“Musicians and related gharanas” is one of the favourite topics of SSC and railways nowadays. In every shift of SSC CGL, CHSL, CPO, and even in railway group D, NTPC exams, you may find at least 1 question related to Musical personalities and Gharana.
Hence, it is advised not to miss this topic. Yes, this topic is a little difficult to memorise, but with revision, you can remember some of the famous personalities and gharanas, which is sufficient.
What Types of Questions Can You Expect About Musicians And Related Gharanas In The Future?
Right now, “which personality belongs to which gharana” is the most popular question that SSC, Railways, and state PCS exams ask. But slowly, they are moving deeper into the chapter.
In a few shifts of the SSC CHSL, they asked about the founder of the gharanas. Hence, we must not miss out on any information about this topic for future exams.
In this article, we will not only cover musicians and their related gharanas but also facts like the founder of gharans and other important notes.
Important Gharanas & Facts About Them:
Qawwal Bacchon ka gharana:
Also known as Dilli Gharana, known for its qawwals. It is the oldest khayal gharana of Hindustani Classical music. Amir Khusrau founded this gharana in the 13th century.
Exponents:
Ghagge Nazir Khan, Warsi Brothers, Fateh Ali Khan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
Gwalior gharana:
It is the first premier, oldest, and most influential khayal gharana worldwide. Gwalior gharana is also known as “Gangotri” of khayal raga and is considered the most ancient school of Hindustani Classical music.
Gwalior gharana (16th century) first evolved during the Mughal period, and Naththan Khan, Naththan Pir Bakhsh, Haddu, Hassu and Natthu Khan were the first masters of this Gharana. During Akbar’s reign, the gharana saw a tremendous rise.
“Ashtanga Gayaki” is a systematic aesthetic framework of eight elements to approach vocalisation, related to the Gwalior gharana.
Exponents:
Tansen, Baiju Bawra, Ramtanu Pandey (Miyan Tansen), Bade Inayat Hussain Khan, Anant Manohar Joshi, B. R. Deodhar.
Agra Gharana:
This gharana is descended from the Nauhar Bani, which was prevalent during Khilji’s reign. It is believed that Ghagge Khudabaksh was the founding father of the Agra gharana.
Another popular musician of the Agra gharana is Nayak Gopala. This gharana was known for its “Dhrupad-Dhamar” style. Later, Ghagghe Khudabuksh introduced the “Khayal” style of Gwalior Gharana into Agra Gharana in the mid-19th century.
Exponents:
Nathan Khan, Zohrabai, Vilayat Hussain Khan “Pran Piya”.
Kirana Gharana:
Kirana gharana is popularised by Bande Ali Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, and Abdul Wahid Khan in the 19th century. This gharana is famous for its sweet, devotional, and intense vocalism.
Exponents:
Sawai Gandharva, Hirabai Barodekar, Amir Khan, Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi, Prabha Atre, Arshad Ali Khan.
Jaipur-Atrauli gharana:
This gharana is also known as Jaipur Gharana, Atrauli-Jaipur Gharana, and Alladiyakhani Gayaki Gharana, founded by Alladiya Khan in the late 19th century, at Atrauli (near Aligarh) and later migrated to Jaipur.
Jaipur-Atrauli gharana is known for its ragas. Many of the ragas and compositions sung in the gharana evolve from Haveli Sangeet and dhrupad.
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Exponents:
Kishori Amonkar, Mithun Chakravarthy, Mallikarjun Mansur.
Patiala Gharana:
One of the most popular gharanas of Hindustani Classical Music, named after the city of Patiala (Punjab), was established in the mid-19th century by Mian Kallu, a sarangi player in the Jaipur darbar.
Patiala gharana is known for its vocal elements, which are very much influenced by the folk music of Punjab. The gharana brought elements from other gharanas and merged them aesthetically to enhance the khayal form of singing.
Exponents:
Ali Baksh “Jarnail”, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Prasun Banerjee, Ajoy Chakraborty.
Important Personalities & Related Gharanas For SSC, Railway, & Other Exams:
| Exponents | Gharana |
| Pandit Ravi Shankar | Maihar |
| Pandit Jasraj | Mewati |
| Pandit Bhimsen Joshi | Kirana |
| Sharafat And Latafat Hussain | Agra |
| Gangubai Hungal | Kirana |
| Pandit Birju Maharaj | Lucknow |
| Prabha Atre | Kirana |
| Ustad Amir Khan | Indore |
| Girija Devi (Thumri Singer) | Benares |
| Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia | Senia |
| Ajay Chakroborty | Patiala |
| Kelucharan Mohapatra | Mahari |
| Vilayat Khan | Agra |
| Ustad Bismillah Khan | Benares |
| Madhavi Mudgal | Lucknow |
| Lachhu Maharaj | Benares |
| Achhan Maharaj | Lucknow |
| Abdul Karim Khan | Kirana |
| Rahat Fateh Ali Khan | Qawwal Bacchon ka gharana |
Here are a few top musicians and related gharanas that are frequently asked in competitive examinations such as SSC CGL, CHSL, CPO, Railway NTPC, Group D, and state examinations.
Also Read: Free Practice Mock Test On Musician & Gharana For SSC, Railway, & Other Competitive Exams
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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.