Music Therapy is a growing, non-invasive intervention in hospitals, hospices, rehab centres, elders’ homes, army barracks, pre and post –surgical wards, health centres and the like all over the world. Decades back, the Americans had pioneered using music as a therapeutic intervention for rehabilitation of the world war veterans. However, historically and legendarily it is the Indians who pioneered the application of nada as a form of yoga to uplift once level of consciousness to achieve ‘relaxed alertness’.
In view of the rich heritage of musical culture with immense varieties and forms, the Indian music has contributed favourably towards inculcating tremendous resilience among the populations which had been historically facing untold sufferings by way of frequent foreign invasions, uncertainties of climatic changes viz floods, drought causing displacements of populations from place to place, colonial occupations, despotic rulers, superstitious outlook of medieval populations and so on and so forth.
Unfortunately, those esoteric ideas blossomed in the form of principles and practices of yoga, raga chikitsa etc., became decadent due to colonial interferences. It is only in recent years there has been a movement to revive the ancient musical wisdom by some scholars and practitioners of music and music therapy. With the establishment of some music therapy centres in places like Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, etc. in recent times, many talented youngsters have been enthusiastic to take up music therapy as a serious profession. In view of this, there is a growing need of an association to look after the interest and ambitions of these new professionals. To fulfil their aspiration, and also towards achieving greater professionalism in this highly challenging discipline, Indian music therapy association( IMTA) has now taken its roots.
All music therapists, music healers, musicians, music lovers, medical professionals, psychologists, social service volunteers and the common people believing in the power of music are welcome to join this Association as members.