Indian Classical

Indian classical music is one of the oldest and most sophisticated musical traditions in the world, with roots stretching back to the Vedas and their tradition of sacred chant, the Sama-Veda, more than three thousand years ago. It divides into two great schools: Hindustani, which developed in the north of the subcontinent under the influence of Mughal courts, and Carnatic, preserved in southern India with stricter fidelity to ancient texts. Each has its own systems of ragas, talas and composed forms.

At the heart of Indian classical music is the raga, a codified melodic framework that associates a specific set of notes, characteristic ornaments and even a time of day or season with which it should be performed. This deep relationship between music and cosmology gives the tradition a unique spiritual dimension. Improvisation is central: the musician enters into dialogue with the raga's structure to create a musical experience that is always new, within a living relationship with audience and tradition.

Ravi — a name that immediately evokes Ravi Shankar, the legendary sitarist who introduced Indian classical music to the world — symbolises the universal reach of this tradition. Through collaborations with George Harrison of the Beatles and his appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival, Ravi Shankar opened millions of Western ears to the depth of Hindustani music, durably influencing the global world music scene.

Indian classical music festivals are events of particular intensity, where concerts can last several hours and extend deep into the night. The Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival in Pune, the Dover Lane Music Festival in Kolkata and the Chennai Music Season draw tens of thousands of music lovers each year. In Europe, festivals like London's Darbar Festival bring these traditions to international audiences, confirming Indian classical music as a living heritage of humanity.