India's Cultural Heritage in field of Dance and Music:
(i) Dance and Music have always been popular in Indian Culture, patronized by kings and nobles. However, Mohammad Shah liberally patronised music in the first quarter of 18th Century. Talented musicians like Adarang and Sadarang were famous for their Veena playing. Raja Tuljaji of Tanjore (of South) himself was a well-versed musician, patronised, musicians liberally. He has written a famous book on music "Sangeet Saramrut". The bhajans (devotional songs) of Tyagraj of Tanjore were very popular in South India. Together with music, dance was encouraged during modern India.
(ii) The traditions of Kathakali, Manipuri, Bharat Natyam and Odissi have been popularised by great artists like Rukmini Devi, Menaka, Gopinath (Bharat Natyam), Madame Simaki (Kathakali), Raj Kumar, and Priya Gopal (Manipuri), the couple of Raghunath Panigrahi, Sanjukta Panigrahi (Odissi) and the latter's Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra have popularised both dance and music throughout India and abroad.
(iii) India is full of folk-dances and folk-lore. They are flourishing together with the classical dances. The popular and well known folk dances are Bhil-Nritya, Santhal-nritya, Naga-Nritya, Gajar (Bengali), Kajri (U. P. and Bihar) and Ahir-Nritya (U. P.), the Chau of Orissa have been entertaining the people of India from times immemorial. The martial dance with sticks and words and strings are also popular throughout India. Dances of some tribal communities are stunningly colourful.
(iv) A large number of books have been published on folk-dances and other dances of India. "Shantiniketan" several institutions of West Bengal have been contributing immensely to both song, dance and other forms of art. The music is woven into the texture of the dance patterns. The Government of India has also been doing a good deal in this direction. The Sahitya Academy (The National Academy of Letters), Sangeet Natak Academy (Academy of Music Dance and Drama) and Lalit Kala Academy (Academy of fine arts) are some of the prominent Academies established by the Government of India for the development of Art and Culture.
