ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF RAGA ..SAKSHI MAKKAR

                                        Origin and development of Raga

The modes are called Ragas.") In the ancient texts of Hinduism, the term for the technical

mode part of rāga was Jati. Later, Jati evolved to mean quantitative class of scales, while

räga evolved to become a more sophisticated concept that included the experience of the

audience.

GAMAKA

ETYMOLOGY

GAMAKA (also spelled as gamakam) is a sanskrit word, which means ornamented note. 

DEFINITION 

Gamaka is a very crucial ornament of Indian Classical Music. As its name implies gamaka is a technique to beautify the note. It is basically an oscillatory ornamentation or embellishment on a note or between two notes ( either in to or in fro motion).  Gamaka is a glide of notes with graceful and soft turns and such soft oscillations of pitch gives emphasis to the rendition of raaga.

(1) GAMAKA IN SANGEET RATNAKAR 

 Swarasya kampo Gamaka:

Shrotrachittsokhvah

-Pt. Sharangdev

Which means , the special type of vibration of notes which incites the feeling of pleasure in listener is called gamaka.

USE OF GAMAKA IN VARIOUS SINGING STYLES

Indian Classical Music has different styles of vocal and instrumental music and those different styles are beautified with the use of different ornaments and renditions. There are some styles which can be said as gamaka oriented . For example: dhrupad and dhamar. Dhrupad and Dhamar are two main styles of singing which are ornamented with gamaka . Even the use of few other melodic ornamations are forbidden in these styles . As few types of gamaka is now known with some different names as murki, meend, khatka, zamzama, gitkiri etc. So it is also used in other styles such as khayal, thumri, tappa and many more.

GAMAK IN DIFF. INSTRUMENTS

Gamaka in instrumental is just a faster meend and just as meend, gamak also can be played either as ReGa ReGa motion or it can be played as GaRe GaRe (in essence either in To or in Fro motion). Instruments like flute sarod sarangi sitar and veena etc. makes the most use of it. But few of the insruments do not support the playing of gamaka because of thier structure and playing style for example santoor, harmonium does not support gamaka and it is not posible to play gamaka on them. because when a note is played on an santoor or harmonium it is not possible to shift the pitch with the same resonance. There is a minute breakdown of the sound during the transition.

TYPES OF GAMAKA (given by various scholars)

Varis scholars have explained dfferent types of gamaka as per there own opinion. Bharatbhashyam has mentioned 7 types of gamaka, Manasollas has also explained 7 types of gamaka but their names were different from Bharatbhashyam. Similarly Parshadev has also talked about 7 types of gamaka. But first of all sangeet ratnakar has given a clear description of gamaka. In this book description of these 7 and under those 7 types there are further 8 types of gamaka, so a total of 15 types gamaka given. these 15 trypes of gamaka are named as (2)panchdasha gamaka. Those 15 types of gamaka are as follow:

1. TIRIP: It is sung in 1/8 quantum time of a beat. according to sngeet ratnakar it sounds like a small damru. it is also called 'Hillol'.
2. SAFURIT: It sung in 1/6 quantum time of a beat. It is onethird ansh of drut. now it is known as 'Gitkari'.
3. KAMPIT: It is also known as 'khatka' where each note is sung in 1/4 quantum time of beat.
4. LEEN: When a note merges itself in next or previous note in half(1/2) beat time, then it is known as leen gamaka.
5. ANDOLIT: One note is sung in one beat with vibration i called andolit gamaka.
6. VALI: It is a vibration of notes performed in different types curvilinear rhythmic patterns. This type of gamaka is not synchronized with beat which is similar to modern meend.
7. TRIBHINN: When a particular harmonies or pattern of notes are performed in three octaves, it is called as tribhinn gamaka.
8. KURUL: It is just another type of vali gamaka which is performed with dense sonorous sound. It is similar to modern 'ghaseet'.
9. AAHAT: While performing a note when next note is touched it is said as aahat gamaka.
10. ULLASIT: While performing the note movement leaving the adjacent note and jumping to the third note is called as ullasit gamaka.
11. PLAVIT: Here notes are sung in three quarters of a beat i.e. 4 notes in 3 beats.
12. HUMFIT: It is also known as 'gumfit' which is sung with dense sound of humkaar.
13. MUDRIT: In this type of gamaka notes are performed with closed lips.
14. NAAMIT: When notes moves towards the lower notes in the form of meend. opposite to this when notes moves towards the higher note it is said as 'Nivrit Gamaka'.
15. MISHRIT: It is bssicaly the mixture of any two types of gamaka.

10 GAMAKAS IN SOUTH IMDIAN MUSIC

1. AROHANAM: When notes are performed in ascending order of the pitch, for example: S G M D N, G M P, S R M P N etc. are known as Arohanam gamaka.
2. AVROHANAM: Opposite to Arohanam when notes are performed in descending order of pitch are known as Avrohanam. For example: S N D P M G, N D M G R, D P R S etc.
3. SAFURIT: A taan performed with the double consecutive usage of each note is called Safurit gamaka. For example: RR SS DD NN PP etc.
4. TRIPUCHHAM: It is also known as Shivpuchham gamaka in which each note is used thrice in drut laya. For example:RR SSS DDD NNN PPP etc.
5. KAMPITAM: In this type opf gamaka a specific note is striked for few times and used again and again. For example: N,NNNNNN...., SS,SSS..SS.SSS.. etc.
6. AAHATAM: In the gamaka named Aahatam two notes are used together on after another in ascending order by putting more stress on the first note as compared to the second one. For example: SR RG GM MP PD etc.
7. PRATYAHATAM: In this gamaka just like Aahatam gamaka two notes are used together but in descending order and the first note is stressed more as compared to the second one. for example: SN ND DP PM MG etc.
8. AANDOLANAM: It is also known as Andolitam. In this gamaka notes are used for different duration said as Hrasv, then Guru, then Pluta and then Laghu duration not only this but notes are swinged also while performing. For example: SRSPPP, SRSMMM, SRSGGG etc.
9. DHALAM: Here two notes are performed which are spaced next to each other or having 1 or more notes in between them. for example: SG, SM, RP, GD etc.
10. MURCHANAA: When Ascent and Descent of a raaga are performed together, it is called murchana. For example: SGMDN,S`NDPGMRS etc.

References 

(1) Sharma,Dr.M., Kaul,Dr.T., Tripthai,R 2020 panchdasha gamak , H.G. Publication.

(2) Sharma,Dr.M., Kaul,Dr.T., Tripthai,R 2020 panchdasha gamak , H.G. Publication.

NAVDEEP SINGH 12204266

 GAMAK 

 The term gamaka itself means "Ornamented Note" in Sanskrit. Gamakas involve the variation of pitch of a note, using oscillations or glides between notes. On the other hand, it can be understood as any movement done on a note or in between two notes. It is used in the performance of North and South Indian Classical Music.  

               

Type of Gamak in Indian Music

There are two opinions on the number of gamakas (10 and 15). Some accept the no. as 10 and some 15. Some opine that the number comes to 15 due to the subdivisions within the 10 gamakas. The 10 gamakas are called Dhasavidha Gamakas.

Dhasavidha Gamakas -:

Aarohanam : singing the swaras in the akara brigas according to the aarohna krama of the raga.

Avarohanam : singing the swaras in the akara brigas according to the avarohana krama of the raga.

The aarohana, avarohana are generally referred to as brigas.
AROHANA : is a series of notes in the ascending order of pitch.
AVAROHANA : is the descending scale of notes of a raga.

Dalu : Starting from the base Shadja and basing on the raga bhava jumping to the higher notes. e.g., sm, sp, sr

Spuritham : Repeating the same swara wice. While doing so, the second time the swara is said with force. e.g., sasariri

Kampitham : Oscillating the same swara without mixing with its preceding or succeeding note.

Aahatham : Singing the swaras in the aarohana krama, giving the stress on alternate swaras.

Prathyahatham : Singing the swaras in the avarohana krama while stressing the alternate swaras.

Thripuchcham : The swara above will join the two swaras below in the same sruthi. e.g., risasa - gariri

Aandholam : Generally associated with combination of swaras which produce swinging movement. It involves jumping in a swinging manner. e.g., Sarisapapa Sarisamama Sarisagaga

Murchchana : For delineating the character of a raga the arohana, avarohana are successively delineated in a regular ascent from a swara through seven notes and a descent back to the starting note. e.g., Sarigamapadani Rigamapadanisa Nidapamagarisa

The 15 gamakas according to the other school of thought :

Thripam, Spuritham, Kampitham, Leenam, Aandholitham, Vali, Thribinnam, Kurulam, Aahatham, Ullaasitham, Plavitham, Hoompitham, Mudhritham, Naamitham, Misritham.

• Gamak in Carnatic Music are mentioned in various treatises and compositions including Arohana (ascending patterns), Avarohana (descending patterns), ahata & pratyahata.

•  "Why Gamak is most important factor in  Indian Classical Music?" 

"The gamaka has come to occupy a vital place in our system of music. It is not simply a device to make melodic music tolerable, and it is not its function merely to beautify music. It determines the character of each raga, and it is essential to note that the same variety of gamaka appears with different intensity in different ragas". The function of the same gamaka in different ragas varies subtly and establishes all the fine distinctions between kindred melodies by an insistence, which is delicate but withal emphatic, on the individuality of their constituent notes. The gamaka makes possible the employment of all the niceties in variation of the pitch of the notes used and is therefore of fundamental importance to our music. If the personality of any raga is to be understood it cannot be without appraising the values of the gamakas which constitute it.

Features of Gamaka

There is no equivalent of Gamaka in Euro-American music. Musical notes are so produced as to touch upon the lower as well as the upper adjacent notes by resorting to a vibratory mode of vocalizing. The reproduction of Gamaka is critical on most musical instruments as it is a specific vocal sound. It is produced by a very fast back-and-forth oscillation between lower and upper pitch, during which the diaphragm rhythmically contracts and relaxes. An alternative could be a trill or other ornaments that focuses around the centre pitch.

Gamaka in Different Musical Instruments

It is obvious that the vocal template most closely resembles with the sarangi part. The sarangi indeed "shadows" the voice, and since the Gamaka effect can be emulated fairly well on a sarangi, reproduction is not a problem at all. On the other hand, the harmonium player cannot alter the pitch of the sound that he is producing, after striking the key once. Therefore, it is not possible for him to inflect pitch, let alone step-lessly glide back and forth between two pitches. Instead, he employs appoggiaturas and quick returning notes in order to demarcate the narrow framework of the tonal spectrum that he is covering. By subdividing beats into rhythmic units that are interlocking with, the Sarangi's melodic line, he thickens the heterophony music texture and at the same time intertwines the harmonium's part with the remaining parts. In doing so, he in one aspect achieves an overall effect that is not too far from that of the vocal lines gamaka: rather than proposing a horizontal melodic line, he seems to produce a sound band, saturating the overall musical texture

• How to sing Gamak? you can see in this vedio. (Tap me)

Reference-:

Reference 1 -  Viswanathan T (1977). "The Analysis of Rāga Ālāpana in South Indian Music". Asian Music. 9 (1): 13–71. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamaka_(music)

Reference 2 - Powers, Harry S. (1958). "Mode and Raga". The Musical Quarterly. 44 (4): 448–460

Reference 3 -  https://www.indianetzone.com/60/gamaka_hindustani_music.htm

reference 4- https://www.indian-heritage.org/music/gamaka.htm

Reference 5 - Ragas of Carnatic music by N S Ramachandran, University of Madras, 1938, CHAPTER V. Gamakas and the Embellishment of Song, pp. 112-158

URL: https://archive.org/details/RagasOfCarnaticMusicByNSRamachandran

RAMIKA BAKSHI 12200793

JOD ALAAP 

In Hindustani Classical music, Jod also spelled as Jor or Jhor is a formal section of composition in the long elaboration ( Alap ) of a raga that forms the beginning of a performance. It comes after Alap and precedes Jhala, the climax.

     
Jor is the instrumental equivalent of nomtom in dhrupad vocal style of Indian music. Jor is present in most Hindustani Classical music through the raga, as an articulate pulse that the alap transitions into, followed by jhala.

 

• Jod Alap can also be defined as the improvisation of a section of a raga from slow to medium rhythm bounded to a leh. It is usually not accompanied with a tabla because it is not bound to taal.
• The transition between the three section, alap-jod-jhala, is continuous and each part builds from its predecessor.
• Jod acts the second introduction after the alap, within a raga performance It follows a similar structure to alap, with a shift in rhythmic style.
• As the Raga transitions into the Jod, the pulse is introduced by the melody instrumentalist. The Jod utilises the features of scale and patterns in the previous section (Alap) and improvises to create a new variation of these features. During jod, the performance must maintain a steady pulse with the exclusion of drums or tabla, which remains the same throughout Alap, Jod and Jhala.
• In musical notation, jod follows the same notes as alap, with a constant steady beat between each.

The distinction between alap and jod is made between the increase in regularity in the jod in comparison to previous alap section.The theme formed in the introduction of the Alap, is continued to Jod, where the drums and rhythmic beats are excluded, and the chosen melodic instrument is strummed at an accelerated pace or the performer increases the phrasing of each syllable.

The traditional recital begins with Alap section- the serene exploration of the raga. After this slow introspective beginning, the musician moves on to the Jod. In this part the basic theme of the Raga is elaborated and the artist tries to bring the emotional mood of the Raga to the surface. 

The Alap and Jod evolve into the Gat or Bandish, the fixed compositions of the Raga.

JOD ALAAP IN DHRUPAD

Dhrupad is another form of Raga that is older and restricts the Alap, Jor and Jhala sections in such a way that is heard more frequently in present day. This genre of Indian Music formed the foundation for the Alap-Jor-Jhala-Gat structure to be welcomed to the West in the 20th Century. 

In Dhrupad, its distinctive feature is the climatic beginning in comparison to Raga's ascending composition. The word Dhrupad meaning ‘fixed verse’ refers to the complex opening section (Alap) allowing the other sections to grow and expand.  

• It is common in Dhrupad, for the Alap to be extended and unaccompanied, similar to most instrumental genres in Norther Indian music. It also focuses on a longer and more structured version of the alap-jor section. 
• In comparison to Khayal there is a clear structural division between the opening of Raga-alap and Jor.
•  The Jor section in Dhrupad can be heard by its increasingly articulated and rapid pulse. Within this section, Jor follows the most common rhythmic cycle in Dhrupad, being the twelve beat. 
•  The theme of intensification is prominent as the subsequent switch from the alap to jor, is identified as more rhythmic once it reaches the Jor section. 
• A common instrument utilised throughout Dhrupad, in the jor, is the Rudra Vina a string instrument that evokes a melodic rhythm.

REFERENCES:

• Wikipedia contributors. (2022, May 24). Jor (music). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:59, March 6, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jor_(music)&oldid=1089597526
• Appreciating Alap, Jor and Jhala. (2009, September 25). Indian Raga. https://indianraga.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/appreciating-alap-jor-and-jhala/
• Wikiwand - Jor (music). (n.d.). Wikiwand. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Jor_(music)

ZAMZAMA HARSH PREET KAUR BAGGA

                WHAT IS ZAMZAMA...?

A zamzama is an unevenly accented sequence of notes sung using sharp gamaks. The length of the notes in the sequence also varies, giving it a choppy effect. This ornament is very characteristic of folk music in the western parts of India, and also of a genre of semi-classical music called tappa which evolved from folk songs sung by camel riders in Punjab,

                                                      sequence of notes sung using sharp gamaks. The length of the notes in the sequence also varies, giving it a choppy effect.

 

Zamzama is a Persian word meaning "Thunder," or "Roar", but can also mean "murmur" or "whisper to oneself". As with many Arabic and Persian words, it has been taken into Urdu and is now considered indigenous to that language. The meaning is: addition of notes                      

. In Indian traditional music, the note ornamentation includes the Zamzama style of Alankar.

• Zamzama is a group of sounds, similar to a khatka, another kind of Alankara, that the musician uses to accentuate the landing note. The notes in a zamzama are played in progressive combos and permutations as opposed to a khatka. It appears to the observer to be a challenging taan pattern with sharp gamaks.

Zamzamas play a crucial role in tappa music. Depending on the rag, the vocalist must use it with extreme care in Khayal renditions

•  ZAMZAMA IS NOTHING BUT CLUSTER OF KHATKA TAKEN TOGEATHER 

• SOME MUSICOLOGISTS SAY THAT ZAMZAMA IS PURELY AN INSTUMENTAL ORNAMENT PLAYED SPECIALLY ON STRING INSTRUMENTS LIKE SITAR

 The zamzama is a kured, with a simultaneous mizrab stroke.

This creates two notes in one stroke of the mizrab in a descending movement, the dominant note being the second.

For instance, to play the note Sa, the LEFT hand's middle finger is struck kured or jerkily at the fret of the next note (Re), while the LEFT hand's index finger presses down on the fret at Sa. Re Sa is audible playing in rapid succession.,

This is referred to as the zamzama of Sa, with Sa serving as the main note. One-fourth of the time is spent on Re and three-fourths of the time is spent on Sa. The zamzama is a widely used method.

a sitar player. The zamzama-specific tonal characteristics of the notes made using this method help to maintain the sound's continuity."

Note: Preceding zamzama is a definition and demonstration of kured