Another genre of culture during the Mughal era that combined Hindu and Muslim traditions was music. The contribution of emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan was significant in the music practice of Mughal period.
According to Abul Fazal, there was no one within 1000 years from that time who was as talented as Miya Tansen, the greatest musician of the era.
Along with music, special development of literature was observed during the Mughal period. Although the official language was Persian during this period, Hindi, Sanskrit and other vernacular literature also flourished.
Music During Mughal Rulers
| Emperor | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Babar | Emperor Babur himself was a musician. His autobiography, the Baburnama, contains references to musical performances. Music played a key role in various court ceremonies, and festivals. |
| Humayun | Humayun was a music lover. His court was influenced by Persian music and culture. The traditions of music continued to evolve during Humayun’s reign. |
| Akbar | He was a music lover. He used to play Nagra himself. 36 artists received patronage in his royal court. Among them, Tansen, Baj Bahadur, Baba Ramdas, Surdas, Baiju Baora, etc. were particularly notable. Indian classical music was significantly impacted by the renowned musician Tansen in Akbar’s court. Abdur Rahim Khanan, Raja Bhagwan Das, and Raja Mansingh were also patronized by Akbar as famous musicians. One of Akbar’s courtiers, Raja Man Singh was a great influencer of music and added to its richness. As a student of Lal Kalawant, Akbar acquired a vast understanding of Hindu vocalization. Tansen’s instructor and a prominent person in Akbar’s court was Swami Haridas who was from Vrindavan. In the Akbar court, Tansen invented a famous Raga – Deepak and Malhar. He also introduced other Ragas such as Miyan ki Malhar, Miyan ki Todi, Mian ki Mand, etc. |
| Jahangir | Jahangir himself composed many songs in Hindi. Tansen, a renowned musician from Akbar’s court, had a lasting impact on the musical environment. The famous Hindi musician of his time was Muhammad Sali. Jahangir’s court paintings frequently featured musical scenes that signify music in royal culture. |
| Shah Jahan | Musicians such as Jagannath, Janardhan Bhat (of Bikanir), Ramdas, and Mahapatra were patronized by Shahjahan. Impressed by the musician Jagannath, the king weighed Jagannath with gold and gave him all the gold as a reward. He had a melodious voice. Sufi saints were said to become emotional when they heard his beautiful voice. |
| Aurangzeb | Aurangzeb himself played the harp (veena). He patronized musicians for the first 10 years of his reign, but later it stopped. |
| Mohammad Shah | He was a musician and speaker. Renowned Dhrupad teachers Sadarang and Adarang played a significant role in educating people in the Khayal style of music. He was known as ‘Rangila Badshah‘. |
Info: In the latter Mughal era, Colonel James Skinner, a prominent Anglo-Indian in Delhi, commissioned a well-known artist to produce an album including their pictures. Colonel Skinner was also intimately involved with musicians and dancers.
Info: Tappa is a different style of Indian classical music that started during the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. It was basically a from the folk songs in the Punjab region.