Music without ornamentation is like a skeleton without meat. Ahem, a flower with it's aromatic smell might sound better :) Indian music is so ornate that to hear it otherwise would infer that the performer is immature. But let's put this hard statement aside for a while and understand what makes any art appealing.

Artistic expression is ultimately a personal statement. One can choose from many forms of creative outlets - be it painting, dance, sculpture or music etc., each is unique and can require various degrees and levels of understanding and skill acquisition. The ultimate ability to express ourselves comes from a knowledge base that can span from none to years of serious study. From raw instincts to learning from teachers whose lineage spans multi generations of knowledge and traditions. Whatever the scenario, one thing is for sure, there is no end to variations. It is an infinite ocean of creativity.

Wow, that is some serious space to contemplate your art. You have the freedom to do it your way. So why do people spend years learning an art before practicing and finally teaching it. I'm sure you have heard of the saying "practice makes perfect" well a lot of practice makes it even better.

An art that is practiced with great frequency gives rise to a blossoming of expression that only comes with a heightened sense of awareness gained from its practice.

To understand the Indian musical expression, one has to keep what I have said in mind. It is a highly evolved art form yet it retains its rawness. It has elaborate musical structures while giving one complete freedom to improvise. But all this takes a little learning and yes a little "practice."

There is saying, "music is 99% perspiration and 1 % genius" and another that says "it takes 3 lifetimes to master Indian music." Indian musicians have been known to practice on the threshold of pain. The learning curve is high but the rewards are just as great.

There are many forms of ornamentation. But there is a common root and that is vocal music.