Delhi Secondary School as a temple of worship : musical choices and devotional diversity

• Main Author: Mutter, Morgan L.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 2006
• Subjects: School music > Instruction and study > India > Delhi > Case studies.; Music > Instruction and study > India > Delhi > Case studies.; Multiculturalism > India > Delhi > Case studies.; Religious pluralism > India > Delhi > Case studies.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=99386

Delhi Secondary School is a public school with approximately 6,000 students; 300 teachers, 6 administrators, and countless headmistresses and support staff. It claims that its admissions policy is non-discriminatory, boasting that it admits students from all castes, religions and genders. Ethnographic tools, participant observation, and interview were used to discover how Delhi Secondary School supports religious plurality within their educational community as advertised on their web site, specifically how the music specialist teachers in Delhi Secondary School recognize students' religious diversity in their music curriculum. Analysis of my field notes, interviews, transcripts, photographs and other documents revealed that Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Catholic religions were represented in the devotional music that was studied and performed by the students. These findings suggest that the school supports religious plurality through participation and acceptance of spiritual acts during lessons, morning assemblies, concert performances and other daily activities. I conclude that the study and performance of diverse devotional music has important social and musical functions in Delhi Secondary School.