Music for life: social and psychological objectives

I count it an honour to be a student of an eminent professor and performer, Dr. Anupam Mahajan, who has inspired me for this book which is a detailed report on the role and importance of music in our day-to-day life. The utility of music has been established in many areas ranging from its indispensability in human life to the positive effects, it has on other living beings like animals and plants.

This book is an effort to search about the scope of music while its main objective is to highlight the contribution of music in solving psychological and social problems and to focus on the application of music in shopping malls, street junctions, railway coaches, operation theatres, board rooms, nursing hospitals, rehabilitation centres and parks etc.

Music is a tool for soothing, relaxing and enchanting its listeners. its listeners. Music has for long been applied as a remedy to treat physical and psychological ailments, to eliminate social evils and for the cause of overall development of the under-privileged.

The human organism always remains in the process of development. Physical and psychological changes occur continuously throughout life span. Our whole being gets affected by our own heredity and the environment we live in. Music plays a vital role by helping in physical, psychological and social development of the child. It also in the enlightenment of the soul and is an indispensable part of our education system.

Music is a system of education which imparts knowledge and experience as to how to elevate and animate the levels of consciousness. Music evokes in us awareness of the beauty of the nature, public life and art. It creates an aesthetic outlook in us and hence develops our personality.

Music arouses various emotions in mind and can be regarded as medium for expressing thoughts and feelings through its tones and rhythm. Musical compositions, forms of music, rhythm and tempo, acoustics of music, various instruments, personal preferences, efficiency of the performer, cultural backgrounds and various ragas are the main factors which are responsible for the arousal of particular emotion.

Every kind of music has its origin in a particular society or culture. Traditional activities of the societies and cultures give birth to folk music. Folk songs depict the real picture of a particular culture or society and are an imperative part of social ceremonies and festivals.

Music has natural power to fetch attention of the people therefore it has always been used for the expression of social protest as well as publicity. In the correctional centres, music is considered to be a very useful tool. Inmates may have a choice to learn music in the prisons. They may listen to music or even can have training in music. Nevertheless, music plays a pivotal contribution in challenging communalism. Patriotic songs unite people belonging to various castes, creeds and regions. Music inculcates in us the feelings of peace, harmony and national unity.