In a typical Hindustani concert, you rarely see a singer alone on stage. Indian classical music is a team game. The lead artist is supported by accompanists whose job is not to steal the spotlight, but to gently lift and frame the main performance. This is called saath-sangat – literally “supporting accompaniment”.
The main types of accompaniment
1. Tanpura – the drone bed
We’ve already met the tanpura. It provides the constant drone of Sa (and Pa/Ma), setting the pitch and atmosphere. It does not follow the melody; it simply is – like a continuous sonic backdrop.
2. Melodic accompaniment – harmonium, sarangi, violin…
The most common melodic accompanists in North India are:
- Harmonium – a reed organ with a keyboard and bellows.
- Sarangi – a bowed string instrument with a very vocal, emotional tone.
- Violin – adopted from Western music but now very much “Indianized”.
- Sometimes dilruba, esraj, or other bowed instruments.
Their role is:
- To follow the raag and outline the bandish after the vocalist.
- To provide short replies (sawaal–jawaab) after a singer’s phrase.
- To gently fill the gaps when the vocalist is breathing or resting.
- To help keep intonation and structure clear for both artist and audience.
A good accompanist is like a sensitive conversation partner: they never overshadow the speaker, but they listen deeply, anticipate, and respond in ways that make the speaker sound even better.
3. Rhythmic accompaniment – tabla / pakhawaj
The rhythm player (usually tabla, or pakhawaj in Dhrupad) gives the taal its audible shape. While the raag flows freely, the percussion artist keeps the cyclic beat and interacts with the vocalist – pushing, supporting, answering, and setting up exciting returns to the sam.
Who leads, who follows?
In a vocal concert, the singer leads. The melodic accompanist and tabla player respond and support. They also get moments of creative freedom – for example, a harmonium player may take a brief solo between vocal taans – but the overall architecture belongs to the vocalist.
When the main artist is tired or needs a breath, the accompanists gracefully fill the space so the energy never drops. Done well, the whole ensemble feels like one musical organism.