What is a Raga?
Raga, we all know is the sequence of selected notes (swaras) that lend appropriate ‘mood’ or emotion in a selective combination. Depending on their nature, a raga could induce or intensify joy or sorrow, violence or peace and it is this quality which forms the basis for musical application. Thus, a whole range of emotions and their nuances could be captured and communicated within certain rhythms and melodies. Playing, performing and even listening to appropriate ragas can work as a medicine.(Bagchi, 2003) Various ragas have since been recognized to have definite impact on certain ailments. (Sairam, 2004b)
Historic References on Raga Chikitsa.
The ancient Hindus had relied on music for its curative role: the chanting and toning involved in Veda mantras in praise of God have been used from time immemorial as a cure for several disharmonies in the individual as well as his environment. Several sects of ‘bhakti’ such as Chaitanya sampradaya, Vallabha sampradaya have all accorded priority to music. Historical records too indicate that one Haridas Swami who was the guru of the famous musician in Akbar’s time,Tan Sen is credited with the recovery of one of the queens of the Emperor with a selected raga.
The great composers of classical music in India called the ‘Musical Trinity’, - who were curiously the contemporaries of the ‘Trinity of Western Classical Music, Bach, Beethoven and Mozart– were quite sensitive to the acoustical energies. Legend has it that Saint Thyagaraja brought a dead person back to life with his Bilahari composition Naa Jiva Dhaara. Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s Navagriha kriti is believed to cure stomach ache. Shyama Sastry’s composition Duru Sugu uses music to pray for good health.
Raga chikitsa was an ancient manuscript, which dealt with the therapeutic effects of raga. The library at Thanjavur is reported to contain such a treasure on ragas, that spells out the application and use of various ragas in fighting common ailments.
Raga Chikitsa: Raga Therapy in India
Living systems show sensitivity to specific radiant energies – be it acoustical, magnetic or electro-magnetic. As the impact of music could be easily gauged on emotions and thereby on mind, it can be used as a tool to control the physiological, psychological and even social activities of the patients
Indian classical music can be classified into two forms: kalpita sangita or composition, which is previously conceived, memorized, practised and rendered and manodharma sangita or the music extemporised and performed. The latter can be equated to the honey-mooner’s first night as it conceives both spontaneity and improvisation. It is fresh and natural as it is created almost on the spot and rendered instantly on the spur of the moment.
Some Therapeutic Ragas
Some ragas like Darbari Kanhada, Kamaj and Pooriya are found to help in defusing mental tension, particularly in the case of hysterics. For those who suffer from hypertension, ragas such as Ahirbhairav, Pooriya and Todi are prescribed. To control anger and bring down the violence within, Carnatic ragas like Punnagavarali, Sahana etc. do come handy.
This author, experimenting on the impact of raga on mentally-retarded (MR) children have noticed that it is the right combination of rhythms and tempo, which also affect the quality of a raga.
Not only psychological impact, but also somatic or physiological impact of ragas has come to light in some recent works. (Sairam, 2004b). For instance, stomach-related disorders are said to be cured with some Hindustani Ragas such as Deepak (acidity) , Gunkali and Jaunpuri ( constipation) and Malkauns or Hindolam (intestinal gas and for controlling fevers). Fevers like malaria are also said to be controlled by the ragas like Marva. For headaches, relaxing with the ragas like Durbari Kanada, Jayjaywanti and Sohni is said to be beneficial.
The immense potential of the power of Shabda (cosmic flow of sound) hidden in music was well recognised by the ancient Indian sages and they had devised several musical patterns emanating from the "Omkara" for chanting of the Vedic hymns and for distinct spiritual effects. The Shastric schools of music discovered musical octave (sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni, sa) indwelling in the subtle sounds of Nature and invented the basic classical ragas for activating specific streams of natural powers and effects; a wide variety of musical compositions were generated consequently. Ever since then music has been an integral part of human culture with varied applications and forms. Despite its degeneration into the noisy and destructive kinds of so-called ’modern music’, the creative and soothing role of music has not lost its prominence. The last few decades have seen revival of classical Indian and western music in a big way through increasing interest of researchers in music therapy.
he original ragas of the Indian classical music (Shastric Music) are created according to the deep knowledge of harmonious consonance between the seven swaras and chakras. This is why shastric musical compositions are found to have significant positive effect on the mind-body system and also have the potential to awaken the otherwise dormant faculties. There are several historical examples of the immense remedial power of the shastric ragas. For instance, in 1933, when the Italian dictator Mussolini was terribly suffering from insomnia, no medicine or therapeutic mode could help him get sleep. Pt. Omkarnath Thakur, a great shastric musician was visiting Europe around that time. When he heard of Mussolini’s affliction, he agreed to perform remedial musical programme to allay the latter’s sufferings. His performance of the raga puriya indeed worked magically and Mussolini went into deep sleep within half-an-hour. This and similar incidents attracted the attention of many contemporary musicians, scientists and physicians and triggered research in music therapy.
The empirical studies on therapeutic evaluation of the classical ragas have shown interesting results. Singing or engrossed listening of Raga Bhairavi has been found to uproot the diseases of kapha dosha e.g. asthma, chronic cold, cough, tuberculosis, some of the sinus and chest related problems etc. Raga Asavari is effective in eliminating the impurities of blood and related diseases. Raga Malhar pacifies anger, excessive mental excitements and mental instability. Raga Saurat and raga Jaijaivanti have also been found effective in curing mental disorders and calming the mind. Raga Hindola helps sharpening the memory and focussing mental concentration. It has been proved effective in curing liver ailments.
Music Therapy is especially effective in three key medical areas. 1. Pain, anxiety and depression,
2. Mental, emotional and physical handicaps,
3. Neurological disorders & mesothelioma.
The seven basic swaras (musical notes) of the musical octave have a one-to-one correspondence with these chakras (nuclei of subtle energy). The lower most (in the kava equina region along the erect endocrine column), viz., the Muladhara Chakra is associated with the swara "sa"; that means, the practice of chanting this particular musical note will have impact on awakening or activation of this particular chakra. Similarly, the chakras successively upwards in this direction namely, the Swadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, Agya and the top-most Sahastrara Chakra… have correspondence respectively with the swaras "re", "ga" "ma", "pa", "dha" and "ni". Significantly, the order of the compositions of these swaras in the "aroha" (ascending) and "avaroha" (descending) patterns of the Shastric musical tunes also match with the top-down (from Sahastrara to Muladhara) and bottom-up (from Muladhara to Sahastrara) directions of the flow of energy.
Ancient Indian music has devised a special therapy based on the 72 ragas. It is appropriate to define Raga at this point. Raga is neither melody alone, not notes; neither scale nor mode. It's an ensemble of all these.According to an ancient Indian text, Swara Shastra, the seventy-two melakarta ragas (parent ragas) control seventy-two important nerves in the body. It is believed that a person who sings/performs a raga bound to the raga specifications (lakshanas) and with purity in pitch (swara shuddi) will have complete control on the corresponding nerve.
To quote a few, for those who suffer from hypertension, ragas such as Ahirbhairav and Todi are prescribed. To control anger and bring down violence within oneself, Carnatic ragas like Punnagavarali, Sahana and so on, come handy. Not only psychological, but the somatic or physiological impact of ragas have come to light in recent research. For instance, stomach-related disorders are said to be cured with some Hindustani ragas such as Deepak (acidity) and Jaunpuri (constipation) and Malkauns or Hindolam (intestinal gas and fever). Simple iterative musical rhythms with low pitched swaras, as in bhajans are capable of relaxation, as observed with the alpha-levels of the brain waves. They may also lead to favourable hormonal changes in the system.
Hypertension is another health ailment that responds positively to music. Ragas such as Ahirbhairav and Todi have been recommended for patients with high blood pressure. On the other hand, low blood pressure is healed with the feminine Raga Malkauns, believed to have supernatural energy.
Asavari builds confidence to be heard in the Morning
Bageshri cures insomnia to be heard in the Night
Basant Bahar cures Gall Stones to be heard in the Morning
Bhim palas cures Anxiety, Hypertension to be heard in the Afternoon
Darbari is a Sedative to be heard in the Night
Gurjari Todi cures Cough to be heard in the Morning
Kedar cures Headache ,Common Cold, Cough, Asthma to be heard in the Night
Puriya cures Colitis, Anaemia, Hypertension to be heard in the Evening
Yaman cures Rheumatic Arthritis to be heard in the Evening
How Music Helps ?
Music helps in the treatment of actual diseases in the following manners :-
1. One obvious use of music is that of a sedative. It can replace the administration of tranquillizers , or at least reduce the dosage of tranquillizers.
2. Music increases the metabolic activities within the human body. It accelerates the respiration , influence the internal secretion, improves the muscular activities and as such affects the "Central Nervous System " and Circulatory System of the listener and the performer.
.R.Subramaniam , a Sangita Mahamahopadhyaya wrote
According to the Sangita Sastra, the 72 Melakarta Ragas control the
72 important nerves. If one sings with devotion adhering to lakshana
and sruti sudhi , the Raga Devatas shower blessings , injecting the
particular nerve in the human body which shall give needed relief in
due course.
Based on his experience
a.Bhairavi Raga cured T.B, Cancer, Severe Cold, Phlegm, etc
b.Kharahara Priya strengthened the mind and relieved tension.
c. Hindolam and Vasantha gave relief from Vatha Roga, B.P, Gastritis
and purified blood.
d. Saranga cures Pitha Roga.
e. Kalyani, Sankarabharanam and Charukesi give relief from heart
ailments.
f. Asaveri cures headache and psychological disorders.
g. By singing the 72 Melakarta ragas, stomach operation was avoided
and ailment cured.
The Bhatkhande Music Institute , under the guidance of Pandit
Shashank Katti has been doing research and music and its
application on the patients with the help of experienced doctors. He
is said to be remarkable successful in treating patiens with
arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, migraine, insomnia and
depression. The treatment normally goes on for 30 days for duration
of 20-25 minutes a day. Results are observed after 4-5 weeks.
Read more at
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/f...s/200602030210
0300.htm
The following list is from Dr T. V. Sairam, showing the connection
of diseases and ragas.
Malkauns(Hindolam)-for Low Blood Pressure
Bilahari-for Depression
Durbari-Anti-stress Raga
Shiva Ranjani---for intellectual excellence
Darbari-Kanhara, Khamaj and Pooriya Ragas for defusing tension of
the mind and hysteria
Ahirbhairav, Todi ragas for high blood pressure.
Punnagavarali and Sahana ragas for Control over anger and inner
violence
Raga Deepak for acidity
Gunakali and Jaunpuri ragas for constipation
Mian ki Malhar and Darbari Kanada ragas for Chronic asthma,
Bhairavi for Sinusitis,
Todi and Poorvi for Headache and anxiety,
Kafi and Khamaj ragas for Sleep disorders.
Hindol and Marva ragas for High fevers like Malaria.
Darbari- Kanhara, Jayjaywanti or Sohan for Headaches
Bageshri and Darbari ragas for Insomnia.
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