The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular,
pop, and classical music. India's classical music tradition,
including Carnatic and Hindustani
music, has a history spanning millennia and, developed over
several eras, remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today
as sources of religious inspiration, cultural expression and
pure entertainment. India is made up of several dozen ethnic
groups, speaking their own languages and dialects. Alongside
distinctly subcontinental forms there are major influences from
Persian, Arab and British music. Indian genres like filmi and
bhangra have become popular throughout the United Kingdom, South
and East Asia, and around the world.
The earliest texts of Indian music are the Natya shastra, Dattilam,
Brihaddeshi, and the Sangita-Ratnakara.
