Question

What were the changes in music and dance brought by rule of Delhi Sultanate?

Answer 1

The Delhi Sultanate produced a clear Indo‑Persian fusion in both music and dance: new instruments and forms arrived or were popularised, Muslim (especially Sufi) devotional styles blended with existing Hindu forms, royal courts patronised musicians/dancers, and classical dance (especially Kathak) absorbed Persian themes, costumes and gestures.

Key changes and examples

• New instruments introduced or popularised: historical accounts from the period note the arrival of instruments such as the sarangi and the rabab; later traditions also credit Amir Khusrau with inventing or adapting instruments (the sitar is often attributed to him in these sources).
• New musical forms and repertory: the Sultanate period saw the introduction and spread of forms now associated with Indo‑Islamic culture qawwali (Sufi devotional singing) and the ghazal were introduced or popularised in India during this era. Amir Khusrau is credited with creating new ragas and promoting these forms; Sufi saints helped spread qawwali among the masses.
• Court patronage and textual exchange: rulers such as Balban and Alauddin Khilji patronised musicians and dancers, which professionalised and expanded court music and dance. Classical Indian works (for example the Raga­darpan) were translated into Persian under rulers like Firoz Shah Tughlaq, facilitating cross‑cultural musical exchange.
• Changes in dance (Kathak): Kathak, already a north Indian dance tradition, underwent noticeable modification new mudras (hand gestures) and Persian themes were added, and the later/modern Kathak combines Hindu narrative themes with Persianate costumes and courtly elements introduced during Sultanate rule.
• Social and religious influence (Sufism and Bhakti): the rise of Sufi orders and interaction with bhakti movements produced devotional music that appealed across communities (qawwali and bhajans), helping create a syncretic popular musical culture.