History doesn’t belong to us; we belong to it
The origins of Indian classical music can be traced back to the second century BC. From detailed poetic verses of Natya Shastra, to beliefs like ragas have natural existence – that we didn’t invent them, we just stumbled upon these divine creations – the philosophy and history of Indian music is as intriguing as the sangeeta itself. While the art was written about in great detail, the instruments themselves did not get their fair share of mention. Make no mistake, the concept of taal does date back to the Vedic period; it’s just the descriptions of some instruments that got little written about. Thus rise confusions and debates about who invented what.
One of the most hotly debated topics in Hindustani Classical Music is that of the origin and history of tabla. It isn’t confined to minor disagreements of whether it was Amir Khusraw or Amir Khusru who invented it (yes, they are different), but brings up passionate voices which cite history spanning millennia. Even with Vedic-era texts, memoirs of Chinese travelers from at least a thousand years ago, and temple carvings dating back to no less than 500 BCE, there is a sense of uncertainty about the precise origins of tabla’s form as we today know it. Is it the same instrument that our ancestors drew in Bhaja and Ajanta caves? Was it an Arabic invention? Or does it have Mughal origins? A deep dive into the various theories and their implications might help us reach, or at least get closer to, the truth.
Theories
Ancient Indian Origins
Walk into any museum with Indus Valley artifacts, and you’ll notice something peculiar. The rhythmic depictions aren’t just decorative – they’re historical evidence. Those 200 BC Bhaja cave paintings from Maharashtra aren’t merely drawings; they’re musical time capsules.
Tabla being popular only in the Indian subcontinent made historians look at India as the origin point. Archaeological evidence suggests that percussion instruments similar to tabla existed long before the Mughal period. Temple sculptures and ancient texts provide glimpses of rhythmic instruments that bear remarkable resemblance to modern tabla.
Mughal Origins
Some argue that a musician named Amir Khusrow invented the tabla. Others argue that another musician named Amir Khusru invented it. Interestingly, both arguments are a variation of “broke a drum from the middle to produce two drums”. Tabla’s similarity to Pakhawaj, and paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries do give some credibility to these theories. The Mughal court was a melting pot of musical innovations, and it’s quite possible that the tabla as we know it today was refined during this period.
Some personal thoughts
Tabla is not an Arabic invention. If it were, it would’ve been famous outside the Indian subcontinent as well – which is not the case. Personally, I would agree with what Girish Chandra Shrivastava has to say on the topic in his book Taal Parichay (and I am paraphrasing) – Tabla originated in India. It came from the Mridangam. During the Mughal period, the instrument underwent a crucial change – the application of syahi on the Baya. And the resultant instrument is what we know as tabla today. Tabla has an incredible amount of similarity to Mridangam to reject this theory. Not only does this reinforce that tabla has Indian origins, but it also aptly captures the reason behind the credit going to the Mughals.
The evolutionary journey of tabla is a testament to India’s rich musical heritage – an instrument that seamlessly blends tradition with innovation, reflecting the dynamic nature of our classical music.