‘Music is the medicine of the mind’

So said John Logan, the noted soldier and leader. In India, music was always used to calm the frantic mind and even for major ailments. Just before our first show of our play last Friday, we chanted Om, the prime sound of the universe. It uplifted our spirits and we had a great show.

I have often experienced when I am sad or stressed, listening to classical music helps me. Many of you must have experienced this, may be with film songs or western classical. But I did some research and what I found amazed me. Not only our ragas are specifically designed for a particular time of the day but also specific ragas are meant to help in specific ailments.

The original ragas are created keeping in mind the harmony between seven chakras and seven ‘swaras’, notes. This is the reason classical rendition are able to affect the mind body system. Pandit Onkarnath Thakur healed even Mussolini, the Italian dictator, for his insomnia. His rendition of raag Puriya made Mussolini go to deep sleep within half an hour. Tansen often sang ragas to provide relief to Akbar.

There are in total 72 basic ragas, Neurological research has proved that these 72 ragas actually control 72 nerves in the human body. Singing or performing a Raga, when bound to its specifications and with purity in pitch or swara shuddi gives the performer complete control on the corresponding nerve. Ragas Ahirbhairav and Todi are prescribed for patients suffering from hypertension. Carnatic ragas like Punnagavarali and Sahana are useful to calm the mind and control anger.

Raag Shivranjini helps in treating memory problems; Raag Bhairavi provides relief from sinus, cold, toothache and phlegm. Raag Chandrakauns is good for heart problems and diabetes and Darbari Kanara eases tension and provides relaxation.

Want a peaceful sleep? Listen to raag Bihag or raag Bahar before going to bed. Suffer from low blood pressure? Raag Malkauns is your antidote. Raag Bageshwari arouses a feeling of stability, depth and calmness.

Of  course the ragas have to be sung properly with clear notes to have any effect. So next time you are angry or depressed, listen to a classical piece and you will feel better.

So be it!!!

(Source: various articles)