LUCKNOW: Various studies over time have shown that listening to music can calm a person down and positively impact general well-being. A recent study in Kanpur however, has found that listening to raagas of classical music can help people recover from a host of ailments.
The research, carried out by the Indian Institute of Technology- Kanpur, suggests that in addition to overall well-being, these ragas have a positive impact in recovering from heart trouble, metabolism issues and even potentially fatal diseases like Hypertension.
A group of 15 students participated in the study conducted by Professor Brijbhushan of the humanities and social science department, Professor Lakshmidhar Behera of the electrical engineering department and research scholar Ashish Gupta. During the study, students listened to ragas that they had not heard before and their brain activity was mapped by an Electroencephalogram (EEG) test.
According to the findings of the study, Raag Darbari can help bust stress when heard in the night. Similarly, listening to Raag Bhimpalasi in the afternoon has a magical impact on elevating the mood. The study also found that when specific raagas were heard at particular hours of the day, it helped cure various ailments like diabetes and hypertension.
While Raag Deepak and Raag Jaunpuri ease out acidity, Raag Kalyani and Charukesi take care of the heart. Listening to Raag Puriya Dhanashree provides relief from stomach ailments.The researchers explained the bio-electrical phenomenon behind the process. When a neuron (a cell that carries electrical impulses to various parts of the body) interacts with another, this process is called neuron firing. More firing means the brain becomes more active. The study showed that listening to raagas significantly spiked firings.
Adding a scientific dimension, the IIT-K researchers found that when the subjects heard the Raga Darbari for 10 minutes, ease of concentration went up. It also improved thoughtfulness and the time in taking decisions reduced.