What is the concept of Mukhda & Antara in Indian Music?

Mukhda & Antara

Indian classical or Dhrupad music can be structured into main four parts. They are Mukhda, Antara, Sanchari & Abhog. But not every song is necessary to be parted into these four segments. Sometimes we can find two main parts in a song called Mukhuda & Antara.

Hindi film songs have always maintained a definite pattern, a structure in which the songs are made. The majority of songs have a fixed pattern. But sometimes they don’t follow this typical pattern. The introduction of a song says how the song will be played with the desired feelings.

Mukhuda or Mukhda is the starting of music or song. It repeats again after a fixed interval of time. It’s also called Sthayi. The lines that follow the Mukhda and come only once in a song are called Antara. Mukhda will repeat after each Antara. Very rare repetitions happen. Simply we can say Antara means the first main verse of the song and Mukhda is the stanza in a song that follows Antara.

Mukhuda word derived from ‘mukh’ or ‘face’. Mukhuda or Sthayi part of a Dhrupad or Indian Classical music is the first of four stanzas and uses the middle octave’s first tetrachord and the lower octave notes. Between Antara & Mukhuda there should be an interlude that will bind & connect both.

For example –

We may take one of the popular songs of Bollywood

Maine kahan phoolon se

Movie – Mili 1975
Artist- Lata Mangeshkar
Composed – S.D.Burman
Lyricist – Yogesh

Mukhuda – [Mainne kaha phoolon se hnso to wo khilakhilaake hns diye
Aur ye kaha jiwan hai bhaai mere bhaai hnsane ke liye]

1st Antara – Suraj hnsa to bikhar bikhar gi kiranen

Suraj hnsa re kiran kiran chunakar dharati ye

Sajake sunahari ban gi re

Mukhuda [ Mainne kaha sapanon se sajo to wo muskuraake saj ge

Aur ye kaha jiwan hai bhaai mere bhaai sajane ke liye]

2nd Antara – Ye shaam to yun hnse jaise hnse dulhan
Ye shaam to nile nile saanwale ambar men
Rng jo gulaabi lage bharane

Mukhuda – [Mainne kaha rngon se chhalako to wo jag ye saara rng gaye
Aur ye kaha jiwan hai bhaai mere bhaai rngane ke liye]

Mausam mila wo kahin ek din mujhako mausam mila
Mainne kaha ruko khelo mere sng tum
Mausam bhola ruka jo wo ho gaya gum

Mukhuda [Mainne kaha apanon se chalo to wo saath mere chal die
Aur ye kaha jiwan hai bhaai mere bhaai chalane ke liye]

In the above song, you can see the chorus or Mukhda repeats with different lyrics while feelings and music will be the same. In Film music composition we will often watch experiments. Originally, the stanzas of a song were used to decorate it in a different way so that it was unique, and then the chorus followed by Mukhda and then the rest of the Antaras. Also, this rule is not a mandatory one. Keep changing make your music interesting. We are in PT to assist you to focus on your music. Make music, live music, love music. Mukhda & Antara are two important concepts in North Indian music that help a performer understand the different parts of a raga and the rules that go with it.

If you are writing a Indian or Bollywood Song , you must have a basic knowledge of Mukhada and Antara to create outstanding songwriting.