MUSIC – General Knowledge – question and answers

Namaste all.

Music General Knowledge

  1. How many ‘Kakus’ are mentioned in ‘Sangeet Ratnakar’?
    (A) 8

(B) 4

(C) 6

(D) 5

Answer: (C)

2. First person to play Indian Classical Music on Slide Guitar is

(A) Pt. Brij Bhushan Kabra

(B) Pt. Vishva Mohan Bhatt

(C) Pt. Varun Kumar Pal

(D) Nalin Kant Mukherjee

Answer: (A)

  1. Ravanhattha is a folk instrument of

(A) Punjab

(B) Kerala

(C) Madhya Pradesh

(D) Rajasthan

Answer: (D)

4. Correct Bols of Maseetkhani Gat are

(A) Dir Dir Da Dir Da Ra Da Ra

(B) Da Dir Dir Dir Da Dir Da Ra

(C) Dir Da Dir Da Ra Da Da Ra

(D) Dir Da Dir Da Ra Da Ra Da

Answer: (C)

5. Which of the following is a famous dance of Manipur?

(A) Navkuchiya

(B) Teratali

(C) Natuvangam

(D) Laiharoba

Answer: (D)

6. Which of the following is a famous Oddissi dancer?

(A) Sitara Devi

(B) Charan Girdhar

(C) Kumudini Lakhiya

(D) Kelucharan

Answer: (D)

  1. As per Hindustani Music, what is the required interval between ‘Vadi’ and ‘Samvadi’?

(A) 9/12

(B) 10/14

(C) 9/13

(D) 7/11

Answer: (C)

8. Which term was used for orchestra, in Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra?

(A) Vitat

(B) Mandal

(C) Krushtha

(D) Kutap

Answer: (D)

  1. Avirbhav in a raga is meant for which of the following?

(A) Beginning of Raga

(B) Soulful presentation

(C) Reinstatement of Raga

(D) Spiritual presentation

Answer: (C)

10. The conclusive part of ‘Thumri’ is rendered with

(A) Rela

(B) Kayda

(C) Ladi laggi

(D) Jhala

Answer: (C)

— to be continued —

Prof.V.Meenakshi Jayakumar

Adityahrdayam

Namaste All.

Aditya Hrdayam

Then the all-knowing Sage Agastya, who had come and joined the Gods to witness the fierce battle, seeing Rama who was lost in deep thought, utterly exhausted in battle and yet facing Ravana who was ready for a fresh encounter, spoke to Him.

Keshav on Twitter: "#Ramayana sketches 93: Rama's battle with ...

Saga Agastya says… Oh Rama, mighty armed Sri Rama listen to this eternal secret whereby your shall vanquish in battle all your foes.

This Holy hymn to the presiding deity of the Sun, if chanted fervently, will result in the destruction of all your enemies and bring you victory  and unending supreme felicity.

It is supreme in that it is a guarantee of all round prosperity, destroyer of all sin, allayer of anxiety and anguish, and bestower of longevity.

Do thou worship with this hymn the one i.e. Sun held in veneration by Devas and Asuras, possessed of golden coloured rays when he has wholly risen in the morning, who eclipses as it were other luminous bodies by his appearance on the firmament, the resplendent Lord of the universe by whose effulgence all else brighten.

He verily represents the totality of all celestial beings.  He is self-luminous and is the sustainer of all with his rays.  He protects the inhabitants of all the worlds as well as the race of the Devas and Asuras with rays that nourish and energize.

He, the presiding deity of the Sun is really all these – Brahma, the creator, Vishnu the Sustainer and Siva, the destroyer. Skanda the Divine Generalissimo (the annihilator of all foes), Prajapati, the Lord of all creatures, Mahendra, the Kind of the Celestial beings, Kubera, the dispenser of riches, Kala, the Lord of Time, Yama, the Lord of Death, Soma, the one that nourishes, and the Lord of the Waters, God Varuna.

He is also the Pitrs, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the twin Aswini Devas, the celestial physicians, the Maruts, Manu, Vayu, Agni, the vital air in all created beings, the maker of the six seasons by virtue of His alternating forms of energy and essentially the source of all light, the awakener of knowledge.

He, the Sun is the son of Aditi, the mother of all Devas, the creator of the Universe, the insipirer of action, the courser in the heavens, the sustainer, the illuminator of the directions, the golden hued brilliance, the golden generative fluid, and the maker of the Day.

He is he All pervading one with rays countless, the power behind the seven sense organs, i.e. two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and the tongue and the dispeller of darkness i.e. ignorance. He is the bestower of happiness and prosperity inclusive of absolution, the remover of the misfortunes of His votaries; the infuser of life in the otherwise mundane egg of existence, and the Omnipresent being, whose rays penetrate everywhere.

He is the primordian one who has become the Trinity – The Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, the ambrosial soothing influence,  the storehouse of riches Aiswarya, the usherer in of the Day, the Great teacher, the fire wombed Narayana, the son of Aditi felicity that is supreme and vast like the expanse, and the remover of intellectual stupor or evil mindedness.

He is the Lord of the firmament; the Dispeller of darkness: the Master par excellence of the three Vedas,  Rig, Yajur and Sama; He from whom comes the downpour of rain, the friend of the waters, figuratively the friend and benefactor of the pure-minded, crossed the Vindhya range, who sports in the Brahma Nadi.

He is the one intensely absorbed in creating the cosmos,with form circular , He is the inflictor of death, He is the Yellow coloured one, He is the destroyer of all; He is the Omniscient one whose form is the universe ; and who is exceedingly energetic and the beloved of all and the generator of all action.

Aditya Hrudayam, a powerful prayer from sage Agastya to Sri Rama ...

He is the Lord of all stars, Planets and constellations and the origin of everything in the universe, the resplendent cause of the lustre of even the brilliant ones, the one sentient being manifest in the twelve forms of the Sun.

  1. Salutations to Thee.
  2. Salutations to the presiding deity of Eastern mountain , where the Sun rises.
  3. Salutations to the presiding deity of Western mountain, where the Sun sets.
  4. Salutations to the Lord of the stellar bodies and also to the Lord of Day.
  5. Salutations unto Him that ordains victory in the quest after liberation.
  6. Salutations to Him, the Sun God, possessed of yellow steeds.
  7. Salutations to the thousand rayed Lord, of whose Amsa are the thousands of Jivas
  8. Salutations to Aditya again and again.
  9. Salutations to the Terrible one
  10. Salutations to the Hero.
  11. Salutations to the one that traverses fast.
  12. Salutations to the one whose emergence makes the lotus blossom and
  13. Salutations to the fierce and omnipotent one.
  14. Salutations to the Over Lord of Brahma, Siva and Achyuta.
  15. Salutations to the powerful and to the intrinsic effulgence in the Sun that is at once the illuminator and the devourer of all and is of a form that is fierce like that of Rudra.
  16. Salutations to the Transcendental Atman that dispels darkness, drives away all fear and destroyer of foes.
  17. salutations  to the annihilator of the ungrateful and to the Lord that rules over all stellar bodies.
  18. Salutations to the Lord shining like molten gold;
  19. Salutations to the transcendental fire, the fire of supreme knowledge.
  20. Salutations to the architect of the universe.
  21. Salutations to the destroyer of darkness and
  22. Salutations again to the effulgent sentience that is also the Cosmic witness.
  23. Salutations to the Lord who destroys everything that was and creates them all again, and
  24. Salutations to Him who by His rays consumes the waters, heats them up and sends them down again as rain.
  25. Salutations to the Lord who abides in the heart of all beings keeping awake even when they are asleep. He is both sacrificial fire and the fruit enjoyed by the worshippers thereof.
  26. The Sun is indeed the Lord of all action in this Universe.  He is verily the Vedas, the sacrifices ordained therein and the fruits thereof.

Sage Agastya further says:

Oh Raghava,  he who recites this hymn in times of peril, during affliction, while in the wilderness and when beset with fear, will not lose heart.

Worship thou, Oh Raghava, the God of all Gods, the Almighty Lord of the Universe, with one pointed devotion.  Reciting this hymn thrice you shall emerge victorious in battle.

This very moment, oh mighty armed one, you shall triumph over Ravana. Having spoken thus, Saga Agastya returned whence he had come.

Having heard this, the illustrious Raghava became from worry. He felt himself fortified, full of ardour and greatly pleased.

Gazing intently at Aditya and reciting the hymn, He experienced supreme felicity.  Purifying Himself after sipping water thrice the mighty one took up His bow.

Seeing Ravana in from of Him, He was delighted and came forth to fight. He put forth all His great effort determined on annihilating Ravana.

Then knowing that the destruction of the Lord of the prowlers at nights was at hand, Aditya, the central figure in the assembly of the Devas, looked at Rama with mind filled with delight and exclaimed HURRY UP.

Source: Sri Ramakrishna math Publication Adityahrdayam.

Know how many days did Ram Ravana war

SRI RAMA WORSHIPPING LORD SURYA NARAYANA MURTHY

Ram praying to surya (the sun god) (With images) | Hindu deities ...

— to be continued —

Prof. V.Meenakshi Jayakumar.

 

MUSIC – Sangita Parijatha

Namaste all.

Sangita Parijatha

संगीत पारिजात: Sangeet Parijata

 

संगीत पारिजात: Sangeet Parijata

 

Ahobala’s Sangita Parijatha:

  1. Sangita Parijatha was written by Ahobla who lives in the 17th
  2. He was son of Sri Krishna. (Father’s name)
  3. This work explains how the 22 srutis are arrived at through shadja-panchama bhava. Besides, names for all the 22 sruthis are also given.
  4. He names the 22 sruthis and their positions.
  5. He identified the 12 swaras in terms of the length of the string of the Veena.
  6. The importance of this work is that only this book shows clearly for the first time how we can get different swaras when we pluck a stretched string at different lengths.
  7. 17 kinds of gamakas are illustrated.
  8. It is true that Sangita Parijatha speaks more about Hindustani Music.
  9. The suddha scale described in Sangita Parijatha is the same of todays Kafi Raga.
  10. And that equivalent to the Raga Kharahara Priya of Carnatic music.
  11. Ahobala refers to his music theory with the Principles of Lochana Kavi’s Raga Tarangini (15th Century) and Somanathar’s Raga Vibhodha (1609).
  12. Ahobala describes Mela as a combination of Swaras.
  13. He says it has a power to create the Ragas.
  14. Ahobala describes 122 Ragas in detail with swara structure. He gives the number of their swaras, their time of performance and their characteristic melodic phrases.
  15. Ahobala listed 11340 Ragas. And classified 122 ragas under six mela categories. He even sub divides into Audava, Shadava and sampurna.
  16. According to Ahobala the movement of different swaras in different places that is sthana of the same swara, that various swarasthanas give each Raga an unique flavour.
  17. Ahobala describes 68 types of Alankaras (Vadana-bedha) and is considered as an improvement over Raga Vibhodha of Somanathar.
  18. Ahobala determined the length of the strings of the Veena as the value of swaras.
  19. He names the 22 sruthi and their positions.
  20. He identified the 12 swaras in terms of the length of the string of the Veena.
  21. Ahobalar’s Sangita Parijatha was translated into Persian by Pandit Dinanatha and many other music scholars translated in other Northern languages.

image

— to be continued —

Prof. V.Meenakshi Jayakumar.

General Knowledge on Music- Q&A’s

NAMASTE ALL.

  1. Anudrutam is used in which tala?

(A) Jhampa tala
(B) Rupaka tala
(C) Ata tala
(D) Mattya tala

Answer: (A)

2. Select one itaranama mudrakar:
(A) Syama Sastri
(B) Swati Thirunal
C) Tyagaraja
(D) Ramanad Srinivasa Iyyangar

Answer: (B)

3. Mandari is a janya raga of
(A) 63rd Melakartha
(B) 65th Melakartha
(C) 51st Melakartha
(D) 45th Melakartha

Answer: (C)

4. ‘Kedaram’ is a

(A) Arohana Vakra raga
(B) Avarohana Vakra raga
(C) Ubhaya Vakra raga
(D) Shadava – Shadava ragam

Answer: (A)

5. Bilahari is a
(A) Dvi anyaswara Bhashanga raga
(B) Three anyaswara Bhashanga raga
(C) Ekanyaswara Bhashanga raga
(D) Upanka raga

Answer: (C)

6. Who is the father of the great composer Thiruvottiyur Tyagayyar?
(A) Veena Seshanna
(B) Veena Kuppayyar
(C) Patnam Subramania Iyer
(D) Maha Vydyanatha Iyer

Answer: (B)

7. Who is the composer of Krishnaleela Tharangini?
(A) Narayana Theerthar
(B) Jayadeva
(C) Tyagaraja
(D) Bhadrachalam Ramadas

Answer: (A)

8. Name the chakra of Simhendra Madyamam Raga:
(A) Rishi
(B) Disi
(C) Aditya
(D) Netra

Answer: (B)

9. Who composed ‘Navagraha Kritis?
(A) Muthuswami Dikshitar
(B) Syama Sastri
(C) Tyagaraja
(D) Ambujam krishna

Answer: (A)

 10. Which reputed book was given to Tyagaraja by Saint Narada?
(A) Swararnavam
(B) Naradiya Siksha
(C) Brihaddesi
(D) Ragavibodha

Answer: (A)

—TO BE CONTINUED—

Prof.V Meenakshi Jayakumar.

Ratha Saptami

Namaste all .

Today Ratha Saptami, also known as Maagha Saptami.

It is not only a Hindu Festival, but also a Universal Festival.

This falls on the 7th day of Maagha Month according to Hindu calendar.

Ratha Saptami is celebrated two days after Vasant Panchami i.e. Basant Panchami . The 7th day of Maagha month also marks the birth of Surya, hence its also celebrated as Surya Jayanth. Ratha Saptami marks the birth of Surya to Saga Kashyapa and his Wife Aditi.

The first and foremost of the nine planets is Surya, the Sun.  He has two arms, and carries lotus flowers in each hand.  On his head He has a beautiful golden crown.  A gem-studded necklace adorns his neck.  He sits on  a lotus throne and rides a chariot drawn by seven horses.

Surya is as powerful as Brahma.  The world arises from Sun and resides within Sun.  Surya is like Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.

To receive the blessings of Surya, one must make an offering to Him everyday, read or listen to Harivamshpurana and wear ruby in a ring.  Devotees must given wheat, jaggery, copper, gold and red fabric in charity.

Ratha Saptami is sybolically represented in the form of Surya  turning His Ratha i.e. chariot drawn by seven horses, with Aruna, the Charioteer, towards the northern hemisphere, in a north easterly direction.  The seven horses represent the seven colours of the rainbow, they are also represent the seven days of a week starting with Sunday.

The chariot has 12 wheels, which represents the 12 signs each of 30 degree of Zodiac ie. 360 degrees,  named samvatsara. also the 12 months.

The Sun’s own house is Leo i.e. simha and He moves from one house to the next every month and the total cycle takes 365 days to complete.

This festival seeks the blessings of Lord Surya Narayanamoorthy.

Adityahridayam, Gayathri manthram, Suryashtakam, Surya Sahasranamam are the important prayers offered to the Lord Surya on not only this occasion but also on every sunday.

Om Sri Suryanarayamoorthaye namaha.

— V.Meenakshi Jayakumar

Today’s special

THIRU MURUGA KRIPANANDA VARIYAR SWAMIGAL MUKTI DATE:  (7.11.1993)

 

 

Thiru Muruga Kirupananda Variyar, was born at Kangeyanallur, a small village on the bank of river Palar.

When he was three years old, his father started teaching him  the basic lessons of language, literature and spirituality.  When he reached the age of eight he started composing and singing.  Kripananda Variyar became well versed in Tevaram, Thirupugazh, Thiru Arutpa, Kanda Puranam, Kamba Ramayanan, Villi Bharatam and knew more than 10,000 songs by heart.

He was endowed with good memory power and he recalled events from Purana with remarkable ease.

Variyar Swamigal had studied the doctrine of Saiva Siddantham in detail and lived a like a Saivite Saint.  He was an erudite Scholar and an eloquent speaker.  When he spoke, words just flowed freely like Holy River Ganga and people appreciated the pearly of wisdom that emanated from his discourse.

Once, a person asked Variyar, “Why should we worship God?” “Even animals live by eating and breeding their race,” Variyar replied. Man is endowed with the power of discrimination. He should elevate himself high, live as a perfect human, rendering help to all the needy and attaining the divine status.

In November 1993, he returned by a flight bound for Bombay and from there to Madras. Unfortunately, by the time his flight reached Madras, Variyar Swamigal had attained the lotus feet of Lord Muruga on 7th November 1993.

Thiru Muruga Kripananda Variyar is present everywhere in the form of various books on Thiruppugazh he has written.

Vetri Vel Muruganukku Haraharohara.

Uruvai aruvai uladhai ilathai……… varuvai guhane……….