Rx Ananda Bhairavi 1 capsule prn

Okay, so that resembles a physician's scribble. But the scientists and musicians at the Raga Research Center, Chennai aim to prove that this prescription is indeed therapeutic for a hypertensive patient. Like Sankarabharanam is for the psychiatric patient. Or Raag Ahir Bhairav for one with indigestion.

As a doctor, I often see patients with hypertension grope with 4-5 medications, and still have an unpredictable outcome. I wonder what music therapy can do in these patients. I don't see music as a part of specialized or critical care. But it might be interesting to incorporate music in primary care practice, say, for instance, in patients with a strong family history of hypertension, to add a musical form of treatment in addition to the less-salt and more-exercise regimens.

We have all heard at some point of time about the healing power of music. We have all probably experienced how good music helps alleviate languor, worry, anxiety and anger. Music therapy has been part of the age-old Indian science of Ayurveda and forms an important part of Hindu texts like the Vedas. Its just that for this to have some impact on a field as scientific as medicine, it needs to be validated with experimental data and stringent clinical trials. The Raga Research Center, headed by violin maestro Kunnaikudi Vaidyanathan, are attempting a comprehensive research study that involves musicians, psychiatrists and physiotherapists, to study the therapeutic effects of ragas. There are interesting possibilities that music stimulates the pituitary gland whose secretions affect the nervous system and many physiological processes.

A recent study showed that Indian classical music produced the largest fall in heart rate as compared to other international forms of music (including Beethoven, Vivaldi and Red Hot Chili Peppers), and these effects were most evident in those with musical training. So, the next time you have insomnia, trust some soulful Bageshri to put you to peaceful sleep.