It is well known that the Northeast, with its multiplicity of tribes and cultures, is an anthropologist’s delight. It is also, in fact, an ethnic-musicians paradise.

This is a region where music, whether devotional, work-related (folk), or purely recreational, plays a very important part in the day-to-day lives of the people of the seven sister states here. Almost all rural homes, however humble, have a musical instrument, whether a dotara or flute. It is very common to see, in a middle-class urban abode, a harmonium or taanpura in the valleys, or a keyboard and guitar in the hills. The popularity of Western compositions, too, is strongly felt, especially in the hill states.

For decades, pop and rock bands have flourished here and made their presence felt in both the numerous clubs that dot the region, The Bob Dylan Memorial concert held every year in Shillong is a lively reminder of this. No wonder international groups such as the Scorpions make this town one of their stops when performing in India. Besides, classical Western music too, flourishes, with pianists and vocalists trained in highly regarded music institutes in the West greatly enriching the music scene back in their homes. This richness in the sphere of Western music is a fusion of the inherent musicality of the people with the influence of the Church, and missionary education, which has opened windows to the West.

There are also people like Debojit Saha and Amit Paul from this region, who have performed wonderfully on national television music contests, bringing glory to their various states. Hindustani classical music is studied with fervor, too, and Begum Parween Sultana of Assam is a wonderful product of the classical tradition. Besides, there is the iconic Dr. Bhupen Hazarika who straddles the musical world like a colossus, and also young Zubeen Garg,  Kalpana Patowary, and Papon ( Angarag Mahanta ) who, too, are making waves in the music scene, on a very impressive scale. And how can we forget the melodic masterpieces of Sachin Dev Burman and the vibrant music of his son, Rahul? All these musicians, and more, have brought the heritage of their home states to enrich the musical culture of the nation.

The Buddhist influence has been strong in Arunachal Pradesh. The chants and devotional music of this religion, nurtured in the great monasteries of the State, have formed a  beautiful strand in the State’s melodic heritage, adding to the wealth of local music already extant in its valleys and mountains. Devotional chants form an important strand of the musical legacy. It is from this vibrant cultural background that the Buddhist monk Geshe Ngawang Tashi Bapu has emerged. His album Tibetan Master Chants with its multi-phonic chants was nominated for the  Grammy Awards in the Spiritual Music category in 2006. Of course, there are the traditional songs of Arunachal Pradesh, too, which are often ritualistic in nature, though they can sometimes be celebratory, also. The State has a large number of tribes, each with its strong cultural heritage. Among the songs of the tribes are those accompanying the dances of the Adi people, such as popir and ponung, the Hiri Khaning of the Apatani, and the Aji Thamu of the Monpas, and so on.