curtailed by: Ahira Bhairavi, Puriya. For Heart Disease: Bhairavi, Sivaranjani, Ahilya Bilaval for High Blood Pressure: Hindola, Puriya, Kaunsi Kanada. Acidity can be cured with Raag Marwah, Dipaka, Kalavati like Mental Disease can be cured with Lalita, Kedara. Ulcer can be treated with Madhuvanti Dipaka, Skin Disease with Megha Malhara, Multani, Madhuvanti. For Diabetes Jaunapuri, Jayjayvanti are very effective for Colour Blindness Kaumsi Kanada, Multani are very helpful. For a High Fever: Malakaumsa, Vasanta Bahara and for Insomnia: Bhairavi, Dipaka, Bhagyasri proves beneficial.
During the Vedic times, Rishis would study different sound vibrations and the effects of it on the human body. They would practice tonal patterns and its connection with human mind, body and soul. In temple, priests would chant Vedic shlokas.
For the modern science, music is all about vibration. Where there is sound, there is bound to be vibration. For a person who cannot recognize the completeness of the sound, music is just a noise as he is just hearing bits and pieces of vibrations. For a person who listens and understands the wholeness of the sound, everything is music. The chirping of birds is music, the sound of the flowing water is music and the sound of a baby laughing is music. There is no sound in the world that is not music.
Thank you for reading through this so patiently and now will request you to get immersed in the musical sounds that will create a musical harmony in our minds specially at a time when you are alone and schedule about 5 to 10 minutes at maximum in a day and enjoy the sounds of music. This time should be separate and not while one is exercising or running or enjoying with a drink in hand. This is just music in solitude with a soft light and slight breeze captivating the atmosphere along with sounds of music.
Subrangshu Chakravarty aka Shubro runs a musical organisation named Swarchhanda and work on preserving and uplifting our rich musical culture. He is also into photography and study human emotions which forms his base in clicking creative candid and portraits. Apart from this, he writes usually on human emotions, situations, reality and facts. A proud ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, he stands for inclusion and diversity and work in that sphere aiming at equality for all in all respects beyond caste, creed, gender and sexual orientations. He follows the simple policy of live and let live through his work.