Martial Music of India: (from the Earliest Times)

Whistling and shouting were perhaps the earliest forms of martial music patronized by mankind. These devices were used to communicate as well as to scare away the human and animal foes by the primitives. As the battlefields became larger and the threats assumed greater dimensions, the drums and horns were devised as better substitutes. Over the years, martial music became organized and came to be an integral part of warfare. Military bands came into vogue around 3000 b.c. as evident from archaeological finds. These served the dual purpose of encouraging own troops and demoralizing the enemy in battles. As the art of warfare transformed, the conventional role of martial music gradually diminished. It rarely accompanied the armies into the battlefield after World War II. However, it did not fade out but became more organized in a ceremonial role. The grandeur of martial music can be best witnessed at the Indian Republic Day Parade and Beating the Retreat ceremony.

• Publication date: 31 January 2026
• Page count: 179
• Dimensions: Height 230 mm; Width 150 mm
• Publisher: Manohar Publishers and Distributors
• Format: Hardback
• ISBN-13: 9789374519196