The Birth and Evolution of India’s Classical Music

A Gem in India’s Crown

Classical music in India stands as one of the brightest gems adorning the nation’s cultural crown. At a time when many nations were still rooted in folk music traditions, India had already evolved a complex and magnificent system of art-music.

The Seven-Note Foundation: Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni

One of the most profound markers of that system is the set of seven basic notes — sa, ri (or re), ga, ma, pa, dha (or da), ni. These are analogous to solfège in the West (do-re-mi…), and are collectively called the saptak or the full octave in Indian theory. Interestingly, references to these syllables appear in early texts. For example, the Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad mentions the solfa letters “sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, da, ni”.

The note Sa (shadja) is especially significant — its name literally means “that which gives birth to six (others)”. Without Sa fixed as tonic, the remaining notes cannot be defined.

Vedic Roots and Unified System

The profession of music in India goes as far back as the Vedic era. Music is deeply woven into the fabric of the Yajurveda and other early texts. While scholarly detail is scarce for many early periods, what is clear is that until about the 13th century AD, there existed in much of the subcontinent a single system of classical music, albeit with regional variations.

This unified system covered the sweep of India — North, South, East and West. But over time socio-political shifts, invasions, and cultural interactions caused the music of the north and south to evolve differently.

The Divergence: Hindustani & Carnatic

By around the 13th century, the musical traditions in the north and south began moving on somewhat diverging paths. In the North, under Muslim rule and with Persian and Arabic influences, what we now call Hindustani classical music began to form. In the South, largely insulated from those invasions, the tradition stayed closer to its ancient roots; this lineage came to be known as Carnatic music (or Karnataka Sangita). The term “Carnatic Music” is known to have been used in Haripala’s Sangita Sudhakara (circa 1309-1312 AD).

Thus, India’s majestic music tradition branched into two enduring streams — each rich and profound in its own right, yet rooted in the same ancient soil.

Why the Solfa Matters

The seven syllables sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni (sargam) are much more than mere labels. They form the skeleton of melody-in Indian classical music. With them, the raga system (melodic frameworks) evolves and expresses deep moods, emotions and spiritual states.

Because India adopted the solfa/sargam early on, it is often regarded as one of the first cultures in world music to formalise a scale-based system (though independent of Western staff notation and tempered tuning) — giving it a unique position in global music history.

The Living Heritage

Today, the two main systems — Hindustani up North and Carnatic in the South — continue to thrive. But they carry within them the echoes of an ancient melody-system that once spanned the subcontinent. Music remains not only art, but also devotion, philosophy, and a living heritage of India’s cultural depth.