INDIAN PERFORMING ART AS THERAPY.

Since the beginning of our Indian civilization, performing arts have been an important aspect of our culture. Music is the most popular performing art form of India. Music is also being used as therapy for treatment intended to relieve or heal psychological disorders. Music therapy / Raag Chikitsa is a scientific method through which the power of music is used for effective treatment of diseases. The concept of entire Raag Chikitsa is experimental like YOGA, which acts upon the human organism and ensures proper development of humans to the extent of self-realization. Essential features of Raga Chikitsa is the classification of the ragas based on their basic composition i.e. ether, air, fire, water, earth and which balance the nature of the imbalance. Music therapy based on classical ragas is being used or advised these days for the treatment of insomnia, migraine, hypertension, chronic headache, anxiety, etc. and to boost the immune system as well as the healing mechanism of the body and Music is also considered the best tranquillizer in modern days of anxiety, tension and high blood pressure. It is evident that music has such a great power of healing the whole living organism and right choice of music to be prescribed for different patients can play a vital role in their recovery. Therefore, new avenues for research & experimentation are still needs to be explored in Music Therapy / Raag Chikitsa.