Music in Traditional Indian Theatre: Special Reference to Raas Leela

by Rani Balbir Kaur

Music is the culmination of every art form, an integral part of the total Dramatic World of India  an essential element of the traditional theatre forms that use music vocal and instrumental chants, various percussion rhythms, sounds and speech patterns with definite dramatic function. Bharat Muni in Natyashastra in his advice to the theatre practitioners says, one should first of all bestow care on songs, for songs have been called the bed (base) of drama. The song and the playing of musical instruments being well-executed, the performance of the drama does not encounter any risk.

This book is first of its kind, a study of the dramatic usage of Music, Folk, Classical and various modern permutations. It provides vital information about the importance of music and its functions from the ancient stage to the contemporary directors, writers and actors. Music creates vast possibilities in creative deleaneations play writes like Garcia Lorca and Bertolt Brecht evolved new theatrical forms through the means of music. The modern actor has captured the ineffable emotional nuances in the sounds music of the rain drops, of birds and thunder have inspired the actors classical melodies create different moods and atmospheres convey time and season.

About the Author:

Rani Balbir Kaur a versatile persona is a well known theatre Director, Singing-Actress and Teacher. She belonged to the field of classical Music before she joined theatre as a profession. Recipient of a Master's Degree in Vocal Music, Post Graduate Diploma in Theatre, Doctor of Philosophy in Theatre and several awards during her academic career including Mohan Rakesh Gold Medal, Award for Standing First in the University M.A. Music, Award received from President of India for her contribution to Theatre and Honoured at the World Punjabi Conference U.S.A., Rani Balbir Taught in the Department of Indian Theatre Punjab University Chandigarh for thirty years. She also served as the Chairperson and retired as a Professor in Nov. 2004. She has been Chairperson Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, Executive Member National Sangeet Natak Akademi, Member Governing BOdy North Zone Cultural Centre and Associated with several other prestigious Cultural Organisations. Recently she has taken over as the Chairperson Kaifi Azmi Foundation for Cultural Globalisation and a mission to uplift and educate the underprivileged.

Rani Balbir Kaur is also conversant with the Film and Television mediums having to her credit a professional course in Film -Making from U.S.A. She has written, produced and directed several Tele-Films and Documentary Films apart from the many successful theatre productions like "Ghasi Ram Kotwal" of Vijay Tendulkar, "Agni Aur Barkha" of Girish Karnad, "Shubh Karman Te Kabhoon Na Taraun" Based on Guru Gonind Singh's Dasam Granth and "Waqt Ne Kiya Hasin Sitam" on the life and poetry of Kaifi Azmi to name a few. She believes in the general of total theatre and fluid creative expression that enfolds all art forms classical and folk specially music.