Hindustani Classical Music gharana and related exponents are considered one of the most difficult topics for students to memorise. Of course, repeated revision and hard work are required if you want to be a master in this topic.
Through this practice test, we try to help you recall the topic and understand which types of questions you can expect in the exams.
In recent times, Music gharanas and exponents have become one of the favourite topics of the SSC and railways. Hence, don’t miss the topic and prepare it through regular revision and mock tests.
Gharana: A Glimpse
Gharana is a very ancient and important system related to Hindustani music. Gharana is basically a system of social organisation in classical music in the Indian subcontinent.
Gharana links musicians and dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and also by adherence to a particular musical style.
The origin of ‘gharana’ roots in the Hindi word ‘ghar’, which means house. Just like a house, a gharana shelters different persons with similar ideologies related to music and dance.
Some gharanas are known for their vocal music and khayals, such as Gwalior, Delhi, Agra, Indore, Jaipur, or Patiala, whereas some gharanas are closely related to dance forms like Lucknow, Benares, and Raigarh.
Hindustani Classical Music:
Hindustani classical music is among the two prominent schools of music that are predominantly practised in North India. The counterpart of Hindustani classical music is Carnatic classical music practised in South India.
The roots of both schools of music belong to Bharata’s Natyasastra; they took different roots based on the style of vocalisation in the 14th century.
Hindustani classical music usually focuses on musical structure and possibilities of improvisation in it. The main attraction of this school of music is Shudha Swara Saptaka, or the ‘Octave of Natural notes’.
Hindustani classical music not only consists of elements from ancient Hindu tradition and Vedic philosophies, but also borrows its inspiration from Persian tradition.
Later on, the school of music was further influenced by Middle-Eastern cultures such as Arab, Persian, and Afghan elements that gave a new height to Hindustani Classical music.
Through the ages, Hindustani classical music has evolved through the Guru-Shishya Parampara. The gurus used to teach musical instruments such as Harmonium, Tabla, Sarangi, Sitar, Santoor, Flute, and violin to their students, and the students carry forward the knowledge to their disciples.
The raga system is believed to be the base of classical music. The ragas usually mean a melodic scale comprising seven basic notes.
Despite the use of many musical instruments, Hindustani classical music is largely vocal-centric. The major vocal forms that we know are khayal, Ghazal, dhrupad, dhammar, Tarana, and thumri.
According to the historians, Hindustani musicians are descended from Tansen.
There are ten different types of singing styles in Hindustani classical music. They are different from each other based on their style, inspiration, and instruments used in vocal music.
The ten types of singing styles are: Dhrupad, Khayal, Tappa, Chaturanga, Tarana, Sargam, Thumri, Ragasagar, Hori, and Dhamar.
According to the ancient Hindu text Gandarva Veda, the theory of music doesn’t only represent an art form but also an integral part of physics, medicine, and magic.
It is said that there are two types of sound: āhata (struck/audible) and anāhata (unstruck/inaudible). The audible sound is the basis of melodic music, whereas the inaudible sound is believed to be the secret of all black magic and manifestation.
Quiz on Musician & Gharana:
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Hi, I am Lakshya Sen.. I have been teaching for SSC, Railways, and Other Examinations For 5+ years. To date, more than 1000 students have fulfilled their dreams with the help of my guidance.
Really amazing.. Quality questions like SSC… Keep it up..