The North Indian Tabla Drum as Saivite Hindu Religious Path

The traditions of Hindustani (north indian) tabla drumming gather the various strands of culture that exist in India into a complex social tapestry. In order to understand the cultural phenomenon of tabla music, it must be heard within the context of an indian heritage originating from a wide spectrum of influences. The tabla's syncretic patchwork brings together elements of Islamic, Karnatic, and hindu musico-religious culture; from Sufi influences in musical pedagogy, to South indian bhakti devotional culture, to the tantric worship of Siva in Kashmir, the lineages of tabla music in north India exist as a living amalgamation of the many divergent cultural forces at work in India. As the author of The Literatures of India observes, "Religion in India is so interwoven with every other facet of lifethat it becomes indistinguishable" from other cultural institutions. Existing in such a context, the practice of music in India is often construed as a religious: the musician becomes the yogi.