Tug-O-War: Modern vs. Traditional Indian Music

By: Jennifer L.

  Jenn L.

       Section B3

    The musical styles of India have definitely changed since throughout the past several years. One genre of classical Indian music is Punjabi Bhangra. Bhangra consists of many dances and arts. Around the 14th or 15th century, Punjabi farmers often danced to Bhamgra music to pass the time while working in the fields. Men and women both wear costumes while dancing to Bhangra. (Men wear lungis and women wear the traditional Punjabi dresses.) Important instruments that are vital in making the music of Bhangra are the dhol, tumbi, sarangi, and chimpta. These instruments are all string instruments. Today, rap music is very popular amongst the Indian music. One popular rap group in India is a group named RDB. In modern day Indian music, a lot of technology is used. Not only for recording the sounds, but also for filming music videos.
     However, though it may seem that traditional and modern Indian music are greatly different, there is a point when they fuse together. For example, Bhangra is now even incorporated into some modern Indian music genres. These genres include hip-hop, rap, and even reggae. All in all, there are many differences between the modern and traditional music yet there are even some similarities.

Popular Indian rap group- RDB

http://www.thesituation.co.uk/ukartists/rdb/rdb_main.jpg

 

Indian men dancing to traditional Punjabi Bhangra

http://www.sadapunjab.com/news/uploads/83f0.jpg

 
*These images capture the differences between the two styles of music. For example, the costumes are very different. In Bhangra, the clothes are very traditional. In rap, the clothes are very urban and casual.
 
 
 
Mom: Please turn down that rap music! It is so distracting and loud.

Daughter: But Mom…it helps me concentrate better on my studying.

Mom: How could that obnoxious beat possibly be helping you study?

Daughter: I don’t know what you mean. Your Bhangra music is even more loud and obnoxious than this. All of those instruments playing at once are so distracting.

Mom: In rap the people are not even singing. They are just speaking these words and is often hard to understand.

Daughter: The lyrics are still really interesting, Mom. I find it a lot more fun than Bhangra.

Mom: Okay, I will give your rap music a try…

Daughter: I will give your Bhangra music a try too since you like it so much.


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