Indian Musical Instruments Classification

Merin Fernandas
2 min readDec 2, 2015

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It is not known when precisely the early musical instruments appeared in India however they discover notice in a few old writings like the Upanishads, Samhitas, Valmiki’s Ramayana, Bhagwad Gita and the Sangam classics.

A considerable lot of the instruments said in these writings go back to 5000 BC. It is generally trusted that the most punctual known Indian instruments developed from the Dhanuryantram (bow and bolt) utilized by primitive tribes for chasing, as additionally to flag the appearance of the adversary. Depictions in the Ramayana and the Mahabharat of the resounding hints of Rama’s bow Sharang and Arjun’s bow Gandeeva, which are said to have disheartened the adversary camp, loan shading to this deduction. It is trusted that this specific sound later roused the configuration and state of the bowed instruments utilized by primitive tribes. Different sorts of unrefined drums and other musical instruments have been found from pre-noteworthy unearthings showing that the utilization of music and musical was very pervasive amid pre-histotic times.

Unearthings at the Indus Valley site have uncovered numerous sorts of musical instruments. These were for the most part made of bamboo, bone and creature skins and look somewhat like cutting edge Veena and Mridangam. Numerous Greaco-Buddhist models having a place with the period fifth Century B.C. to second Century A.D. additionally delineate an abundance of string, wind and percussion instruments.

Accordin to the Natshastra of Bharat, there are four classes of musical instruments: Tata or Tantu (stringed), Avanaddha (percussion or drums), Ghana (chimes, cymbals and gongs), and Sushira (wind). While a few varieties in arrangements have been proposed throughout the hundreds of years, the arrangement of Bharat has made due to date. The classes of instruments are separated as takes after:

  • Ghana Vadya (Idiophones)
  • Avanaddha Vadya (Membranophones)
  • Sushira Vadya (Aerophones)
  • Tata Vadya (Chordophones).

Woodwind, Nadaswaram, Veena, Gootuvadhyam, Thavil, Mridangam and Plain drum are old Indian musical instruments while Harmonium, Sarod, Shehnai, Sitar, Tabla and Violin are musical instruments exceptionally well known now a days. Veena, Flute, Mridangam, Ghatam, Chenda, Maddalam, Edakka, Nadaswaram, Khunjira, Tambura, Gottuvadhyam, Talam and the Morsing (or mukha veena) are prominent Camatic Musical instruments. Violin is likewise famous in Carnatic music shows.

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