Is Lord Krishna the soul of Indian Music?

Its Krishna Janmashtami. All over the world today, the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Krishna is the deity who has been an inspiration for all art forms; be it painting, sculpture, performing arts or literature.

The Navrasas mentioned in the literature are always depicted with the help of tales of Krishna in all dance forms.

It makes me wonder, what would have artists created if they did not have the stories of Gods to inspire them?

This is perhaps the only deity who is worshipped daily in its infant lovable age in many homes. Almost all languages have lullabies written for Krishna and even today they are hummed to babies.

Krishna’s stories describe him as any common lad in a village, and his pranks as a young boy are adorably naughty. We swoon over the stories of his mesmerizing flute, and we are awestruck by his brave encounters with demons.

The contrast of simplicity and greatness in his stories is itself the inspiration for arts.

All these stories of Krishna are sung in all languages and all vocal forms of music in India. The ideal romantic lover, the able ruler, the friend philosopher and guide…Lord Krishna is omnipresent in all our songs.

The vast treasure of classical and semi-classical music compositions has Krishna as an all-pervasive topic.

The poems of Meerabai are soulfuly sung by singers in all genres.

The Baul songs of Bengal are based on the love and longing of Radha and Krishna.

Krishna Naam , Krishna Bhajan ,Krishna Bhakti are all synonymous to soulful music.

Therefore it will be apt to say that

Krishna is the soul of Indian music.