But today much of this element of mysticism has vanished with the arrival of Bollywood and the massive film industry that sprang around the subcontinent.
That which made Indian different unique was the instruments that are unique. A variety of instruments from different parts of the country had its own traditional and cultural value and produces music unique to that area.
Often Indian classical music was associated with Ravi Shankar and his sitar but the Indian music goes much deeper and its roots reflect a rich religious and cultural mix.
The Exhibition
For those who are curious about the Indian music and Indian Musical instruments have a golden opportunity to discover more about it at the Horniman Museum ( 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQ. free entrance)
With more than 300 instruments from all parts of India, it is the largest-ever exhibition of Indian music and Instrument show. The patron of this event is Nitin Sawhney, a British Indian music master and it has the support from the London-based band Asian Dub Foundation.
There are also videos and sound recordings collected from all over India during five year period. This project was undertaken in cooperation with the British Library’s sound archive by the co-curators, Margaret Birley and Rolf Killius.
According to Birley, “One of the purposes of the research project was to document disappearing music and instruments that are under threat at a time of rapid change in India,”
“We are consciously targeting the many Indians who live in and around London,” says Birley.
There are also many associated concerts and musical events, with performances by the remarkable Indian-born, London-based Baluji Shrivastav and two of the brightest young talents in Britain, Soumik Datta and Gurdain Rayatt.
The instruments on display
This exhibition is held in Horniman Museum because Frederick Horniman’s tea company had its roots in India. There are instruments he collected during his trips to India in 1894 and in 1896 which include a sitar, flute and a drum.
Instruments on display are Chenda (local drums) and ilathalam cymbals from Kerala south of India, percussion instruments and dhol drums form Panjab in the north of India, a huge framed instruments on pole from Arunachl Pradesh, from the north, suura koma trumpet used for ritualistic dances by the Adivasi people from the state of Bihar in the central part of India are only few to mention.
The rarest item on the show is a beautifully decorated sitar dating from about 1850, which was made in Dhaka, now capital of Bangladesh, but once part of imperial India. This remarkable instrument, which has ivory pegs in the shape of crouching lions, was once owned by the East India Company.
