Oldest Gharana of Hindustani Music: Gwalior Gharana

It was founded by Nathan Peer Baksh and Nathe Khan in the 16th
century. Most of the Gharanas have their origin in the Gwalior
gharana.
First Woman Shehnai Player of India: Bageshwari Qamar
Taught by Ustad Bismillah Khan. Known as the "Shehnai Queen".
Made her debut in 1983. Represented India in "The Bharat
Mahotsav" in Russia (1988).
First Woman Sarod Player of India: Sharan Rani
Popularly known as "Sarod Rani" (the Sarod queen, a carefull play of
the word Sarod with her first name Sharan).
Taught by music maestros like Ustad Allaudin Khan and Ustad Ali
Akbar, she performed at various shows around the world and was
titled as Cultural Ambassador by Jawahar Lal Nehru.
In 1968 she was awarded Padma Shri, in 1974 she was awarded
Sahitya Kala Parishad, in 1986 she was awarded Sangeet Natak
Akademi Award for Hindustani Instrumental Music.
She is one of the three women who conferred the title as Gems of
India by the Government of India. The other two women who
conferred this title are MS Subbulakshmi and Lata Mangeshkar.
First Music School in India: Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
Founded in Lahore (which was then a part of India) by Pandit Vishnu
Digambar Paluskar on 5th May 1901. Eventually, the Lahore school
was shifted to Mumbai after Independence.

First Musician to receive Padma Bhushan Award: MS

Subbulakshmi
She received the Padma Bhushan (3rd highest civilian award) in
1954 and Padma Vibhushan (2nd highest) in 1975. She was also the
first musician to receive Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public service
in 1974. She was popularly known as the "Nightingale of India".
In 1988 she was conferred Bharat Ratna (the highest civilian award)
First Indian to compose Symphony: Illayaraja in July 1993
Illayaraja is the first Asian whose symphony was performed by John
Scott of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The Orchestra is
patronized by Queen Elizabeth. The president of the Orchestra was
Lord Yehudi Menuhin, three time winner of National Film Award for
Best Music Director. He has provided background music for about
800 Indian Film and about 4000 songs in different languages.
First Gramophone Record in India: 1898
The First gramophone record was made in Kolkata in the year 1898
by an Indian entrepreneur Hemendra Mohan Bose
First Folk Album in India: Banjaran by Ila Arun
Released in 1983 with folk songs of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Ila Arun also won the Filmfare best singer award in 1993 for the song
Choli ke peechhe kya hai.
The First Compact disc launched in India: Shagufta
Launched by Music India in December 1987, sung by Pankaj Udhas.
Pankaj Udhas is a famous Ghazal singer who received Padma Shri
(4th highest civilian award) in 2006.

First Computerised Album of India: Baby Doll by Alisha

Chinoy

Released in 1988 by HMV.

Alisha is one of the pioneers of pop music in India. Alisha is popularly
known as "Indian Madonna". Alisha made Indipop history with her
music album Made in India. The album is one of the biggest selling
Hindi pop albums of all time in Indian Music History.

First Hindi Rap Album: Thanda Thanda Pani by Harjeet

Singh Sehgal, popularly known as Baba Sehgal
Remake of Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice. There was a record sale of
more than 30,000 copies.
His music video Dil Dhadke had the distinction of being the first
Indian music video ever to be shown on MTV Asia.
Singers of Indian cinema have been integral part of Indian movies.
They are instrumental in glorifyingIndias presence in the international
scene. Apart from the actors or actresses in the film industry, the fan
lists of the singers are not far behind! Though, they are in the
background and never face the camera, they are infact the reason
behind the success of any film. Here we bring some tit bit facts of
famous Indian singers which are very amazing and interesting.
Lata Mangeshkar
The legend singer Lata Mangeshkar has worked with all the top
music directors including Naushad, C Ramachandra, S D Burman,
Shankar-Jaikishan, Madan Mohan, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, KalyanjiAnandji, R D Burman, Bappi Lahiri, Anand-Milind, Nadeem-Shravan,
Raam Laxman, Jatin Lalit, Ilayaraja and A R Rahman. But she has
never worked with O P Nayyar.
Lata Mangeshkar made her musical debut at the age of 13 to help
her family, after her father died. She first entered the Marathi film
industry and in 1946 sang her first Hindi film song Aap Ki SevaMain,
composed by Datta Davjekar. But it was the 1949 film Mahal which
catapulted Lata to fame.
Asha Bhosle
In 1997, Asha became the first Indian singer to be nominated for the
Grammy Award, for Legacy, an album with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Asha Bhosle recently entered Guiness World Records for the
maximum number of recordings in history. She has sung more than
11,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in over 20 Indian
languages since 1947.
Asha Bhosle sang her first line in a chorus, Saawan Aaya Re, from
Chunariyaa (1948) under composer Hansraj Bahal. She sang only
the words, Behna Khush Ho Ke Sagan Manaaye. The other singers
were Zohrabai Ambalewali and Geeta Dutt. Her first solo was, Hain
Mauj Mein Apne Begaane in the movie Raat Ki Rani (1949).
Asha is a successful restaurateur and runs a chain of restaurants in
Dubaiand Kuwait, called Ashas. Which offers traditional northwestern Indian cuisine. Asha is also an excellent cook and cooking is
her favorite hobby.
Udit Narayan
Udit Narayan Jha, popularly kown as Udit Narayan, a multi talented
playback singer started off his career with a brief stint with the Nepal
Radio. He used to sing Maithili, Nepali and Bhojpuri songs during the
1970s.
He also acted in Nepali films Kusume Rumal and Pirati. Udit Narayan
has sung more than 15,000 songs in more than 30 different
languages in more than 500 Hindi films
Sonu Nigam

Sonu Nigam began his singing career at the age of three, when he
joined his father on stage to sing Mohammad Rafis Kya Hua Tera
Vaada, Wo Kasam Wo Irada.
His first album with his new company Kismat was an astounding
success, going platinum in sales. The success of the album also
prompted the company to sign him again for a Bhajan album titled
Sanskaar.
The great Pancham Da had selected Sonu Nigam to sing for Ek
Ladki Ko Dekha. It happened that during the day when this song was
going to be recorded Kumar Sanu was quite late to come in the
studio due to which the producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra got quite
angry. Pancham Da told young Sonu Nigam that if Kumar Sanu
doesnt come in some more time he will make him sing that song.
Sonu Nigam said he was praying that Sanu da didnt come but
unfortunately he did and the rest is history.
Besides singing, Sonu Niigaam has made his debut in an acting
stream as lead hero in 2004 movie Love inNepal. He recently
changed the spelling of his last name from Nigam to Niigaam in
accordance with numerology.
Sunidhi Chauhan

Sarod
Sitar
Surbahar
Surshringar
Swarabat
Swarmandal
Tambura
Tumbi
Tuntuna
Magadi Veena
Hansaveena
Mohan Veena
Nakula Veena
Nanduni
Rudra Veena
Saraswati Veena
Vichitra Veena
Yazh
Ranjan Veena
Triveni Veena

Sunidhi sang the English song Reach Out at the opening

ceremony of the 2006 Asian Games atDoha,Qatar.
She has also sung the songs in the Hindi-dubbed version of Disney
Channel Original Movie High School Musical. She sang the songs
which were sung by Vanessa Anne Hudgens in the English version.
She won the R D Burman award for the most promising newcomer at
the Filmfare Awards 2001.
In Feb 2007, as part of marketing campaign and launch of Windows
Vista in India, Microsoft hired Sunidhi Chauhan to sing the Windows
Vista Song titled Wow is Now.
Indian Classical Music
Indian music has a long and complex history dating from its
inception, two thousand years ago. There are two basic styles: Hindi,
derived from northern India, and Carnati - from the South. Indian
music is very different from western. Western music is based on
octaves containing 13 different /8 white and 5 black keys on the
piano/. Indian music divides the octave in 22 segments, one segment
represents approximately a quarter tons. Most Indian pieces are
based on a simple melody or raga /traditional scheme in India to
create a melody/. There are many different types Ragga, each with
its own rules and characteristics. Complex rhythms are based on
templates and called thalli. Instruments that occupy a central place in
Indian music is drum, sitar and vina / the last two are strings. For
Europeans hearing Indian music sounds exotic and sometimes
monotonous. For Indians the combination of thalli, ragga and virtuoso
improvisation creates endless musical tapestry.
Indian musical instruments can be broadly classified according to the
HornbostelSachs system into four categories: chordophones (string
instruments), aerophones (wind instruments), membranophones
(drums) and idiophones (non-drum percussion instruments).

Bowed strings

Chordophones:
Plucked strings
Bulbul Tarang
Dotar, Dotora, or Dotara
Ektara
Getchu Vadyam or Jhallari
Gopichand or Gopiyantra or Khamak
Gottuvadhyam or Chitravina
Katho

Chikara
Dilruba
Ektara violin
Esraj
Kamaicha
Mayuri Vina or Taus
Onavillu
Behala(violin type)
Pena or Bana
Pulluvan pattu - one stringed violin
Ravanahatha
Folk sarangi
Classical sarangi
Sarinda
Tar shehnai
Other string instruments[
Gethu or Jhallari
Gubguba or Jamuku - Percussion string instrument
Pulluvan kutam
Santoor - Hammered chord box

Aerophones
Single reed
Pepa
Pungi or Been
Double reed
Kuzhal
Nadaswaram
Shehnai
Sundari
Flute
Alghoza - double flute

Bansuri
Tangmuri
Venu (Carnatic flute) Pullanguzhal
flute

Thanthi Panai
Thimila
Tumbak, tumbaknari, tumbaknaer
Hand frame drums

Bagpipes
Mashak
Titti
Sruti upanga
Free reed
Gogona
Morsing
Free reed and bellows
Shruti box
Harmonium (hand-pumped)
Brass
Ekkalam
Karnal
Ramsinga
Kahal
Nagphani
Turi

Membranophones
Thavil
Hand drums
Dhad
Damru
Dimadi
Dhol
Dholak
Dholki
Duggi
Ghat singhari or gada singari
Ghumot
Gummeta
Kanjira
Khol
Kinpar and Dhopar (tribal drums)
Maddale
Maram
Mizhavu
Mridangam
Pakhavaj
Pakhavaj jori - Sikh instrument similar to tabla
Panchamukha vadyam
Pung
Shuddha madalam or Maddalam
Tabala / tabl / chameli - goblet drum
Tabla
Tabla tarang - set of tablas
Tamte

Daff, duff, daf or duf - medium or large frame drum without jingles, of
Persian origin
Dimdi or dimri - small frame drum without jingles
Kanjira - small frame drum with one jingle
Kansi - small without jingles
Patayani thappu - medium frame drum played with hands
Stick and hand drums
Chenda
Dollu
Dhak
Dhol
Dholi
Idakka
Thavil
Udukai
Stick drums
Chande
Nagara - pair of kettledrums
Pambai - unit of two cylindrical drums
Parai thappu, halgi - frame drum played with two sticks
Sambal
Stick daff or stick duff - daff in a stand played with sticks
Tamak'
Tasha - type of kettledrum
Urumee

Idiophones
Chimpta - fire tong with brass jingles
Chengila - metal disc
Elathalam
Geger - brass vessel
Ghatam and Matkam (Earthenware pot drum)
Ghungroo
Khartal or Chiplya
Manjeera or jhanj or taal
Nut - clay pot
Sankarjang - lithophone
Thali - metal plate
Thattukazhi mannai
Melodic
Jal tarang, ceramic bowls with water
Kanch tarang, a type of glass harp
Kashtha tarang, a type of xylophone
Electronic
Electronic tanpura
Talameter

Classification of Indian Instruments :

Indian Musical Instruments :
It is not known when exactly the early musical instruments came into
existence in India but they find mention in several ancient texts like
the Upanishads, Samhitas, Valmikis Ramayana, Bhagwad Gita and
the Sangam classics.
Many of the instruments mentioned in these texts date back to 5000
BC. It is widely believed that the earliest known Indian instruments
evolved from the Dhanuryantram (bow and arrow) used by primitive
tribes for hunting, as also to signal the advent of the enemy.
Descriptions in the Ramayana and the Mahabharat of the
reverberating sounds of Ramas bow Sharang and Arjuns bow
Gandeeva, which are said to have demoralized the enemy camp,
lend colour to this inference. It is believed that this particular sound
later inspired the design and shape of the bowed instruments used
by primitive tribes. Various types of crude drums and other musical
instruments have been discovered from pre-historic excavations
indicating that the use of music and musical was quite prevalent
during pre-histotic times.
Excavations at the Indus Valley site have revealed many kinds of
musical instruments. These were mainly made of bamboo, bone and

animal skins and bear close resemblance to modern Veena and

Mridangam. Many Greaco-Buddhist sculptures belonging to the
period 5th Century B.C. to 2nd Century A.D. also depict a wealth of
string, wind and percussion instruments.
Accordin to the Natshastra of Bharat, there are four classes of
musical instruments: Tata or Tantu (stringed), Avanaddha (percussion
or drums), Ghana (bells, cymbals and gongs), and Sushira (wind).
While some variations in classifications have been proposed over the
centuries, the system of Bharat has survived to date. The classes of
instruments are divided as follows:
Ghana Vadya (Idiophones)
Avanaddha Vadya (Membranophones)
Sushira Vadya (Aerophones)
Tata Vadya (Chordophones).
Flute, Nadaswaram, Veena, Gootuvadhyam, Thavil, Mridangam and
Plain drum are ancient Indian musical instruments while Harmonium,
Sarod, Shehnai, Sitar, Tabla and Violin are musical instruments very
popular now a days. Veena, Flute, Mridangam, Ghatam, Chenda,
Maddalam, Edakka, Nadaswaram, Khunjira, Tambura,
Gottuvadhyam, Talam and the Morsing (or mukha veena) are popular
Camatic Musical instruments. Violin is also popular in Carnatic music
concerts.