I Don’t Meditate, I Find My Zen in Carnatic Music Instead
My joyful experience of listening and singing along to South Indian classical melodies
To me, music is that which connects human hearts. It is something that takes you to unknown levels.
— Ilaiyaraaja
It was 2020. The pandemic times. So obviously,
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Like the rest of the world, I was at home doing nothing. I decided to delve back into my childhood days of learning Carnatic music.
Indian Classical Music
Indian classical music is of two kinds: Carnatic and Hindustani classical.
Classical music in northern India was influenced by Arabic and Persian practices after Islamic invasions in the 12th century. That is how the Hindustani variant originated. While the music in the Southern belt was unaffected.
Carnatic Music is South Indian classical music the origin of which dates back to 500 BC.
The development of the South Indian Carnatic classical music as we know it today is credited to Purandara Dasa and the trinity of music composers, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri.
My Grapple With Classical Music in Childhood and Pandemic-Induced Newfound Interest in It
Even though I studied Carnatic music for years, I did not really learn anything. Wonder why?
The reason is partly petulance, partly practical and partly personal. I will talk about the first two here.
I learned Carnatic music during the weekend like a child who would learn poetry by heart without knowing any technicalities or meaning. So, to be honest, I did not like it very much.
For an average kid like me, learning different swaras (musical notes), and varisai (musical sequences) with their respective talas felt tedious and herculean.
As any kid, I just wanted to proceed to the next level with every class which was impossible considering my lack of interest in actually practising it (and I wanted to go out and play with other kids).
My music teacher talked about shruti (pitch), tala (the rhythmic pattern) and ragas (the framework of musical notes). Though I understood shruti and tala, I did not quite understand what ragas meant then, until I figured it out by myself after several years. I did not know vocal techniques or anything of that sort.
So, it piqued my interest when I learned for the first time about these things through VoxGuru, a YouTube channel that talks comprehensively about Indian classical music, during the pandemic.
That channel's creator has a very different method from my music teacher.
So, this time Carnatic music intrigued me. Not because I wanted to learn it but because of how meditative and therapeutic it felt.
I have heard legends about how great musicians made rain just by singing in a particular raga. Carnatic music is said to have many magical effects.
For example, the raga Meghmalhar was supposedly used to evoke rain.
After I decided to watch these YouTube videos, I was thrilled by the effect they had on my mental health and overall lifestyle. Post-pandemic, what really kept me going was listening to Carnatic music.
Meditation never really worked for me. But for the past year I have been starting my days listening to and singing Carnatic music (I don’t claim to be a singer, that would be blasphemy😉).
The Positive Impact of Carnatic Music
I have noticed a lot of positive changes in me since I consistently started doing this.
1. It Made My Mind Active
Just like I do morning exercises to make my body active, listening to Carnatic music refreshes my mind.
I feel immediately energized after this.
2. It Improved My Productivity Double-Fold
This is the most favourable outcome thus far.
As a result of feeling refreshed in my mind and body, I could engage in other productive activities, like writing without feeling down or lethargic.
3. It Enhanced My Concentration
If you have ever tried learning Carnatic music, you would know that it is no easy task.
It has so many patterns, and talas and you need to always get the swarasthanas (the musical notes and their positions) right.
Unlike in Western classical music, the notes are sung out loud which requires extreme focus and concentration which in turn improves it in other areas as well.
4. I Became Self-Disciplined
Starting my day with Carnatic music enabled me to have a disciplined routine.
It really calms me down to engage in other activities.
5. Improved Sleep Quality
I have found considerable improvement in my sleep quality after I made listening to Carnatic music a habit.
6. I Feel Much Happier and Content
I have already talked about ragas, haven’t I?
The thing with ragas is that each of them has a different impact on our minds.
For example, the raga Abheri evokes a sense of nostalgia and the raga Mohanam evokes calm and happiness.
Here is a playlist of popular songs composed in Abheri raga:
My Favourite Thing — The Ragas
Most of the Indian popular music that you hear is composed in different ragas.
So, a song evokes a particular kind of mood in its listeners.
My favourite ragas are Mohanam, Hamsadhvani and Abheri — I love them because the major mood that these ragas evoke is happiness. I feel elated after listening to any song composed in these ragas.
Here are some ragas and their particular moods:
- Brindavana Saranga — Romance, love
- Sahana — Compassion
- Mohana — Joy
- Neelambari — This raga helps in sleep. Mostly used to compose lullabies.
- Behag — Love
Here is a song composed by the Academy Award-winning composer A.R Rahman in Behag Raga.
Why Carnatic Music?
Now you must be wondering, is it necessary that it must be Carnatic music and nothing else? After all, as Shakespeare said;
If music be the food of love play on
Yes.
Music in any form relinquishes our soul. As I said earlier, Indian classical music is special because each tune evokes a particular emotion in the listeners.
I chose Carnatic music because I am South Indian. Someone else from maybe the Northern part of India might feel the same things about Hindustani Music.
Carnatic music has proven scientific benefits too. Some ragas are said to have healing properties and are used for the treatment of ailments.
Each individual has a distinct approach to mindful living. Some people find their comfort in journaling. Some others get it through meditation or yoga. Mine just happens to be Carnatic Music.
That’s all.
And I cannot explain the way I feel after a session. It is heavenly.
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© Arya James 2023
