India has a rich musical tradition with diverse styles that reflect its cultural history. Vocal music includes Carnatic and Hindustani styles as well as folk music, using melismatic singing. Traditional singing styles like Samagana date back to Vedic times and were used to sing sacred texts like the Sama Veda and Rig Veda. Carnatic music from South India features voice-led compositions called krti while Hindustani music from North India is influenced by Persian styles featuring nasal singing and the khyal form. A wide variety of instruments are classified into groups based on their method of sound production.
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