Hindustani Classical and Mande Jeli Music

Hindustani ragas are, at their essence, musical and not lyrical. Though some vocal styles will make use of words, especially those devotional in nature, notes are the building blocks of a raga. Where harmony (the sounding of multiple notes simultaneously) and counterpoint (the playing or singing of complimentary melodies over one another) have never been features of the music, monophonic (consisting of single notes) melody has received a great deal of attention. Consequently, melody has been developed and innovated to an extremely sophisticated level, while preserving a certain natural simplicity.

Kishori Amonkar, one of India's foremost vocalists, stresses repeatedly the importance of notes and simplicity in Indian classical music. She has described the relationship between Shadaj and Gandhar (the first and third notes of the scale) as one between the dualistic "male and female principle." In this way, she suggests that notes are their own entities, independent of musicians who summon them. When musicians do summon them, she suggests that they can transcend purusha, the realm of consciousness, into prakriti, the physical realm. The idea, as well as its limits in the modern world, is conveyed in the following interview excerpt: Ashok Roy (Q): It has been said that through proper sadhana (spiritual practice), a raga can actually manifest in front of you...

Kishori Amonkar (A): That is not possible in this world, now. Yes, a raga may have a form.

If you consider it an entity, it has its emotional elements as well. But how much sadhana will it require from us, just imagine! You might need to sing just one raga all your life!

Even then, who knows whether it will actually manifest or no... That's why I follow a simple rule. No matter how many different ragas I may present in concerts, for my riyaz (musical practice), I stick to just one raga (K. Amonkar 2004, 27).

The music of West African jelis, or griots, takes the form of donkili, which translates to