| Sounding the Sacred Earth: Indian Classical Music in the Age of the Anthropocene |
| This paper explores the ecological imagination embedded in Indian Classical Music, particularly in the context of the Anthropocene—a geological epoch marked by extensive human-induced environmental transformation. Music is the greatest tool for communication, preserving culture, tradition, lifestyle practices, religious practices, and environmental practices through its compositions and passing them on to the next generations. Drawing from both Carnatic and Hindustani traditions, the two genres of Indian Classical Music, the study explores how music articulates a cosmological worldview that sacralizes nature and expresses elemental harmony. Central to this inquiry are the Panchabhuta Linga Kritis of Muthuswami Dikshitar, which invoke the five great elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space—not merely as metaphysical concepts but as lived, sonic experiences. Using a qualitative, interpretive methodology, this paper undertakes a brief, simple textual and musicological analysis of selected compositions, supported by insights from the environmental humanities and Indian philosophy. The findings reveal that Indian Classical Music encodes ecological consciousness through its raga system, lyrical content, and performative context, fostering a relational understanding of humans and the natural world. This research contributes to interdisciplinary thought by positioning Indian Classical Music as a cultural resource for ecological thinking in the Anthropocene. It shows that traditional musical practices can serve as tools for environmental awareness, cultural preservation, and ethical reflection on sustainability. The paper thus opens a dialogue between indigenous aesthetics and contemporary environmental discourse, offering new pathways for integrating art and ecological responsibility. |
| Author: Dr Lakshmi Surya Teja Bhavaraju
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Submitted on : 14-May-2026
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Arts : India/ Music/ Carnatic Classical Music |
| Journal ID : 0031-101-0333
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| Views: 33/ Downloads :0 |
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