Abstract

Time and again there have been constant attempts to adapt various kinds of instruments to Indian art music. Santūr - the folk instrument of the Jammu-Kashmir region of India has seen a similar transformation to suit the classicality of hindustāni music. Today, it is considered among the leading solo-performing instruments. This study attempts to analyse the live concert performances of rāga bāgēśrī on santūr, available in the public domain. Based on the musical output, quantitative analysis has been undertaken for the different musical forms performed in the rāga presentation. Subsequently, a detailed qualitative analysis of the introductory ālāp segment has been conducted for the parameters viz. range of svara-s, unique and unusual rāga phrases, anchoring on svara-s, oscillatory embellishments, and nyāsatva. By mapping the prayōga (lakṣya, practical) to the śāstra (lakṣaṇa, theory) descriptions of the rāga, the study analyses and attempts to gain a perspective on understanding the congruences and divergences of lakṣya and lakṣaṇa in the performance of rāga bāgēśrī on santūr.