When Tradition Meets Copyright: Who Owns Raag-Based Compositions?

Introduction Indian classical music is often described as eternal, spiritual, and passed down from generation to generation. Raags, taals, and musical forms like Dhrupad or Khayal are considered to be a part of our heritage. Therefore, many people believe that anything composed in a raag is “traditional” and therefore free for the use of anyone. This belief becomes stronger when modern film music, influenced by classical music, displays it as a source of inspiration. However, the law does not...