An Introduction To Indian Classical Music - The British Raj
The British RajThe British Raj (1857-1947 A.D.)
This period from 1857 to 1947, saw the establishment of various famous Gharanas in the north and emergence of Madras as the capital of Carnatic music in the south. Recorded music made its appearence. Music of the film world became the popular form of music. Hindustani music was also resurrected from khotis and was accorded social acceptance. The era also saw introduction of many European instruments to India like Violin and Harmonium, which have become indispensible instruments in Carnatic and Hindustani vocal recitals, respectively. Several related forms of Hindustani developed - Tumri, Tappa and Tarana.
The British, more specifically East India Company, started conquest of India with the battle of Plassy in 1757. For the next hundred years they fought numerous battles for political power, both with Indian kings and other European powers. With the fall of Tipu Sultan in 1799, most of Indian kings were subservient to British. British also ruled many areas (like Bombay, Calcutta and Madras) directly. Many Indian kings regrouped and waged a final decisive battle in 1857, in which they were completely defeated.
The war of 1857 had far reaching effects. British Govt took over the administration and the army from the East India Company. From then on British Viceroys would govern India. Delhi came under the direct rule of British, finally ending 300 years of Mughal rule.
The British rulers had no interest in Indian music. But large areas of India were still under various India kings, called princely states. The princely states were generally independent in local matters but had to pay heavy taxes to the British empire. They were under constant watch of the British representative in their states. But they had enough resources to support artists and musicians in their courts. They also enjoyed political stability and were free from worries of war, making it possible for most of the kings and aristocracy to lead a life of leasure, which was very conducive to growth of arts and music.
Gwalior was ruled by Scindia (Maratha) rulers from 1726 till independence. But after 1794 they were a princely state under the British. Under their patronage Gwalior gharana, the oldest Khayal Gharana flourished. Though some trace the gharana all the way to Gwalior's most famous musician, Mian Tansen, the Khayal Gharana started there in 18th century by Ustad Natthan Pir Baksh, who is said to be a direct descendant of Sadarang and Adarang. Most of the Khayal Gharana's are offshoots of this Gharana. Pir Baksh's grand sons Hassu, Haddu and Natthu Khan had great impact on the gharana and are considered to be the most important musicians of the Gharana and by some to be the real founds of it. They had a large number of disciples like Rehmat Khan, Baba Dikshit, Masurekar Buva, Shankar Pandit and Eknath Pandit, Rajabhaiyya Poochhwaie, Ramkrishnabuva Vaze, Balkrishnabuva Ichalkaranjikar, Vasudevbuva Joshi and Devjibuva Paranjape, who spread the gharana in various parts of the sub-continent. Some of them who were Maharashtra brahmins established the Gharana in Maharashtra, and their disciples like Chaturpandit Bhatkhande, V.D. Pulaskar et al liberated hindustani music from the clutch of Gharana's throwing it open to public by starting a music school, Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya. They also cut it off from the court-courtesan linkage and made it a socially acceptable and gave it almost religious flavor (like in Carnatik). Gwalior gharana is still a popular gharana with several exponents.
There are some who contend that Agra Gharana was started by Dhrupad singer Haji Sujaan Khan, who was in the court of Emperor Akbar and was a contemporary of Tansen. But it is generally accepted that one of the disciples of Natthan Pir Baksh, Gagge Khuda Baksh started the Agra Gharana. His great great grandson, Fayyaz Khan (1886-1950) remains the most outstanding exponent of this gharana and is known as Aftab-I-mausiqui. Today, the musicians of the Agra gharana have dispersed throughout northern India and though the gharana is very alive, its links with Agra are severed. However, Vamanrao Deshpande's description of the Agra gharana speaks of its enduring link to the medieval world. "Its style," he writes, "reminds one of the rugged architectural construction of a medieval fortress with its gigantic walls, ramparts and turrets. Its successive taans remind us of speedily advancing armies striking hard at their targets, its bol taans of rapid gunfire. It captivates rather than delights." One of the only singers still singing pure Agra style is Purnima Sen. (Makar-Purnima Sen)
The founder of Sahaswan-Rampur gharana is Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan (1849-1919), son-in-law of Haddu Khan of the Gwalior gharana. Inayat Hussain Khan was born in Sahaswan and lived his professional life in Rampur. Rampur was an important centre of dhrupad singing, and together with the fact of Haddu Khan's teaching, there are definite influences of dhrupad, and the Gwalior gharana. Inayat Hussain Khan's two sons-in-law Mushtaque Hussain Khan and Nissar Hussain Khan continued the tradition. Modern exponents of the gharana Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan have added some new dimensions in the style to make it more complete. He also initiated the use of sargams popularized by Kirana and Patiala exponents. In keeping with the other broad characteristics and specialities of the gharana, Ghulam Mustafa introduced slow melodic elaboration or vistar and in the vilambit khayal and also sang it in the slower tempo preferred by most singers in the final quarter of the 20th century. The gharana is now represented by Ustad Rashid Khan.
Jaipur-Atauli gharana did not branch off of Gwalior gharana. Ustad Natthu Khan's ancestors migrated to the court of Jaipur from Atruali (near Aligarh in U.P.). He was a contemporary of Sadarang-Adarang, the originators of Khayal. His grand son Ehmat Khan was a renowned singer and the court musician of Uniyara. His son was Alladiya Khan who was to later establish the Jaipur-Atauli Gharana. But Alladiya was trained by uncle Jehangir khan, since Ehmat Khan passed away while Alladiya was still 14. Jehangir Khan was an expert in both Khayal and Dhrupad, which shows that even in 19th century Dhrupad was slowly making way for Khayal. Alladiya was trained in both Dhrupad and Khayal and finally settled down on the court of Kolhapur kings. Alladiya modified the Khayal style by his own inventions. The swaras were governed by the laya in a sophisticated way and became the medium of his musical expression which then attained a IiIt and pulsating rhythm characteristic of style. Also the 'tedhi' or the complex 'phirat' boltaans and the ingenious and unexpected ways of approaching the 'sama' of the rhythmic cycle are unique to the gharana. In the tradition of the Jaipur gharana the khayal is always conceived and presented as a grand architectural design which is replete with intricate and well-crafted imagery. Alladiya trained quite a few experts like Kesarbai Kerkar, Moghubai Kurdikar, Sushila Rani Patel and Gulubhai Jasdanwala. His sons Ustad Manji Khan and Ustad Bhurjl Khan also trained a few disciples like Mallikarjun Mansur. Jaipur Gharana is represented by Kishori Amonkar, Ashwini Bhide, Padma Tralwalkar, Shruti Sadolikar Katkar and others.
Patiala Gharana is considered a branch of both Gwalior and Delhi gharanas. Mian Kaalu of Delhi gharana, trained his son Ustad Ali Bux Jamail and his friend Ustad Fateh Ali (the famous Ali-a-Fattu). They received training from Haddu - Hassu of Gwalior too. This helped them to develop a unique gayaki of their own. Together, Ali Bux and Fateh Ali made a wonderful combination and presided at the Patiala darbar. Ali Bux Khan was one of their disciples and was the father and guru of the most famous Patiala exponent of 20th century, Ustad Bade Ghulam Khan. Kale Khan Kesarwale was another disciple of Ali-a-Fattu, who trained his nephew and another great master Barkat Ali Khan. Ustad Munawar Ali Khan is the disciple and heir to the legacy of Ustad Bade Ghulam Khan. Pandit Ajoy Chakravarty, the disciple of Ustad Munawar Ali Khan represents the Gharana today.
Kirana Gharana was started by Khan Sahab Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1937). Kirana is the birth place of the Ustad, and situated near Kurukshetra. Ustad Karim Khan served as a musician at the Baroda and the Mysore courts and had a tremendous influence on the music of western India. This perhaps explains the influence of Carnatic music on Kirana Gharana. His own somewhat nasal voice led him to adopt the Carnatic style for singing the saptak. Abdul Karim Khan's most important disciple was Pt Sawai Gandharva, who made it famous in the north Karnataka and Maharashtra regions. There are several fine exponents of this gharana today, including Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal and Prabha Atre.
Bhendi Bazaar Gharana was founded by three brothers Chajju Khan, Ustad Nazir Khan and Ustad Khadim Hussain Khan, towards the last decade of the 19th century in the Bhendi Bazar area of Bombay. The brothers who were from Uttar Pradesh, trained under their father Dilawar Hussain Khan as well as Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan of the Sahaswan Gharana. Renowned exponent of this gharana was Ustad Aman Ali Khan the guru of Lata Mangeshkar.
Mewati gharana was founded by Ghagge Nazir Khan who hailed from Mewat but was employed by the Nepal Rana and was influenced by Haddu-Hassu Khan of Gwalior. Ghagge Nazir Khan had two main disciples Nathulal and Chimanlal. Nathulal's nephew was Pandit Motiram whose son is the renowned artist Pandit Jasraj, the current leading light of the Gharana. Pandit Jasraj learnt from his elder brother Pandit Maniram. Stylistically, today's Mewati gharana has evolved from that of Ghagge Nazir Khan and includes Merkhand and Murchannas both of which are direct influences of Kirana and Bhendi Bazar respectively.
Gwalior and other vocal Gharanas
Medeival History - Pg 4
British Raj - Pg 2
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