Indian songs or for us Indians, just songs are an important part of our heritage whether it is an accepted fact or not. There’s no doubt that the world views India through an exotic lens, and Indian songs too fall into this category as well. Whether it is the nautanki of yore, or Bollywood music that has been constantly been putting out music that has evolved from a plethora of styles or the Classical Music (Hindustani or Carnatic) that is rich in instrumentation and rather precise in its design, the world considers our contribution to music itself palatable while heaping praise on musicians gone by even till this day. Whether it’s the Russians who love Raj Kapoor or the Kenyans who love Mithun da, this legacy of ours has to be conserved and protected for generations to come. Kishore Kumar, Rafi Sahaab, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, R.D Burman and his son, S.D Burman are just a few names that are revered and appreciated until this day, and in all parts of the globe. And this is only Bollywood music we’re talking about… The various gharanas which showcase the intricate variations of Hindustani classical music whether through singing or accompaniment has been dying a slow death down to the point of extinction, yet thankfully has been kept alive by the government of India. So, there’s at least one reason to thank them for! Watching John McLaughlin play the guitar (like a sitar) for a Carnatic recital while also hilariously wearing a ‘lungi’ was a moment that will be treasured for sometime to come. Yet it also tells us of the rich tradition of music that has been prominent during the times of Chandra Gupta Maurya and Akbar. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Shivkumar Sharma, M. Balamuralikrishna, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Alla Rakha Khan (father of Zakir Hussain) are virtuosos of instruments that tell the story of our country’s richness in diversity even in the field of music and won’t be forgotten for their contribution to music not known to be a part of Bollywood. Here’s a video that showcases Ravi Shankar and Alla Rakha in concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden in August , 1971: Just so you know, these are not just names that are being listed here, but true makers of history in the course of our country’s resurrection post-British Raj. Fast-forward to today with fast adapting to its fans who consider themselves a part of the ‘global village’ that has been envisioned. Fusion’ music, for example, combines musical styles in a ‘East meets West’ form, a deviation from its purest form. A brilliant example of this is Zakir Hussain’s Tabla Beat Science. Bollywood has also embraced Western music into its otherwise conservative space, although it has taken a while to find the right sounds. Off late, some of the music released over the past two years have been rather palatable as compared to the trash of the late 80s and early to mid 90s. Not only do these examples show us that Indian songs and its music can not only adapt itself to modern forms but boasts of the ability to enrich the tapestry of the musical landscape with the plethora of sounds that lies within its borders through artistry that is forged through the fires of discipline and sometimes, poverty. So, in closing, if one is able to appreciate one own’s culture first, will they be able to truly appreciate another culture for its differences.