"A Short Historical Survey of the Music of Upper India" is a collection of thoughts of which scholar ?

Question

Accepted Answer

Option 3, V. N. Bhatkhande, is the correct answer for the question regarding the authorship of "A Short Historical Survey of the Music of Upper India." Here is a detailed explanation supporting this choice:

1. **Justification for Option 3 (V. N. Bhatkhande):**
   - V. N. Bhatkhande was a pioneering musicologist in India who made significant contributions to the study and documentation of Indian classical music. He is renowned for his scholarly work in the field of Hindustani classical music, particularly for his efforts to systematize and codify the music traditions of North India.
   - Bhatkhande's work involved extensive research and analysis of the historical and theoretical aspects of Indian music. His writings often included surveys and studies of musical traditions, making him a fitting author for a collection titled "A Short Historical Survey of the Music of Upper India."
   - His contributions include the development of a standardized notation system and the classification of ragas, which have been instrumental in preserving and teaching Indian classical music.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**

- **Option 1 (Ravindranath Tagore):**
     - Ravindranath Tagore was a Nobel laureate poet, philosopher, and composer, known for his literary works and contributions to Bengali music. While he had a profound impact on music, particularly through his compositions known as Rabindra Sangeet, he was not primarily a musicologist or historian of Indian classical music. His focus was more on creating and promoting his own style of music rather than conducting historical surveys of music traditions.

- **Option 2 (Pt. Ravi Shankar):**
     - Pt. Ravi Shankar was a world-renowned sitar virtuoso and composer who played a crucial role in popularizing Indian classical music globally. Although he was deeply knowledgeable about the music of India, his contributions were primarily as a performer and composer rather than as a musicologist or historian. He did not author works focused on historical surveys of Indian music traditions.

- **Option 4 (V. D. Paluskar):**
     - V. D. Paluskar was a prominent musician and educator who founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, an institution dedicated to the teaching of Indian classical music. While he was influential in the propagation and education of music, his work was more focused on performance and pedagogy rather than historical surveys or scholarly research on the music of Upper India.

In conclusion, V. N. Bhatkhande's extensive research and scholarly contributions to the understanding and documentation of Indian classical music make him the most appropriate author for "A Short Historical Survey of the Music of Upper India," thereby justifying Option 3 as the correct answer.