Importance Of Music In Our Lives

Sangeet yaad dilaati hai…
(संगीत याद दिलाती है......)
Yaad hai wo nange paon ghaas par khelna
Talwon ki wo gudgudahat
Sangeet yaad dilaati hai…
(याद है – वह नंगे पाँव घास पर खेलना,
तलवों की वह गुदगुदाहट,
संगीत याद दिलाती है......)
Wo nadi ki kal-kal sunte, khud ko bhool jaana
Mann ko dhula-dhula, niskalank paana
Sangeet yaad dilaati hai…
(वह नदी की कल-कल सुनते खुद को भूल जाना,
मन का धुला-धुला, निष्कलंक पाना,
संगीत याद दिलाती है......)
Jadon ke mausam mein, chat par
Chai ki chuski lete hue narm narm dhoop odhna
Sangeet yaad dilaati hai…
(जाड़े के मौसम में –
छत पर चाय की चुस्की लेते हुए,
नर्म-नर्म धूप ओढ़ना –
संगीत याद दिलाती है......)
Wo geeli mitti ki azaad khushbu
Wo baarish mein bejhijhak jhoom uthna
Sangeet yaad dilaati hai…
(वह गीली मिटटी की आजाद खुशबू,
वह बारिस में बेझिझक झूम उठना,
संगीत याद दिलाती है......)
Wo Maa ki god
Maa ka haule haule sar par haath pherna
Sangeet yaad dilaati hai…
(वह माँ की गोद,
माँ का हौले-हौले सर पर हाथ फेरना,
संगीत याद दिलाती है......)
Jaane kitni paratein pad gayin itne saalon mein
Ye paratein kholti hai, khud se khud ko jodti hai
Sangeet mujhe apni yaad dilaati hai…
(जाने कितनी परतें पड़ गयीं इतने सालों में,
ये परतें खोलती हैं, खुद से खुद को जोड़तीं हैं,
संगीत मुझे अपनी याद दिलाती है......)

This is how I relate to music. We all relate to music in our own unique way. Of all the existing art forms, music in my opinion has the widest reach. A person may or may not be trained in it to enjoy it. It pervades all the aspects of human life and is intertwined with all our physical and emotional states. If I could personify it, I could say that Music laughs with us, cries with us, shares our lives with us.

Music is such an integral part of Indian culture that we even have a Goddess of Music- Goddess Saraswati. According to the scriptures, when Lord Krishna played flute, it left all spellbound and mesmerized. Earliest music in the form of chants started with the temples and eventually reached every nook and corner. It became the gem of kings court and reached the common man as well in the form of Folk music. Wisdom and tradition has been passed in the form of folk music for generations. Music has been used as a means for something as significant as to worship, to transfer knowledge and as trivial as to make a child sleep. We have a song for every occasion.

Introducing music early in childhood has its own advantages. Children have tremendous energy. Classical music channels their energy in the right direction and helps in shaping their personalities. According to Shrutis and Smritis, music was a very important element of our ancient education system- The Gurukul System. [According to Chhandogya Upnishad, music was included in 18 professional skills (sippas) desirable for a graduate in ancient India.] It nurtures the children into creative, compassionate beings, indirectly creating a better, peaceful society. It was rightly pointed out by the eminent Music Composer Ilaiyaraaja in 46th International Film Festival of India inaugurated at Goa that “Music alone has the power to bring down violence. It discourages the wandering mind and helps in focussing one’s thoughts”. The new education policy (NEP) 2020 has also recommended the inclusion of music, arts and literature subjects in all Higher Education Institutions. I believe, more than half of the world’s problems including crime and war will be resolved just by reverting to our ancient wisdom and making training in classical music compulsory for children.

The healing effect of music is being extensively studied. Music therapy has been recognized and inculcated by many renowned hospitals across the world. Many experiments have clearly demonstrated improved medical outcomes and better quality of life with music. Music therapy is being used to relieve pain, for speech therapy in patients recovering from brain injury, for treatment of insomnia, to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with diseased state and treatment. We have used it in ICUs and it definitely lifts up the spirits. Personally, I have witnessed it to cure a bad headache or nausea on so many occasions. The websites of Sanatan Sanstha and USA’s ‘bibliolore.org’, cite an incidence which took place in 1933 when Indian Classical Singer Pandit Omkarnath Thakur was touring Europe. When he arrived in Rome he was invited to Mussolini’s residence to help him with his sleeplessness. It is said he sang a version of raga ‘Puriya’ which put him to sleep within fifteen minutes.

Not just with the patients, I have seen many surgeons operating with light, soothing music running in the background in Operation Theatres. It helps them focus and thus indirectly making better judgements. Music can be related to excellence in any field we pick up. For example, Albert Einstein, an excellent Scientist was also an accomplished violinist and as he said in his own words, “I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music”. The renowned Indian scientist C. V. Raman was obsessed with the workings of Indian musical instruments, especially percussion instruments. This ‘jugalbandi’ of art and science is again witnessed in the works of Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose, who in his paper, “Responses in the Living and Non-Living” published in 1902 wrote how plants grew more quickly when exposed to nice music and gentle whispers. So it’s not just us humans who are affected by music but plants too. The scope of music is just endless. All I can say is that music makes living beautiful and would like to conclude with the apt description of music given by Plato, “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything”.