The Ladies Sangeet (Music) in India: A Classic Tradition of “Good Leisure”

Leisure has different classifications, and is termed as good or bad according to the benefits which are seemingly derived, in context of both for the individual and the society. The Ladies Sangeet, or in Hindi, the Mahila Sangeet is a long old custom and tradition of India, wherein women from a family, along with the relatives and friends, assemble to celebrate a marriage ceremony. It is presumed that music and dance, both add vigour and enthusiasm to the joy and promote a sense of togetherness and harmony. This function is strictly limited to the women folk, and is seen as an instrument of good leisurely activity, as women usually do not find time for such type of activities. The present study samples 25 families dwelling within the City of Kanpur, India. These families, over the past one year had undergone a marriage in their house, either son’s or daughter’s. The analysis takes shape in the form of a case study wherein these families were interrogated in relation to their common leisurely practices, the time factor, economical status, cultural dominance, and participation of the women folk, with a final answer on the results of such a gathering. The Cult of Domesticity was a social standard that dictated general behavior and actions in the household, on the streets, even within marriages. The premise was that ideal woman should be innocent, pure, chaste, and, a mother. Above all, she should be submissive to her husband, whose “position was ordained by biology and theology.” (Campbell 1979, 2) According to the Cult of Domesticity, marriage was the ultimate goal. Motherhood was the ultimate responsibility in fulfilling a woman’s social role. It was observed that Ladies Sangeet emerged as an outlet for these women to assert independence and literally embody the contemporary ideas of their generation.