Understanding Indian Music

Alankar

Alankar in Hindi means ornaments or the equipment to decorate a particular object. In Indian classical music, Alankar denotes the ornaments of the Swar basically used in Raga. It is a garland note arranged in ascending and descending order with a rhythmic frame that can be built the singing or playing an instrument in a melodic way. It is basically used in practice while preparing the singing or playing an instrument. Alankar s are the basic techniques Swar framed in Aroaha and Avroha that musician can entrance the Swar position and melodic singing. It is also called a perfect series of notes in ascending and descending order. Alankar is practiced to enhance the singing of Gamak, Meed, Taan, Alapa, Murki, Khatka. It is used that there are 63 Alankar s described in Sangeet Shastra (Vasant, 2019).

Aalap

Aalap is an expression of beauty or sorrow, of freelance composition, obviously extempore to delineate a Raga by graduate exposition free from the rhythmic sounds. It can be of three kind, Swar Aalap, Aara Aalap and Bol Aalap. Swar Alap means to express the melody in the form of Swar Sa, Re, Ga, Ma of particular Raga. Aakar Alap is of a kind generally sung by the Classical singer during the gradual elaboration of Raga. The notes of particular Raga are expressed only in Aakar form to express the sentiment of the melody. Bol Aalap means the form of Aalap which expresses the beauty of literature of the particular Bandish. The concept denotes the musical elaboration of literature, so the bolo Aalap is often called the skeleton of the Raga Vistar. The literature of the composition is always bound with the rhythmic meter. Usually, these kinds of Aalap are created spontaneously while exploring the Raga in a certain rhythmic frame of Taal unbounded with the rhythmic tempo which creates extreme beauty and expresses the innermost essence of Raga recital (Vir, 2006).

In vocal music, the form of Aalap is quite distinct then instrumental music. The literature (Lyrics) plays a great role in extending the perfect meaning of a certain word or stanza. Aakar Swar and Shabh Vistar (Bol Aalap) are the form of Aalap in vocal Music. In instrumental music, Aalap means the same we discussed earlier but the variation might be quite distinct. The tempo of Aalap is basically very slow with some time mixture of moderate Laya in different Layakari. The canvas of instrumental Aalap is both bound and unbound with a meter of particular rhythm. It is in three portions, first one is an Aalap, unbound with rhythm and in slow tempo, the second portion in Jod, might have a double speed of the tempo. Sometimes bounded with the meter but generally a freelance gradual exposition of Raga. The third portion of Aalap is called Jhala, which is generally played in the fourth speed of the tempo. Jhala is the beauty of Raga with the finest preparation of the Artist to demonstrate the extraordinary during a performance.

Aalap is the expression or the ornamentation of Swar by means of the creativity or the innovation of the Artist during practice and performance. The elaboration of Aalap is always different in various Gharana, in Khyal singing. Some of the Gharana use only Bol Aalap to elaborate the Raga singing while some use Aakar and Swar Aalap. In Thumri and other Semi-Classical forms, Bol Aalap is common to express love or misery. Some phrases of Bandish are taken to express the pattern of melodies forms with the help of notes used in particular Raga.

In Dhrupad, Aalap singing is quite different. Swar Alankar is not in practice. Aanant, Hari Narayana, Re, Ra Na Na, Te Tana, like words are used in practice. Aalap and Jad are in slow tempo, moderate whereas fast tempo is generally recited before the Bandish. Distinct Layakari in between the Bandish is performed according to the Vani of Dhrupad.

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