Music has been an integral part of life in India since the Vedic times and according to some has its very origins in the recitation of the SAMAVED. It expressed man’s closeness with nature. Spiritual expression was evident everywhere – in daily rituals and festivals associated with seasons as well as worship of deities, in the sculptures in temples, in painting traditions and in poetry.
Full of expertly written information and illustrations, this exhibition looks at early Buddhist traditions in India and of Nepal; the power of musical instruments such as Krishna’s flute – the tanpura – percussion – channels of communication with the divine. The music, poetry and paintings of devotional tradition of Vaishnavism, the desire of the Sufi to experience ecstasy through the forms of ghazal and qawali and poetry , the flourishing music culture of the Mughal courts, the compositions of the mystics of the Carnatic music, the beautiful Hindu temples of the South which aim to bring closeness with the spiritual world – are all powerful manifestations of the longing to be free of the phenomenal word and to experience bliss.
MUSIC OF THE THREE WORLDS – featuring the divine, human and natural worlds – aims to explore how people in India express their yearning for union with the universe through innumerable forms and styles of music – the schedule of events below provides an insight into the depth and variety of such expression.
Expertly curated and written by:
Prof Richard Widdess (SOAS )
Prof Katherine Schofield ( Kings College) Dr Richard Williams ( SOAS )
Dr Jasmine Hornabrook (Goldsmiths)
There will be a symposium on 3rd July 2018 from 10:20am till 3:45pm also held at Asia House.
For more information, please email viram@amc.org.uk
This is an external event by Asian Music Circuit, taking place in the Asia House gallery.
