Question

Who wrote the book Sangeet Parijat?
A) Narad
B) Narayan Bhatkhande
C) Pandit Sarangdev
D) Pandit Ahobal

Answer 1

Hint: Sangeet Parijat is a book written in the year 1650. It is an essential manuscript on Hindustani Classical Music. Shri Dinanath translated Sangeet Parijat into Farsi in 1924, and Sri Kalinga translated it into Hindi in 1941.

Complete answer:
Pandit Ahobal wrote the ‘Sangeet Parijat,' an important manuscript on Classical Hindustani Music, around 1650 AD. By varying the spaces (gunottar) on the strings (frets) of the Veena, he founded the shuddh and vikrit swaras. According to Pt. Alochan, Pt. Ahobal's 'Shuddh Thaat' is now known as 'Kafi Thaat.'

In his text, Pandit Ahobal mentions 29 swars, including the shuddh and vikrit swaras. He has given the names but not classifications. Sangeet Parijat mentions 192 different ragas. Each of the 192 ragas provides a description of the Aroha, avaroha, grahas, nyasas, anshas, and murchanas of swars.

Let us look at the given options:
A) Narad: This option is incorrect because Narad did not write the book Sangeet Parijat. Narada, also known as Narada Muni, is a Hindu god-sage who is known for being a travelling musician and storyteller who brings news and enlightened wisdom.
B) Narayan Bhatkhande: This option is incorrect because Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande was an Indian musicologist who produced the first contemporary book on Hindustani classical music, an art form that had largely been passed down through oral traditions for generations. He did not write Sangeet Parijat.
C) Pandit Sarangdev: This option is incorrect because Pandit Sarangdev was an Indian musicologist who wrote Sangita Ratnakara, a famous Sanskrit book on music and drama, in the 13th century. He did not write Sangeet Parijat.
D) Pandit Ahobal: This is the correct answer. Pt. Ahobal wrote the musical treatise 'Sangeet Parijat' in Sanskrit in the 17th century. The Sangeet Parijat is a large work with 708 shlokas. It is divided into two sections. The Raaga Geetha Vichara Kanda is the first piece, and the Vadya Tala Kanda is the second.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: Pt. Ahobal's Sangeet Parijat is one of the most important Sanskrit works on music from the Middle Ages. It serves as a link between the music of the past and the music of the present. In today's world, his note analysis is very important. The importance of this remarkable piece may be shown in the way it was translated into Persian in 1724 A. D., a copy of which can be found in the Rampur Raza Library in Rampur.