History of the Instrument, Gharanas and Leading Exponents
Expect matching items (exponent to instrument or gharana) and one short note on a gharana's style.
Bansuri
- The bansuri is a folk and devotional instrument, inseparable from Krishna imagery. Pannalal Ghosh (1911–1960) made it a Hindustani concert instrument, lengthening the bamboo and adding a seventh hole for accurate tivra and komal notes.
- Hariprasad Chaurasia extended its vocal (gayaki) phrasing; other names include Raghunath Seth.
Violin
- Adapted into Indian music in the 19th–20th centuries; Baluswami Dikshitar established it in Carnatic music.
- In Hindustani music Allauddin Khan played the violin and the Maihar gharana gave it standing; leading players include V. G. Jog, D. K. Datar, N. Rajam and Kala Ramnath.
Sitar
- Traditionally credited to Amir Khusrau (13th century) - a claim historians treat as legend; the instrument developed from the tritantri vina, with tarab strings and the jawari bridge.
- Masit Khan of Lucknow is associated with the slow masitkhani gat; the Imdadkhani (Etawah) gharana - Imdad Khan, Inayat Khan, Vilayat Khan, Imrat Khan - is known for gayaki ang and heavy meend; the Maihar gharana - Allauddin Khan, Ravi Shankar, Nikhil Banerjee - for jhala and full jawari; the Senia gharana is linked with Mushtaq Ali Khan.
Worked example. A question cites “gayaki ang, heavy meend, sparing chikari”. Answer: Imdadkhani/Etawah gharana, associated with Vilayat Khan. Reasoning: the style imitates vocal phrasing, whereas Maihar players favour brighter chikari and a fuller jawari sound.
Traps. Presenting the Khusrau attribution as established fact; crediting Ravi Shankar with inventing the sitar; confusing Imdad Khan (founder), Inayat Khan (son) and Vilayat Khan (grandson); describing the violin as an ancient Indian instrument; crediting the seventh hole to Chaurasia instead of Pannalal Ghosh.