Dhrupad is accepted to be the oldest
existing form of North Indian classical music. The Dhrupad
tradition is invariably a major heritage of Indian culture.
The origin of this music is linked to the recitation of Sama
Veda, the sacred Sanskrit text. Crossing with time gradient
changes from vedic rhythms, chants, dhruva and prabandha at
the end of 13th century initiated as a Dhruva-Pada or Dhrupad.
Dhrupad is the oldest vocal and instrumental style, from which
the extant Indian classical music originated. The continuity
of Dhrupad, a contemplative and meditative form, has been
sustained by few traditions like Darbhanga, Dagar, and Betiya
traditions. Indeed, the leading Dhrupad maestros remark that
rather than to entertain the audience, Dhrupad's purpose is
Aradhana (worship). The nature of Dhrupad music is spiritual,
seeking not to entertain, but to induce deep feelings of peace
and contemplation in the listener
The word dhrupad is derived from
dhruva (fixed, steadfast) and pada (word, composition, poetry).
One significant characteristic of dhrupad is the emphasis
on maintaining purity of the ragas and the swaras (notes).Bearing
a specific composition, it consists of four parts namely sthai,
antara, sanchari and abhog but now-a-days only two parts sthai
and antara are mostly practiced in the school of Dhrupad teaching,
apart from some practioners who perform all the four parts,
and are sung in different styles.The emphasis is on developing
each note with purity and clarity.
Dhrupad is said to have emerged
from Prabandha. The Prabandha mode comprised of four sections
- the opening section, udgraha, the exposition section, melapaka,
a preset form, dhruva and the concluding abhoga. Of these,
the dhruva mode is alleged to have been provided by the basis
for the present day dhrupad. By about the 15th century when
the Prabandhas became far too stereotyped and as such lost
their popular appeal, a simplified derivation of Prabandhas
emerged in the form of Dhrupad. Bharata`s Natyashastra makes
reference of Dhruva as the song sung before the commencement
of a play, whereas 11th century music texts, such as Sangeet
Makarand, and 14th century texts like Raagatarangini, discuss
both the Dhruva and the Dhruva-Prabandha forms. Prabandha
and its branch, Dhrupad, were soon adopted as part of the
devotional music sung in temples.
Dhrupad has a very masculine style
and is traditionally performed to the accompaniment of the
Pakhawaj (double headed drum). Earlier it was only practiced
by the male musicians, but now we see a lot of female artists
in this ancient art form. Dhrupad is also the first form of
Indian music where due to its literary excellence and poetic
quality, the text or lyrics are merelythe vehicle of expression
of the notes and rhythm. It is in fact the fine blend between
the melody and the poetic qualities of dhrupad that gave its
uniqueness.