Gharanas (Schools of Hindustani Music)

A gharana is a musical “family” or school of thought. Literally, it comes from the word for “house” or “lineage”. In practice, a gharana is a tradition passed down through guru–shishya parampara (teacher–disciple lineage), often within blood families, with its own style of singing or playing.

Gharanas differ in:

• How they approach raags (which phrases and moods they emphasize).
• How they handle alaap, taan, and ornamentation.
• Which bandishes they cherish and how they phrase them.
• Their overall aesthetic – bold vs delicate, complex vs straightforward, etc.

Guru–shishya parampara and who was “allowed” to learn

Traditionally, music was not taught in open public institutions. It lived inside families and gharanas. A guru might accept only a handful of disciples in their lifetime. Not everyone who wanted to learn was considered “worthy” or “trustworthy” enough.

Decisions could depend on:

• Musical talent and seriousness.
• Family background or social standing.
• Whether the student would respect the gharana and not leak “trade secrets” to rivals.

To Western readers: you can think of this a bit like medieval craft guilds or old jazz bands that only shared their special “licks” with insiders, not just anyone who showed up with money.

Ganda bandhan – becoming a formal disciple

The relationship was formalized through a ceremony called Ganda bandhan (literally, “tying the thread”).

• The guru tied a sacred thread (ganda) on the student’s wrist, accepting full responsibility for their musical and personal growth.
• The shishya, in turn, pledged loyalty and obedience – often agreeing not to study under rival gurus without permission.
• This was not just symbolic; it was a serious lifelong bond, almost like becoming part of the guru’s extended family.

After ganda bandhan, a student might be taught bandishes, raag treatments, and secrets that “ordinary” students or casual learners never received.

Living with the guru – house, chores, and character

In earlier times, serious students often left their parental homes and lived with the guru full time – a gurukul-style life.

• There were usually no formal fees. Instead of paying money, the student contributed through seva (service).
• They did household chores – cleaning, fetching water, helping in the kitchen, running errands – as if they were part of the guru’s family.
• In return, they received food, a place to sleep, continuous music in the environment, and training.

Parents sometimes would not see their children for months at a time. The idea was: if you truly want to become an artist, you must immerse yourself completely in the guru’s world.

The guru’s job went beyond teaching notes and raags. They also taught:

• Manners and humility – how to speak, listen, and behave.
• Professional etiquette – how to sit on stage, tune, interact with accompanists, and treat organizers and students.
• Discipline – waking early, regular riyaz, respect for time.

Many older-generation artists say: “My guru taught me how to be a human being first, and a musician second.”

Secrecy: withholding the antara and keeping “inside” material

Because music was tied to prestige, livelihood, and royal or public patronage, knowledge inside a gharana was guarded carefully.

One common practice was:

• Teaching the mukhda (opening line) or sthayi of a bandish more widely, so students could perform something respectable.
• Keeping the antara (second part), special taans, and rare bandishes as gharana secrets, shared only with the closest, most trusted disciples – often in private gatherings.

Sometimes, even when a bandish was sung publicly, certain crucial turns or original phrases would be simplified, with the “real” version reserved for in-house mehfils (intimate gatherings of gharana members and senior musicians).

Rivalries between gharanas

Gharanas did not live in a vacuum. They competed for:

• Court and royal patronage.
• Later, All India Radio slots and recording opportunities.
• Prestige at music conferences and festivals.

This competition sometimes led to:

• Rivalries – one gharana criticizing another’s style as “wrong” or “impure”.
• Strategic secrecy – avoiding sharing key bandishes or taan patterns outside their own circle.
• Friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) musical showdowns in conferences and baithaks.

Of course, there was also mutual respect and cross-learning. Many musicians quietly listened to and borrowed from rival gharanas, even if publicly they emphasized their own tradition.

Major vocal gharanas – a quick tour

Gwalior Gharana

• Often considered the oldest modern Khayal gharana.
• Emphasis on clarity, well-structured bandishes, and balanced raag development.
• Relatively straightforward ornamentation compared to some others.

Agra Gharana

• Strongly influenced by Dhrupad; robust, powerful voice production.
• Rich bol-baant (rhythmic play with lyrics) and layakari.
• Focus on lower and middle octaves; a grounded, earthy sound.

Kirana Gharana

• Famous for swara-shuddhi (purity of notes) and long, meditative alaaps.
• Extensive use of shruti, meend, and slow unfolding of raag.
• Highly introspective, almost trance-like at times.

Jaipur–Atrauli Gharana

• Known for complex raags and rare jod-raag combinations.
• Very intricate melodic architecture; intellectually demanding but rewarding.

Patiala Gharana

• Famous for dazzling taan work, including high-speed sargam taans.
• Strong presence in both classical and light classical/film music.

Indore, Rampur–Sahaswan, Delhi and others

Each has its own flavor – for example, Indore gharana (associated with Ustad Amir Khan) is known for very slow, contemplative elaboration and personal, introspective khayal.

Gharanas today – more open, less secretive

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the picture has changed radically:

• Music schools and universities teach classical music openly.
• Recordings, radio, and now YouTube make it impossible to keep bandishes truly “secret”.
• Many artists study with multiple gurus and proudly say they are “gharana-influenced” rather than gharana-bound.

Ganda bandhan still exists, but often more as a symbolic bond of love and respect than a strict legal contract. The beautiful side of gharanas – depth, continuity, and distinctive style – remains, while the walls of secrecy and exclusion are slowly coming down.

For a listener or new student, understanding gharanas is like understanding different dialects of the same language. The grammar (raag and taal) is shared, but each gharana speaks it with its own accent, personality, and history.