Which one is a wrong option? (1) Sangeet Makrand - 19 Alankar

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:

Students, this question tests your knowledge of the historical evolution of musical ornamentation, known as *Alankar*, as documented in foundational Indian music treatises. The correct option here is the one that states a factually incorrect pairing, and that is Option 4. The monumental text *Brihaddeshi*, written by Matanga Muni around the 9th century, is famous for introducing the concept of *Raga* and defining *Gamaka* (a related form of ornamentation). Matanga did not define 63 *Alankars*. He famously detailed 49 types of *Gamakas*, which is a different classification from the 33 *Alankars* of Bharat. Therefore, since the *Brihaddeshi* text does not contain a count of 63 *Alankars*, this statement is the wrong option.

The incorrect option is 1:
The statement (1) *Sangeet Makrand - 19 Alankar* is factually correct, making this an incorrect answer for the MCQ. The *Sangeet Makrand*, a significant work by Narad, which predates many later texts, indeed recognizes and describes 19 types of *Alankar*. Narad's classifications, though historically important, represent an intermediary stage of theorizing musical ornamentation before the more standardized structures were fully developed. The inclusion of this precise number confirms the historical accuracy of the pairing.

The incorrect option is 2:
The statement (2) *Vayu Puran - 30 Alankar* is also a factually correct historical reference. The *Vayu Puran*, one of the oldest sacred texts containing a section on music, mentions a tradition of 30 distinct *Alankars*. This reference is a key piece of evidence showing the antiquity of the concept of musical embellishment long before the classical treatises were formally codified. Therefore, because the number is historically accurate, this option is not the *wrong* statement.

The incorrect option is 3:
The statement (3) *Natyashastra - 33 Alankar* is the established, fundamental truth of the *Alankar* tradition, making it an incorrect answer for the MCQ. Acharya Bharat Muni's *Natyashastra* (c. 200 BCE – 200 CE) is the oldest surviving text on Indian performing arts and the origin of the *Alankar* system. Bharat clearly defines and names a canonical list of 33 *Alankars*. Any study of Indian music theory must begin with the knowledge of Bharat's 33 *Alankars*, as they form the conceptual basis for all later systems of ornamentation.