The Mewati gharana is a musical apprenticeship tribe of Hindustani classical music. Known for being Pandit Jasraj's musical lineage, the gharana was founded by brothers Ghagge Nazir Khan and Wahid Khan (beenkar) of Indore in the late 19th century at the Holkar Court. [1] [2] Members of this gharana have had an active influence in Indian cinema for over half a century. [3]
With its own distinct aesthetics, stylings, practices, and repertoire, the gharana emerged as an offshoot of the Khandarbani Dhrupad, and Qawwal Bacchon musical traditions. [4] The gharana gained visibility in the late-20th century after Pt. Jasraj popularized the gayaki. [5]
Ghagge Nazir Khan and Wahid Khan are regarded as fountainheads of the Mewati gharana. [6] They were descendants of the Qawwal Bacchon gharana (Qawwal Bacchon Ka Gharana). [7]
The Mewati Gharana takes its name from the region between Delhi, Jaipur, and Indore where Ghagge Nazir Khan and Wahid Khan's family hailed, Mewat (not the Mewar region of Rajasthan). [8]
Ghagge Nazir Khan passed on his musical tradition to his foremost disciples Munavvar Khan, Natthulal Pandit, Chimanlal Pandit, and Ghulam Qadir Khan. [9] Natthulal passed the tradition onto his nephew, Motiram, who shared this tradition with his brother, Jyotiram, around the start of the 20th century. [10] During this period, musicians of this gharana served under monarchical patronage as court musicians.
Jyotiram later became a disciple of Rajab Ali Khan, whose father, Manglu Khan, [11] was a disciple of Bade Mohammed Khan and Bande Ali Khan (e.g. a member of the extended gharana). [12] Motiram passed this tradition to his sons, Maniram and Pratap Narayan. After Motiram's unexpected demise, Maniram and Pratap Narayan were instrumental in grooming their younger brother, Jasraj, in the Mewati tradition after the latter renounced playing tabla, his primary training at the time. Jasraj was initially influenced by the music of Amir Khan and Begum Akhtar but later developed a separate style. He introduced new stylistic elements into the traditional Mewati style, following the romanticism started by Omkarnath Thakur and producing a more emotive, devotional, rhythmic-conscious, and lyric-conscious style.
Ghagge Nazir Khan and Wahid Khan inherited three traditions of classical music; Khandarbani dhrupad baaj and gayaki from their ancestors and then Qawwal Bacchon gayaki.
Mewati gayaki emerged from the first synthesis of the dhrupad and khayal traditions of music, through the inter-marriage of Bade Mohammed Khan's family with Haddu-Hassu Khan's family, which Ghagge Nazir Khan married into.
Bade Mohammed Khan, son of Shakkar Khan of Lucknow, emerged from the Qawwal Bacchon tradition. [13] His son, Waris Ali Khan, married a daughter of Haddu Khan. Through their union, Bade Mohammed Khan acquired the status of being a Gwalior gharana exponent and was regarded for his "taan bazi" repertoire. [14] Another offspring of Bade Mohammed Khan, Bade Mubarak Ali Khan, Ghagge Nazir Khan married Bade Mubarak Ali Khan's daughter, learned from Waris Ali Khan.
Due to politics and competition with Natthu Khan's family, [15] Bade Mohammed Khan relocated to Rewa in Bhopal as the court musician of the maharaja. [16] Consequently, Ghagge Nazir Khan and Wahid Khan are associated with the Bhopal region in musical literature. [17]
Seeking musical patronage, their ancestors immigrated from their origins in Delhi and Gwalior, settling first in Bhopal and later western Rajasthan. [18]
These migrations influenced new developments in the gharana's musical styles and aesthetics. Eventually, these changes resulted in the Mewati gayaki becoming distinct although reminiscent of the Gwalior and Qawwal Bacchon styles. Hence the gharana is considered both musically and genealogically different from these groups.
The below illustration is based on the historical account provided by Siraj Khan. [19]
Khandarbani Dhrupad Tradition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dada Tikkad of Agra (dhrupadiya) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wazir Khan (dhrupadiya) | Imam Khan (dhrupadiya) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wahid Khan (son) | Ghagge Nazir Khan (son) | Munavvar Khan (son) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A visual representation of Mewati gharana and its earlier roots. [20]
Mewati Gharana Guru Parampara | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pandit Maniram | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bansilal Kapoor | Pandit Pratap Narayan | Pandit Jasraj | Begum Kaniz Fatima | Rais Khan (sitariya) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Yogai Sharma | Kankana Banerjee | Shobha Abhyankar | Krishnakant Parikh | Mukund Lath (musicologist) | Chandrashekhar Swami | Girish Wazalwar | Asha Lohia | Anuradha Paudwal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vinod Pandit | Pandit Dinesh | Jatin Pandit | Madhup Mudgal | Arawind Thatte | Ramesh Narayan | Gargee Siddhant Dutta | Shweta Jhaveri | Kavita Krishnamurthy | Padmaja Phenany Joglekar | Siraj Khan (sitariya) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lalit Pandit | Shaarang Dev Pandit | Durga Jasraj | Sadhana Sargam | Kala Ramnath (violinist) | Tripti Mukherjee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sanjeev Abhyankar | Niraj Parikh | Vikas Parikh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Suman Ghosh | Hemang Mehta | Gautam Kale | Radharaman Kirtane | Rattan Mohan Sharma | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sandeep Ranade | Pritam Bhattacharjee | Shashank Subramanyam (bansuriya) | Lokesh Anand (shehnaiya) | Asad Khan (sitariya) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Saptarshi Chakraborty | Amit Arya | Ankita Joshi | Shahraaz Khan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Akshat Parikh | Adwait Joshi | Aditya Shah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Swar Sharma | Azaan Khan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Though the gayaki has roots in the style and trends of the Gwalior and Delhi, the Mewati gayaki has some distinct qualities. The Mewati gayaki emphasizes the importance of bhava and literature (bandish). [21] The gayaki includes substantial use of sargam and tihai. [22] In a crude sense, the approach to taan is similar to the Patiala gayaki and Tappa Gayaki in execution but is closer to the Gwalior gayaki in application.
The gayaki's meend applications have been regarded for their smoothness and naturalness. [23]
Maniram and Jasraj have described the essential philosophy of the Mewati tradition as based on "shuddha vani" (pure sound), "shuddha mudra" (pure expression), and "shuddha sur" (pure notes). [24] [25] [26]
Through Sufiana mausiqi and bhaktic influences, the Mewati gayaki includes theistic and spiritual elements, where religious verses from Hinduism and Shia Islam (especially Ismailism) are incorporated not only in the grammatical content of the music, but as intrinsic elements in melodic expression. [27] Jaiwant Singhji [28] and Jasraj contributed numerous devotional compositions to the gharana's repertoire. [29]
Some contemporary compositions invoke the name and attributes of Aga Khan as the manifest Imam and the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu according to the dashavatara.[ citation needed ] The verse "Om Shri Anant Hari Naaraayañ" is typically invoked as the initiation of a performance, and as the grammatical medium for an alap.[ citation needed ]
The Mewati Gharana holds raags unique to its tradition. [30] These include:
Informed by the gharana's kirtankar tradition, Jasraj researched the haveli sangeet of Mathura and Brindavan. Consequently, many devotional compositions have been brought into the gharana's repertoire. [31]
Pandit Jasraj was an Indian classical vocalist, belonging to the Mewati gharana. His musical career spanned 75 years resulting in national and international fame, respect and numerous major awards and accolades. His legacy includes memorable performances of classical and semi-classical vocal music, classical and devotional music, albums and film soundtracks, innovations in various genres including Haveli Sangeeth and popularizing the Mewati Gharana – a school of thought in Hindustani classical music. Pandit Jasraj taught music to amateur and professional students in India, Europe, Canada and the United States.
Folk music of Haryana has two main forms: classical folk music of Haryana and desi folk music of Haryana. They take the form of ballads and pangs of parting of lovers, valor and bravery, harvest and happiness.
In Hindustani 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 musical style.
Kirana gharana is one of the Indian classical khyal gharanas, and is concerned foremost with intonation of notes (swara).
Ramesh Narayan is an Indian classical vocalist, composer and music producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema. He belongs to the Mewati gharana of Hindustani classical music. Narayan began his initial training in Carnatic music and later mastered the classical Hindustani style under the renowned Pandit Jasraj.
The Gwalior Gharana 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).
Rampur-Sahaswan gharana is a gharana of Hindustani classical music centred in the North-Uttar Pradesh towns of Rampur and Sahaswan.
Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh is an annual Indian classical music festival held at Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad, India. The festival is organised by noted classical singer Pt. Jasraj in memory of his father and brother, both classical musicians. Jasraj always performs on 30 November every year, his father's death anniversary and a tribute to Jasraj's guru, his mentor and elder brother, Maniram, who died in 1986, and Jasraj renamed the festival to include his brother's name.
Kalyani Bondre is an academic and Indian classical vocalist.
Kedar Pandit is an Indian tabla player, music composer in Hindustani classical music genre and music arranger.
Tripti Mukherjee is an Indian classical vocalist. She belongs to Mewati gharana. She is the founder and director of the Pandit Jasraj Institute for Music, Research, Artistry and Appreciation in New York.
Rattan Mohan Sharma is an Indian classical vocalist, belonging to the Mewati gharana. He performs classical music forms such as khyal and tarana as well as light classical forms such as Haveli Sangeet, Tappa and Bhajan as well as Rajasthani Folk. He is considered an "A" grade artist on All India Radio.
Shri Maniram Pandit was an Indian classical vocalist from the Mewati gharana. Pandit is known for his exemplary contribution to Indian classical music. His compositions ‘ Mata Kalika ’, Niranjani Narayani, Gala Bhujang, Lasat Seer Chand are master pieces and sung by each and every vocalist of Mewati Gharana. He is the elder brother and guru of Pt. Jasraj and eldest son of Pt. Motiram Pandit.
Pandit Rajaram alias Raja Kale is an Indian vocalist, composer, and scholar of Indian classical, semi-classical, and devotional music. He is a senior disciple of Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki. He also received valuable guidance from Pt. C. P. Rele and Pt. Balasaheb Poonchwale from the Gwalior gharana. Pt. Raja Kale is known for rendering both old and new Hindustani classical music with an approach that is at once eclectic and focused on the performance.
Dr. Shobha Abhyankar (1946–2014) was an Indian musicologist and teacher of the Mewati Gharana. She is known for having taught many Hindustani Classical vocalists, like her son, Sanjeev Abhyankar
Nazir Khan, more commonly known as "Ghagge" Nazir Khan or Jodhpurwale Nazir Khan, was an Indian classical singer and, along with his elder brother Wahid Khan, founded the Mewati gharana, later popularized by Pandit Jasraj.
Wahid Khan, more commonly known as Wahid Khan Beenkar or Indorewale Wahid Khan, was an Indian classical rudra veena player and, along with his younger brother Ghagge Nazir Khan, founded the Mewati gharana, later popularized by Pandit Jasraj and Rais Khan.
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.
Puranchandra Pandit, more commonly known as Pandit Puranchandra and Puranchand "Gavaiya", was an Indian classical singer of the Mewati gharana. He is known for being first cousins to and collaborators with Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Pratap Narayan, and Pandit Maniram. He also studied for some time with members of the Agra Gharana.
Jaiwant Singhji Vaghela of Sanand, also known as Sanand Bapu, was an Indian king, spiritual leader, classical vocalist, beenkar, and musicologist belonging to the Mewati gharana. He is known for being the Thakur of Sanand and guru of Pandit Jasraj. His legacy includes contributions of compositions, new raags, and an integrationist approach to music philosophy.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)