From the publisher
Comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date, this three-volume Encyclopedia covers the story of music spread across 2000 years. From entries on classical, folk, film, and other forms of music to details of all forms of dance, raga, tala, gharana, treatises, technical terms, and instruments as well as short biographies of vocalists, musicologists, saint poets, gurus, composers, and instrumentalists - the range and breadth of the Encyclopedia is immense. With 5000 entries by around 100 acclaimed contributors, the volume spans all regions of India: from Assam, Meghalaya, and Manipur to Gujarat, and from Kashmir to Kerala. The music of the Subcontinent, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka also finds a place.
A vast collaborative effort spanning 12 years and supported by an extended group of around 250 musicians, musicologists, scholars, and teachers of music from India and the world, the Encyclopedia includes more than 200 photographs from family albums and private collections as well as line drawings of rare instruments. The text and visuals blend to extend our understanding of the many modes and moods of the music of India.
Developed by the Sangit Mahabharati, Mumbai, and initiated by the late Pandit Nikhil Ghosh, this first-of-its-kind Encyclopedia will be indispensable for practicing musicians and students and teachers of Indian music in all its forms. Music connoisseurs, amateurs, and anybody keen to know more about India, her history and culture, will come across a wealth of information not found elsewhere. Library Journal Best Reference 2011
About the author
Sangit Mahabharati
One of India's premier music academies, Sangit Mahabharati was established in 1956 in Mumbai by internationally renowned tabla maestro and guru Padma Bhushan Late Pandit Nikhil Ghosh. The academy offers courses on music and dance, and actively promotes classical music through festivals, lecture-demonstrations, and open-to-all music appreciation sessions. The academy conducts cutting-edge research in musicology and maintains an archive of valuable information related to music in India. Sangit Mahabharati enjoys recognition and support from the State and Central governments, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation besides other charitable trust organizations.
