SSrishtiSrishtirishti CenterCenter OfOf PerformingPerforming ArtsArts Website: http://www.srishti-dc.org Kamalika Sandell (703-774-6047) Paromita Ray (703-395-2765) Sunday Class Name Class Name Location 1-2 pm Classical Fusion Dance Bengali Language Class Sterling Community Center (Kids Ages 4-7, (Chandana Bose) Durba Ray) $95 - 8 weeks 120 Enterprise St $120 - 8 weeks Sterling, VA 20164 2-3 pm Classical Fusion Dance Bengali Music Class (Adults & Kids Ages 8+, (Kids Ages 4-7, Kamalika Durba Ray) Sandell) $120 - 8 weeks $120 - 8 weeks 3-4 pm Tabla Fine Arts Class (Chethan Ananth) (Shuddha Sanyal) $120 - 8 weeks $120 - 8 weeks 10-11 am Carnatic Vocal 12016 English Maple Ln, (Anu Iyer) Fairfax, VA 22030 $120 - 8 weeks *Sibling Discount for same class - 20% Gharana by Sumitro Majumdar The word gharana derives from ghar – hindi for house or family. The two gharanas, Agra and Gwalior are considered to be the oldest ones in khayal gayaki. It is contended that Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, an offspring of Gwalior gharana was started by Ustad Enayet Hussein Khan. His two sons-in- law and disciples, Ustad Mushtaq Hussein Khan (son of the famous Quwaal Kahlan Khan) and Ustad Nissar Hussein Khan extended the gayaki and made it even more popular and famous. The latter brought into his gayaki several components of Agra gharana while the former’s was tantalizingly close to Gwalior. Gharana does not constrict an artiste. Indian music is dynamic, and while a gharana teaches its students to sing a raga following certain tenets, improvisation, enrichment and embellishment are not discouraged. The true artiste has only one obligation – that to the beauty of his creation. And as we all know, aesthetics does not follow guidelines of mortals. Hindustani Music History of Hindustani music in its current form can be traced Ustad Rashid Khan is an example of this pursuit. Born in 1966, back to the late eighteenth century. Before that, the under the tutelage of Ustad Nissar Hussein Khan – his grand- prevalent form of vocalizing was Dhrupad – a very solemn uncle – he has evolved into a fine exponent of his gharana. and structured exposition of the raga. The later days of However, he has also inducted several sub-styles from other Mughal Empire saw the breaking down of this rigor. Music gayaki to give his creation a distinct flavor. His alaap and started getting shots of “frivolity”, if you will, in degrees. bilambit gaat will remind you of Ustad Amir khan while his During this period, khayal came into being. Under the tarana is very much Sahaswan. patronage of royalties like the then dethroned nawab of Lucknow, Wajid Ali Shah and other native states, northern Indian music reached new heights. At the same time, different forms of folk music from northern India found their way into classical music and gave birth to forms like thumri, kajri and chaiti. Gharana – a tradition of learning One of the major discerning traits of Hindustani classical music is how the legacy has been passed on from generation to generation. Virtuosos wanted to limit their knowledge and their particular gayaki (style of singing) - often secretly guarded - among their own kin. During an age He gave his first public performance at the age of 11 and in the without tape recorders, only way to learn the intricacies of very next year performed at the ITC Sangeet Sammelan at music was to tie the ganda or nara from an ustad and pay New Delhi. Since then his rise has been exceptional. He has your dues. It is reminiscent of the Vedic tradition of learning. received accolades from listeners in India and abroad. He has visited the US earlier and has, as usual, taken the listeners by The reason why gharana and vocal stylization have played storm. such an important role in our music is the element of improvisation. Western music is highly structured - the notes No amount of written words can do justice to the beauty and in a composition are written in stone. Playing Beethoven’s th grandeur of Indian music. So, please join us in enjoying the 5 , the artiste does not have the luxury to change one single mesmerizing voice of Ustad Rashid Khan – one of the note. Not so in Indian music. The same raga can be sung or foremost virtuoso vocalists of our time of whom Pandit played differently by different artistes. While the underlying Bhimsen Joshi has said, “There is now at least one person in structure remains the same, the way a raga is exposed and sight who is an assurance for the future of Indian vocal music.” the accompanying ornamentations maybe strikingly different. The Saga Of Hindustani ClassiClassicalcal Music By Samar Saha If someone asks what has been India’s greatest AD. Muslim rulers and their aristocrats brought contribution to the humanity, it would be very their known language, music and culture with obvious to most, like me, to state without a them, which after assimilation gave rise to a new second thought that it is the Indian Classical culture. This resulted in bifurcation of ancient Music. Some may argue but when the dust settles Indian music into two distinct styles – Hindustani after an intent and close listening, all will in North and Carnatic in the south. Although the genuinely feel that indeed the Indian classical Muslim rulers were of either central Asian Turks music is a unique musical experience - developed or Afghani in their origins but their language, over centuries and almost sublime in its beauty. their custom and culture was distinctly Persian. Princeton University WordNet has defined the Perhaps the most famous instance of Persian ‘Classical Music’ as the “Music conforming to an influence on Indian music is that of the Father of established form and appealing to critical interest and Hindustani music, Amir Khusro Dehlavi (1253- developed musical taste”. Certainly, the Indian 1325 AD). Around Khusro’s time Dhrupad had classical music meets and goes way beyond such developed from Prabandha and was the oldest definition. It is one of the oldest unbroken form Hindustani music. Amir Khusro is credited musical traditions of the world, which has with modifying Dhrupad by adding Persian evolved through several thousand years and is melody and beat to it - thereby creating Qwawalii still evolving. Many, like me, feel that when (present day Qawwali), a form of Muslim listened properly, it produces an uplifting devotional song. Later, the Mughal period saw emotional and spiritual experience, which lingers Dhrupad becoming the court music of the time. on and on and does not fade away like other The most prominent Dhrupad artist of the pleasures. Many may ask what this music is and Mughal period was Tansen from Emperor how it evolved to produce such mesmerizing Akbar’s court who is credited with reshaping the effect. I do believe that the answer is in its entire Dhrupad music by adding Persian evolution and perfection over centuries. ornamentations such as Meend, Gamaka etc. He is also credited with the development of Rabab Basics of Indian music started (Rudra Veena). Tansen also created some of the some 3000 years ago as foremost ragas of Hindustani music. Some of evidenced from the terracotta these are noteworthy, such as Darbari Kanada, figures, the seals and the Darbari Todi, Miya Ki Malhar, Miya Ki Sarang etc. famous bronze statuette of a Almost every major Gharana (musical school) of dancing girl from the excavation present day Hindustani music trace their lineage sites of the Indus Valley to Tansen. Hindustani music kept on evolving, as civilization. Later the musical the Mughal power was on the decline in the form, starting from the chanting northern India. of the hymns of Samaveda, underwent continuous evolutionary changes to get to the musical form Beginning of the Khayal style of we now recognize as Indian classical music. This Hindustani music is traced to evolutionary phase saw development of two the court of Muhammad Shah branches – North Indian Hindustani and South “Rangile” (1720-1748) although Indian Carnatic. At the turn of the first many believe that Amir Khusro millennium, the form of music that was prevalent started both Khayal and in India was called Prabandha. From this Qawwali. Considering the fact prominent form of music Dhrupad developed in that most of the Khayal Gharanas the north and Kirthana/Krithi developed in were originally Dhrupad southern India around 13th century. Much of Gharanas, it should be safe to say that Khayal northern India came under Muslim rule by 1200 originated as a leisurely form of Dhrupad with more ornamentation and improvisation, and accorded a social acceptance – resulting in signifying a major Persian influence on this form. development of newer musical forms, like For Khayal, the first musical evidence of court Thumri, Tappa and Tarana. Recorded music of support is noted at the Delhi Darbar (court) of the this era brought Hindustani music from the royal eighteenth century Mughal Emperor Muhammad courts to the millions of middle class music lovers Shah “Rangile”, where the musicians Nyamat – again changing the patronage, taste and Khan with penname of Sadarang (1670-1748) and evolution. We would never know how Dhrupad’s Firoz Khan with the penname of Adarang of Tansen or Baiju Bawra sounded. But, thanks to composed songs that have been transmitted to recording technologies, we know and feel the the present time. It is believed that Sadarang and magic of Hindustani classical music of last 50 Adarang also formalized the structure of modern years or so. day Khayal. Whatever be the origin of Khayal style, no doubt Dhrupad was the style that Our artist today is Ustad received patronage from kings and aristocracy till Rashid Khan who bears the the time of later Mughal emperors.