Question

Who is the writer of Sangeet Ratnakar?

Answer 1

Hint: He was an Indian Musicologist. He is the person who has written a book on music and drama in the thirteenth century. He had worked as an accountant in the court of King Singhana II. He worked hard to reach his musical interests.

Complete answer:
The Sangita Ratnakara Means ‘Oceans of Music and Dance’. This is the most important Sanskrit musicological text from India. This book was written by Sharngadeva or Sarnga Deva in the thirteenth century. He was a part of the court of king Sinhana II, Maharashtra. Sarnga Deva was an Indian Musicologist. He was born in a Brahmin family in Kashmir, India. The text named Sangita Ratnakara contains seven chapters:
1.Svaragatadhyaya
2.Ragavivekadhyaya
3.Prakirnakadhyaya
4.Prabandhadhyaya
5.Taladhyaya
6.Vadyadhyaya
7.Nartanadhyaya

The first six chapters deal with the aspects of music and musical instruments and the last chapter deals with dance. This book is a medieval era text including ancient musical theories. This text remains as a reference text among the Indian musicologists and music schools. This the classical text on music and drama. This text has been quoted by other Indian musicologists in their music and dance-related literature. Sarnga Deva presented his ideas on music and dance in seven chapters of Sangita Ratnakara, but later made it in philosophical context. In this he systematically presented his ideas on the following:
1.The nature of sounds
2.The smallest distinctive sounds that humans can hear.
3.Sounds of musical instruments
4.Musical scales and modes
5.265 ragas, beats, and role of time, prosody
6.Relation between performance arts and human emotions and sentiments, the composition of drama and songs.

In this book Sarnga Deva states that the composer should be a competent performer, the composer should know his audience, and how their minds work, rising above his own likes and dislikes, to bring happiness to everyone.

Note: Both Hindustani music and Carnatic music traditions of Indian classical music regarded ‘Sangita Ratnakara’ as a definitive text. The text is the synthesis of ancient and medieval musical knowledge of India. The text has been quoted by other Indian musicologists in their music and dance-related literature. This text attracted secondary literature called ‘Bhasya’ in the Indian tradition.