Kirana gharana is one of the

Indian classical Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were no ...

khyal Khyal or Khayal (ख़याल / خیال) is a major form of Hindustani classical music in the Indian subcontinent. Its name comes from a Persian/Arabic word meaning "imagination". Khyal is associated with romantic poetry, and allows the perfo ...

gharana In Hindustani music (North Indian classical music), a ''gharānā'' is a system of social organisation in the Indian subcontinent, linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and more importantly by adherence to a particular mus ...

s, and is concerned foremost with perfect intonation of notes (

swara Svara or swara (Devanagari: स्वर, generally pronounced as ''swar'') is a Sanskrit word that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave or '' ...

Singing style

The central concern of the Kirana style is

, or individual notes, in particular precise tuning and expression of notes. In the Kirana Gayaki (singing style), the individual notes (swaras) of the raga are not just random points in the scale, but independent realms of music capable of horizontal expansion. Emotional ''pukars'' in the higher octaves form a part of the musical experience. Another unique feature of this gharana is the intricate and ornate use of the ''sargam taan'' (weaving patterns with the notations themselves) introduced by Abdul Karim Khan under influence from the Carnatic classical style. In the late nineteenth century Abdul Karim Khan and

Abdul Wahid Khan Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan (1871–1949) was an Indian subcontinental singer from the Kirana gharana. He died in 1949 in Saharanpur, India.vilambit ''Vilambit'' (Hindi: ; also called ''vilambit laya'') is an introductory slow tempo, or ''laya'', between 10 and 40 beats per minute, used in the performance of a raga in Hindustani classical music. For major ragas, the vilambit portion generally ...

(a slow tempo section) to delineate the structure of the raga note by note. Frequently performed ragas by musicians of the gharana include Todi, Lalit, Multani, Patdeep, Puriya, Marwa, Shuddha Kalyan, Darbari Kanhara, and Komal-Rishabh Asavari. Marathi thespian Pula Deshpande has pointed out that performers from the Kirana gharana are particularly fond of the Komal Re/Rishabh (or

minor second A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically. It is defined as the interval between two adjacent no ...

in the western system) note of the classical music scale, a frequent feature of these commonly performed ragas.

History

In the 19th-century the Kirana gharana coalesced around Miyan Bande Ali Khan, a player of the

rudra veena The ''Rudra veena'' ( sa, रुद्र वीणा) (also spelled ''Rudraveena'' or ''Rudra vina'')—also called ''Bīn'' in North India—is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani Music, especially dhrupad. It is one of the m ...

. The gharana's style was further developed, and established as one of the prominent styles in modern

Indian classical music Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...

in the late 19th / early 20th centuries by the musicians Abdul Karim Khan and

Abdul Wahid Khan Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan (1871–1949) was an Indian subcontinental singer from the Kirana gharana. He died in 1949 in Saharanpur, India.Abdul Karim Khan was an extremely popular musician, and was thus highly influential in popularizing the gharana. Some trace the gharana's roots back farther to the 13th-century musician Gopal Nayak, a Hindu musician (of the

dhrupad Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent. It is the oldest known style of major vocal styles associated with Hindustani classical music, Haveli Sangeet of Pushtimarg Sampraday and also related to the South Ind ...

style) who later converted to Islamic

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...

sm and in the process assimilated the predominantly Muslim

musical style. The name of this school of music derives from Kirana or

Kairana Kairana is a city and a municipal board in Shamli district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is approximately from Shamli city. Demographics As of 2011 Indian Census, Kairana had a total population of 89,000, of which 47,047 were male ...

, a town and tehsil of

Shamli District Shamli is a district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This district was carved out from Muzaffarnagar District on 28 September 2011 as Prabudh Nagar and renamed Shamli in July 2012. Shamli is the headquarters of the district. Shamli is loc ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

. It is the birthplace of Abdul Karim Khan (1872–1937), who was one of the most important musicians of this gharana and of Hindustani music in general in the twentieth century. A frequent visitor to the Court of

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

, Abdul Karim Khan was also influenced by

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...

, and roots of the tradition can also be traced back to his great-grandfather Ghulam Ali and Ghulam Maula, the brother of Ghulam Ali. Owing to the popularity of Abdul Karim Khan, most contemporary Hindustani musicians from

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

are exponents of Kirana gharana, and Kirana gharana in turn has absorbed many of the features of the Carnatic tradition. The border region between

and

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

is particularly associated with the gharana. The other primary master of the gharana, in the early 20th century, was Abdul Karim Khan's cousin

Abdul Wahid Khan Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan (1871–1949) was an Indian subcontinental singer from the Kirana gharana. He died in 1949 in Saharanpur, India.Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

after the 1947

Partition of British India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...

Ancestral pedagogy of Kirana Gharana

This tree details the hereditary lineage of the Kirana Gharana based on several documented accounts.

Lineage

Exponents

19th century

* Sadiq Ali Khan, son and disciple of Ghulam Taki Khan. Associated with

Qawwal Bacchon Gharana The Qawwal Bacchon Ka Gharana or Delhi Gharana is the oldest khayal gharana of the Hindustani Classical music tradition. It was founded by Amir Khusrau and his students. History The members of this gharana have lived in Delhi for many generations. ...

. *

Bande Ali Khan Bande may refer to: People * Bande Ali Mia (1906–1979), Bangladeshi poet * Bande Nawaz, Indian centenarian * Hassane Bandé (born 1998), Burkina Faso football player Places * Bande, Belgium * Bande, Niger * Bande, Ourense, Galicia, Spain Oth ...

(1826-1890), son and disciple of Sadiq Ali Khan. Married daughter of Haddu Khan of

Gwalior Gharana The Gwalior Gharana (Gwalior school of classical music) is one of the oldest Khyal Gharana in Indian classical music. The rise of the Gwalior Gharana started with the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar (1542–1605). The favourite singers of t ...

20th century

* Abdul Karim Khan (1872–1937), gharana founder *

Abdul Wahid Khan Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan (1871–1949) was an Indian subcontinental singer from the Kirana gharana. He died in 1949 in Saharanpur, India.Ashique Ali Khan Ustad Ashique Ali Khan (1948–1999) was a Sarangi player, born on 28 October 1948 in Kirana, Uttar Pradesh to a family of Sarangi exponents. He belongs to the Kirana gharana, Kirana Gharana of Indian Classical Music. At the age of ten, ...

(1948–1999) * "Proudh Gandharva" Pandit Vishwanathbuwa Jadhav (1885−1964), direct disciple of Abdul Karim Khan. *

Sawai Gandharva Ramachandra Kundgolkar Saunshi, popularly known as Pandit Sawai Gandharva (19 January 1886 – 12 September 1952), was a popular Hindustani classical music, Hindustani Classical vocalist from Karnataka. He was a master in the genre of Kirana G ...

(1886–1952), disciple of Abdul Karim Khan. * Sureshbabu Mane (1902–1953), son and disciple of Abdul Karim Khan, also learned from Abdul Wahid Khan. *

Hirabai Barodekar Hirābai Barodekar (1905 – 1989) was an Indian Hindustāni classical music singer, of Kirana gharana. She was disciple of Ustād Abdul Wahid Khān. Early life and background Hirabai was born as Champākali to Kirānā Gharānā master Us ...

(1905–1989), daughter of Abdul Karim Khan, also learned from Abdul Wahid Khan. *

Saraswati Rane Saraswati Rane (October 4, 1913 - October 10, 2006) was an Indian classical singer in the Hindustani Classical genre. She was a daughter of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan (1872–1937), the founder of Kirana Gharana. Her family had a long and great mus ...

(1913-2006), sibling and disciple of Sureshbabu Mane and Hirabai Badodekar. *

Gangubai Hangal Gangubai Hangal (5 March 1913 – 21 July 2009) was an Indian singer of the ''khayal'' genre of Hindustani classical music from Karnataka, who was known for her deep and powerful voice. Hangal belonged to the Kirana gharana. Early life G ...

(1913-2009), disciple of Sawai Gandharva. * Pandit Baburao Vishwanathbuwa Jadhav (1915-1976) son and direct disciple of Pandit Vishwanathbuwa jadhav and also a direct disciple of Ustad Abdul karim khan. *

Roshan Ara Begum Roshan Ara Begum ( ur, ) (1917 – 6 December 1982) was a vocalist belonging to the Kirana gharana (singing style) of Hindustani classical music. She is also known by her honorific title ''Malika-e-Mauseeqi'' (The Queen of Music) and ''T ...

(1917-1982), was also a disciple and relative of Abdul Karim Khan *

Firoz Dastur Firoz Dastur (also spelled Feroze Dastur) (30 September 1919 – 9 May 2008) was an Indian actor and an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana (singing style). Career Dastur worked in the Indian film industry in 1930s, acting in a f ...

(1919-2008), disciple of Sawai Gandharva * Pandit Rajaram Vishwanathbuwa Jadhav (1921-1976) son and direct disciple of Pandit Vishwanathbuwa jadhav and also a direct disciple of Ustad Abdul karim khan. * Pandit Vishwanath, 1957 - present , disciple of Pt. Mani prasad ji & Brother of Pt. Jagannath ji, Shehnai Vadak from Meerut Shehnai Gharana *

Bhimsen Joshi Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi BR (; ; 4 February 1922 – 24 January 2011), also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists from Karnataka, in the Hindustani classical tradition. He is known for the '' khaya ...

(1922-2011), disciple of Sawai Gandharva * Smt. Shakuntalaraje Rajaram Jadhav (1923-2004) wife and disciple of Pandit Rajaram Vishwanathbuwa Jadhav and also a direct disciple of har father- in-law "Proudh Gandharva" Pandit Vishwanathbuwa Jadhav * Prof Tej Bahadur Sahney (1936-2012) disciple of B N Dutta Lahorwale *

Basavaraj Rajguru Pandit Basavraj Rajguru (24 August 1920 – 1991) was a leading Indian classical vocalist in the Kirana gharana (singing style). Early life and training Basavraj was born into a family of scholars, astrologers and musicians in Yaliwal, a ...

(1917-1991), disciple of Panchakshara Gawai, Sureshbabu Mane and Abdul Wahid Khan * Madhava Gudi (1941-2011), disciple of Bhimsen Joshi *

Mashkoor Ali Khan Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan is an Hindustani classical music, Indian classical singer and teacher from the Kirana gharana, Kirana musical style. As the grandson of Abdul Karim Khan, a founder of the Kirana style, he is a descendant of the gharana's ...

(1957-Present), disciple of Shakoor Khan * Nagaraj Rao Havaldar, disciple of Madhava Gudi * Jayateerth Mevundi, disciple of Sripathi Padigar *

Manik Varma Manik Varma (16 May 1926 – 10 November 1996) was an Indian classical singer from the Kirana and Agra gharanas (singing styles). Career Besides the pure classical khyal, she also sang semi-classical and light music like thumri, Marathi Naty ...

(1920-1996), disciple of Sureshbabu Mane and Hirabai Barodekar, also learned in other gharanas *

Milind Chittal Milind Chittal is an Indian classical vocalist. Chittal is the son of Kannada writer Yashwant Chittal. He trained under Firoz Dastur of the Kirana Gharana. He is also a qualified chartered accountant. Career Chittal's devotional album ''Enc ...

, disciple of Firoz Dastur *

Prabha Atre Prabha Atre (born 13 September 1932) is an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana. She has been awarded all three of the Padma Awards by the Government of India. Early life and education Atre was born to Abasaheb and Indirabai At ...

(born 13 September 1932), disciple of Sureshbabu Mane and Hirabai Barodekar *

Sanhita Nandi Sanhita Nandi is a prominent Hindustani classical vocalist of the Kirana Gharana. The central motif of her style is slow tempo ''raga'' development (voice culture, voice throw, and tonal application) and ornamented '' sargams''. She is getting gui ...

, disciple of Mashkoor Ali Khan * Sandip Bhattacharjee, disciple of Mashkoor Ali Khan and Mubarak Ali Khan *

Sumitra Guha Vidushi Sumitra Guha is an Indian classical vocalist, known for her expertise in the Carnatic and Hindustani schools of classical music. The Government of India honored her in 2010, with the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri. Biogr ...

, disciple of

A. Kanan A. Kanan / Arkut Kannabhiran (18 June 1920 – 12 September 2004), more popularly known as A. Kanan, was an Indian vocalist in the Hindustani classical tradition and one of the legendary vocalist from Kirana Gharana. He is known for the khayal f ...

* Balachandra Prabhu, disciple of Sripathi Padigar and Jayateerth Mevundi * Girish Sanzgiri * Mohd.Danish *

Mani Prasad Pandit Mani Prasad (4 November 1930) is an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana (singing style). Early life and training Mani Prasad was born into a family of musicians. His father, Sukhdev Prasad, had received music training fro ...

(b. 1930) * Rafiq Ahmed Khan (Sarangi) * Nagnath Wodeyar (b. 1944) *

Pandit Pran Nath Pandit Pran Nath (Devanagari: पंडित प्राणनाथ) (3 November 1918 – 13 June 1996) was an Indian classical singer and master of the Kirana gharana singing style. Promoting traditional raga principles, Nath exerted a ...

. * Kaivalya Kumar Gurav *

Chhannulal Mishra Pandit Chhannulal Mishra (born 3 August 1936) is a celebrated Hindustani classical singer from Banaras, a noted exponent of the Kirana gharana (school) of the Hindustani classical music and especially the Khayal and the 'Purab Ang' – Thumri. ...

* Pandit Harish Tiwari * Pandit Arun Bhaduri, disciple of Pandit A.Kanan and Abu Daud khan * Shirin Sengupta Nath, disciple of Pandit A.Kanan and Pandit Arun Bhaduri * Pandit Balkrishnabuwa Kapileshwari (1896-1982), senior disciple of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan * Pandit Chandrakant Kapileshwari (1935 - Present), disciple of Pandit BalKrishnabuwa Kapileshwari * Shree Rani Madalsa (1957 - Present), Canadian disciple of Pandit Chandrakant Kapileshwari

21st Century

saqib ali khan Sanjay Singh Patel Dr Naveen Sharma 1985-2021

References

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirana gharana Music schools in Pakistan Music of Uttar Pradesh 13th-century establishments in India Vocal gharanas