This document provides an introduction to Indian classical music through a series of multiple choice questions. It covers topics like the definition of key musical terms like raga and tala, famous Indian musicians like Tansen and the musical Trinity of Carnatic music. One question describes how flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia switched to playing left-handed in order to be taught by the legendary Annapurna Devi after she initially refused him as a student.

1. An introduction to Indian classical music
A little quiz!
#c2tlearns series
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2. This is part of a #c2tlearns series on an
introduction to Indian classical music
Catch the Story here:
https://storify.com/choosetothinq/c2tlearn
s-indian-classical-music
Here are five questions to further pique
your interest in the topic…

3. Q. Which of these terms can be defined as
follows:
Sanskrit for ‘colour’, contains a set of mandatory
musical notes, goes ‘up’ and ‘down’!
a. Raaga
b. Tala
c. Laya

4. Q. Which of these terms can be defined as
follows:
Sanskrit for ‘colour’, contains a set of mandatory
musical notes, goes ‘up’ and ‘down’!
a. Raaga
b. Tala
c. Laya

5. Q. Let’s say you were listening to a raaga called
“Miyaan ki Malhaar” (like this one). Who is said to have
composed this and other “Miyaan ki” raags?
Hint: he was one of a famous set of nine precious stones

6. Q. Let’s say you were listening to a raaga called
“Miyaan ki Malhaar” (like this one). Who is said to have
composed this and other “Miyaan ki” raags?
“Miyaan” Tansen, the legendary court musician of the
Emperor Akbar, and one of his navaratnas.
Tansen apparently could summon rain and fire with his music
– what they call an unconventional source of energy in
modern times.

7. Q. Which of these taalas (or rhythmic patterns)
is literally the ‘first or primary taal’ and quite easy to master
for a lay person?
a. Adi Taala
b. Rupaka Taala
c. Jhap Taal

8. Q. Which of these taalas (or rhythmic patterns)
is literally the ‘first or primary taal’ and quite easy to master
for a lay person?
a. Adi Taala
b. Rupaka Taala
c. Jhap Taala

9. Q. They are called the Trinity of Carnatic music
– their influence on the tradition is deeply felt even today.
If Syama Sastri is on the left, and Muthuswamy Dikshitar on
the right, who is the person in the middle, who has a famous
annual music festival in his name?

10. Q. They are called the Trinity of Carnatic music
– their influence on the tradition is deeply felt even today.
A. Tyagaraja. Read more about them here.

11. Q. Our last question is about one of our most favourite stories:
as a budding flautist, Hariprasad Chaurasia (now one of the
legends in the field) once approached the even-more legendary
Annapurna Devi to become her disciple.
She refused, saying he could not be taught as a fresh student.
In response he did something remarkable to become almost an
‘as-good-as-new’ student, in a sense erasing his previous life as a
flautist. Moved by his dedication, she accepted him as a pupil.
What did he do?

12. A. He switched to playing left-handed!
Read about that fabulous story here.
Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hariprasad_Chaurasia

13. #c2tlearns series
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