India- The very name is melodious and its music is timeless. Every note of its classical music has reasons of antiquity; every strain rolls down through the objects in a rhapsody of ageless art.
Indian music is unique among the world’s music systems for having two fully developed classical music systems. Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian) Both have some common functions like primacy of solo and vocal expressions.

Trained for years in oral tradition under a Guru ,the Indian vocalist is composer, performer and conductor all rolled in to one. He may choose a traditional Raga for rendering but what he sings depends on his capacity to improvise. He composes as he progressively elaborates. Many times he selects a composition that is centuries old. In addition he controls and guides his accompanists. It is he who gives them the raga, taal and Laya (tempo) to be followed in the concert. He decides when to start and when to end the concert. Not bound by a score, he can be tantalisingly brief or ponderously elaborate. But he is unpredictable and always full of possibilities.

India does not have an Orchestra in the western sense of the term, but it has a rich variety of instruments - Solo accompanying classical folk etc. The Indian classification of musical instruments is not only ancient (set down by Bharata in 300 B.C.) but is widely accepted today.
TAT (Chordophone) - with vibrating strings
AVANADDHA (Membranophone) - with vibrating membrane GHAN (Ideophone) - with vibrating bodies
SUSHIR (Aerophone) - with vibrating air-columns
The Museum has not strictly followed this classification in presenting the instruments nor has it attempted to present the full range. Nevertheless this collection will help you to appreciate the grace, beauty and timelessness of Indian musical instruments.