History of Hindustani Music, Gharanas and Musicians
This domain tests the historical arc of Hindustani music, the main gharanas, and the musicians and reformers the syllabus expects you to place correctly.
From Veda to medieval court
Samaveda supplies the chant tradition; Bharata's Natyashastra supplies the early theory of raga and rasa; Sharangadeva's Sangeet Ratnakara of the thirteenth century codifies prabandha, tala and shruti.
Dhrupad and khayal
Dhrupad was shaped by Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior, Swami Haridas and Tansen at Akbar's court. Khayal grew from the seventeenth century and was consolidated by Sadarang (Niamat Khan) and Adarang (Feroz Khan) in Delhi.
Gharanas
- Gwalior: the oldest khayal gharana, from Nathan Peer Baksh, Haddu and Hassu Khan; open, akar-heavy style.
- Kirana: Abdul Karim Khan and Abdul Wahid Khan; meend and sustained notes; Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi, Prabha Atre.
- Agra: Faiyaz Khan; nom-tom and a deep voice.
- Jaipur-Atrauli: Alladiya Khan; Kesarbai Kerkar, Mogubai Kurdikar, Kishori Amonkar.
- Patiala: Ali Baksh and Fateh Ali Khan; Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.
- Banaras and Lucknow: thumri traditions.
Reformers and Maharashtra
V. N. Bhatkhande built the thata system and the notation; V. D. Paluskar founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. Maharashtra gave Bal Gandharva, D. V. Paluskar, Kumar Gandharva, Vasantrao Deshpande and Jitendra Abhisheki.
Worked example
A question asks Bhimsen Joshi's gharana. He trained under Sawai Gandharva, a disciple of Abdul Karim Khan, so the lineage is Kirana, not Gwalior, despite a very broad repertoire. Reasoning: gharana is traced through the training line, not through the breadth of the style.
Traps
Calling Tansen the founder of a gharana; placing Faiyaz Khan in Kirana; confusing Alladiya Khan's Jaipur-Atrauli with a later Jaipur gharana.