The Public Performances of Indian Classical Music in 19th and 20th Century

Abstract

Classical performing art forms of India have always been the most ancient communication  forms and have nourished under the shelter of either the religious centers or the court of the  rulers. The aesthetic pleasure of enjoying a classical performance was not accessible to  common people. The situation changed around 19th Century when some classical music  connoisseurs started organizing classical music programmes outside the vicinity of princely  courts and temples. There may have been many reasons to do so. Some of them had the motto  of reviving and upholding heritage of Indian art forms and through it propagating and holding  to Indianness among the British ruled Indian people. Some did so simply out of love for these  art forms. Whatsoever were the mottoes of these people, their efforts resulted in wide  propagation of Indian Classical Music and Dance. This paper has tried to document some of  the prominent and popular mass scale Music festivals that have not only been efficient tools  of communicating with the masses but have also kept our country vibrant with the sound of  music, and thus uphold the age-old heritage of intangible art form – the Indian Classical  Music.