Published 2025-11-10
Keywords
- Indian Classical Music, Rāga, Consonance, Swara, Rasa, Indian Culture
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Indian classical music is deeply rooted in aesthetic philosophy, spiritual consciousness and cultural tradition. One of its most basic musical principles is consonance, which is important in the structure, performance and emotional effect of Indian raga-s. Unlike the Western systems of harmony, in Indian music the melodic consonance is given importance in the form of the selection of carefully selected swaras which then have a relation stability. This paper discusses the importance of consonance in Indian raga-s by analysing the theoretical foundations, aesthetic significance, cultural context and spiritual implications of consonance. It argues that consonance in Indian music is not just a technical device but a cultural medium that is the medium of sustenance of rasa, bhava and the meditative essence of Indian civilisation.