Beyond the funky fusion and bass-heavy remixes of the modern era, a deeper revolution is taking over the classical scene. For performing arts like Bharatnatyam and Shastreeya Sangeet, Sanskrit has become a living model.
According to Anjali Malkar, a noted Hindustani classical singer and music teacher, the relationship between Sanskrit and music transcends mere connection; is essentially synonymous. The concept she invokes has profound weight. “Sanskrit is a gay language, a language designed not only to be spoken but also sung,” says Anjali. “You don’t just speak Sanskrit; you flow with it,” Anjali explains with the precision of someone who has spent her entire life immersed in both disciplines. “When you learn the language, you organically develop a musicality in your speech. It is the language of music itself.”
Sucheta Chapekar, a renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, says, “All our languages are based on Sanskrit. And Bharatnatyam, the most rigorous and demanding classical art form, is not ideally possible without Sanskrit.” For Chapekar, Sanskrit did not come as an achievement but as an inheritance. “Dance is not just physical movements,” he emphasizes. “It has many art forms combined into one. And to access that depth, to understand every mudra, every taal, every expression, requires the language that codified those answers centuries ago.” At Kalavardhini, the foundation he runs for budding dancers, the teaching of Sanskrit has been deliberately integrated into the curriculum along with music classes. Chapekar has designed teaching materials that are directly based on ancient scriptures – the Abhinaya Darpan and the Natyashastra. “They know and understand what they dance,” he says. “This is a fundamental method of teaching Bharatnatyam.”
For years, Shreya Prabhune, a Visharad gayan and Sanskrit scholar, sang with instinctive mastery. But when he started reading Sanskrit treatises along with performances, everything changed. “When I only thought about singing, I only thought about my performance,” he reflects. “But when I integrated Sanskrit, I realized that art needs logic to sustain its wings. You have to know where to place the emotion so that it hits home.” Its catalyst was a 17th century masterpiece, Sangeet Parijat. His revelation came through the concept of Shruti (the microtones that exist between standard notes). While most players play these notes by instinct, the Sanskrit scriptures provide a road map of the “tark-shuddha” (logical and scientific) intellect. “I only deeply understood Shruti as a researcher,” he explains. “It taught me that every vibration, every frequency, carries a specific bhaav (emotion). Now, I don’t just sing; I sing consciously.”
“We say the gods are happy when we pronounce the words correctly,” says Anjali with a smile. “But what does that mean in a modern context? It means that sound influences the mental state. It colors the mind with a specific emotion, creating an aura of immense positivity.”
Bharatnatyam singer and Sanskrit scholar Dr. Sharayu Bhalerao focuses her doctoral research on comparing the taal system of Natyashastra with modern rhythmic patterns. “When you stay away from ancient Sanskrit texts, you lose the science,” he explains. “Even the taals that are practiced today are learned by heart. Nobody understands why they work. A great artist is a mixture of theory and practice,” he insists. “The learning process goes beyond physical exercise. There is also intellectual work.”
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In today’s digital age, this intellectual depth is often sacrificed for speed. “It’s an era where social media values flashiness over substance,” Sharayu says. Contemporary artists want to innovate, but few ask themselves: what exactly am I moving away from? To truly break the rules, you must first understand them. Sanskrit texts provide that understanding. “Bharatmuni,” explains Sharayu, “codified Bharatnatyam in the 2nd century, where its principles were designed to be adaptable. He distinguished between lokdharmi (art for the common people) and natyadharmi (art for trained artists). Therefore, modern fusions are not betrayals of tradition; they are applications of Bharatmuni’s own flexibility. The problem? Most contemporary artists do not know Bharatmuni well enough to know what he really meant. are breaking up.”
Is the “funky” evolution of modern music a threat to these traditions? Surprisingly, the answer is nuanced. Anjali acknowledges, “Purpose dictates performance. If a musician’s goal is to experiment with sound variations and pursue novelty, fusion is a natural and perhaps even necessary outcome.” The call to action is simple and radical: locate. “Let’s not keep Sanskrit on too high a pedestal,” Anjali insists. “We need to bring it closer to the common people. It is the language of all knowledge. To have an academic aura as a musician today, studying Sanskrit is no longer optional, but mandatory.” This requires a change of priorities for the next generation. His advice to budding artists runs counter to contemporary hustle culture. “Don’t chase performances. Chase excellence,” he says.
“More than Sanskrit, what matters to me is the arthgarbhataa, that is, the substantiality combined with the musicality of the language,” says Chapekar. “In any language, if I encounter them, I am forced to study and act through that language. We found that Sanskrit has both traits.” says Chaphekar.