Ancient Hindus had musical orchestras & dance-operas. Pāṇinī (600 BCE) describes a band of musicians (often female) was collectively called Tūrya & members were called Tūryāṅga with instrumentalists: Vīṇāvādaka (lute), Parivādaka (stringed), Mṛidaṅga & Paṇava (drum) players
Sammada & pramada were festivities with music. Sammada was a type of opera with instrumental/vocal music & dance performed by female instrumentalists & artists in palaces.
A sculpture at Bharhut shows such performances & contains an inscription referring to Sammada.
A sculpture at Bharhut shows such performances & contains an inscription referring to Sammada.
References:
India as known to Panini; A study of the cultural material in the Ashtadhyayi ⁃by VS Agrawala
India as known to Panini; A study of the cultural material in the Ashtadhyayi ⁃by VS Agrawala
Errata:
There was an error in transliterating Pāṇini’s name in English due to hurried typing on IPhone. Error is regretted 🙏😊
There was an error in transliterating Pāṇini’s name in English due to hurried typing on IPhone. Error is regretted 🙏😊
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