Gujarat is quite famous and well known for its dynamic traditions of
classical and folk music. They are the heart and soul of Gujarat.
The traditional culture of Gujaratis with their traditional music
and dance form of Garba, Garbi, Raas and other are well known and
finds attraction to tourists. Raas and Garba dance forms are said to
have been passed on by Lord Krishna, who spent his childhood at
Gokul while he played the flute.
Folk songs, classical music and an array of distinctive classical
ragas have exemplary features with distinctive music variations.
A special variety of music which can be classified as temple-music
was indeed produced by the Vaishnava cult in Gujarat. Communities
like Charans and Gadhavis are some communities whose hereditary
profession is folk music and arts have indeed done a great deal to
preserve the tradition of the folk music of Gujarat in its pure form
itself.
The different types of folk songs in Gujarat include lullabies,
nuptial songs, festive songs and Rannade songs.
Gujarat is also known for having produced its own folk instruments
besides the vast contributions to classical and folk music. It is
indeed worth mentioning that wind instruments like Turi, Bungal,
Pava and string instruments like Ravan Hattho, Ektaro, and Jantar,
and percussion instruments like Manjira and Zanz pot drum are
omnipresent in the folk sounds of Gujarat. Territorial names of
Gujarat such as Gujaqri Todi, Bilaval (from Veraval), Sorathi, (from
Sorath), Khambavati (from Khambhat, Cambay), Ahiri and Lati are the
names borne by a number of ragas in the field of classical music.
Thereby they are indeed quite noteworthy as they are very valuable
gifts of Gujarat contributed to the classical music tradition of
India.
Factopedia
Maharaja Sayajirao Rao Gakewad who ruled Vadodara till 1947, was a
patron of Indian Classical Music. He was pioneer for technical arts
and music education in Central Gujarat since 1879. AD Ustad Moula
Bux, founded the Academy of Indian Music under the patronage of
Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad. This Academy later became the Music
College and is now the Faculty of Performing Arts of the Maharaja
Sayajirao University (M S U) of Vadodara. The Department of Indian
Classical Music (Vocal – Tabla) is the biggest department of the
Faculty previously known as Gayan Shala established in 1886 by The
Maharaja of Baroda later Converted into The Department of Indian
Classical Music (Vocal – Tabla) as part of Faculty of Performing
Arts.
Great masters of vocal and instrumental music, such as Ustad Abdul
Karim Khan, Ustad Hazrat Inayat Khan, Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Pandit
Omkarnath Thakur and many others, adonrned the court of the Gaekwads
in Baroda. It was during the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad
that the first all India Music Conference was held in 1914 in
Baroda.
In Gujarat, Navratri Festival is celebrated with great religious
fervor and appreciated all over the World. The tradition of ‘Nine
days of Singing and Dancing’ is a festival enjoyed by all
communities, all age groups and at all Gujarat cities and towns.
Gujaratis and other communities residing out of Gujarat, also
celebrate this Festival. A blend of music and dance with rich
traditional wear, fasting for nine days and dancing in various forms
is the highlight of the festival. Music is from traditional singing
to instrumental beats or fusion. The singing cater to prayer
offerings to Maa Durga and related to Lord Krishna.
The modern stage and pop culture is the in-thing among the younger
generation in Gujarat. Christmas and New Year celebrations are
equally gaining popularity in Gujarat. Western music, Pop, Hip Hop
and Jazz music apart from many other Indi Pop and Hip hop, Punjabi
Bhangda and other music and dance is in thing among the Youth. As
such, Gujarat cities, especially Ahmedabad is flooded with artists,
who throng for the Music Live shows.
The culture and the traditions are both alive and being forever
experimented in the State.
