INDIAN MUSIC AS COMPLIMENTARY THERAPY by K. S. Vasantha Lakshmi

Since the beginning of the human race, music of and in all forms has been used globally for various purposes be it just humming, putting a baby to sleep, prayers or pure entertainment. Some European countries, UK and USA have begun to use Musical compositions as a complementary and non-invasive therapy to address ailments such as ADHD, autism, Parkinsons' Tremours, Stress, Anger, Alzheimer's, hypertension, pain management etc., as a viable complimentary therapy. In India music therapy is in a very nascent stage. There is a huge treasure of music compositions in Indian music —classical, light, folk, film songs, and harvest songs with a wide variety that reflects the diversity in the country. Prescription of a musical composition depends not only on the ailment, but on the mood, language and the ethnic affinity of the patient to the composition. In this background, Vasantha Lakshmi, has done extensive research into the possibility of using music as a complimentary alternative therapy by studying various Ragas and the Swaras that constitute them along with their frequency values and their possible effect on the human mind. The endeavour has been to use all kinds of music for this purpose given the capability of Indian Music to interpret any type of music in notations. This book especially propounds the formation of a TRI-TEAM for determining the type of music to be used for this purpose. It is no secret that doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists and even therapists are not necessarily equipped with requisite musical knowledge to suggest the type of music that could be suitable for the recipient patient. In the book the author shares some examples of her experience and hopes that scientists and the therapy providing community in India and the world would welcome this initiative and come forward to explore globally the possibility of using the enormous musical heritage of India. All these aspects are discussed in this book "Indian Music as Complimentary Therapy".