GHARANAS IN TABLA

THE EVOLUTION OF TABLA GHARANAS

Percussion instruments similar to tabla can be seen in Indian temple sculptures dating back thousands of years, however it is generally agreed that the present form of tabla became popular in the royal courts of Delhi during the 17th and 18th centuries. The individual usually credited with the most significant developments of tabla technique and repertoire at this time was Siddhar Khan Dharhi. His grandsons and their various disciples carried the art of tabla playing to other major centers of North Indian cultural life, a dispersion which naturally led to the evolution of a number of distinct regional performance styles. At the present time these schools of tabla playing or gharanas (- derived from the Hindi word ghar or "house"-) commonly include those of Delhi, Ajrara, Benares, Farukhabad and Lucknow. A sixth style, the Punjab gharana, which developed independently in what is present-day Pakistan is also included in this list. Each gharana has imbibed the essence, culture and character of its founding city/area into its tradition.

This site is dedicated to furthering the knowledge and history of these six main schools of tabla playing:

• Delhi
• Lucknow
• Benares
• Ajrara
• Punjab
• Farrukhabad

GHARANAS OF TABLA

Any discussion pertaining to tabla solo performance or accompaniment is not complete without mentioning the various styles of playing the tabla which manifested in specific families or groups known as "gharanas". The term "gharana" (literally meaning "family" or "household") has an important meaning for tabla players. It describes the traditions established by a founding artist, his descendants and their disciples.

Gharanas came into existence in most areas of Hindustani classical music largely because being a professional musician was usually a hereditary occupation. Musical instruction followed genealogical lines from father to son, and also from guru to shishya (teacher to disciple). It was this manner of transmission of knowledge that led to the formation of stylistically unique schools known as gharanas. Sometimes, the term "baj" is also used, although this does not have the same connotation as gharana, as it refers more to playing style.

The most serious emphasis in the gharana tradition was the apprenticeship of sons of the main family members, as they were expected to continue the profession of their fathers. Even though many artists taught other motivated disciples, they placed the greatest emphasis on teaching their own sons and family members. Gottleib points out that for this reason, the custom of a disciple marrying into a gharana family was considered very important from a professional standpoint. Such intermarriages proved mutually beneficial as the disciple gained access to a gharana's wealth of musical knowledge, and the gharana in turn secured the proliferation of its own knowledge by acquiring a fine disciple.

Gharanas held many hidden musical treasures that were jealously guarded by families. In India today, it is still sometimes difficult for an artist outside of a particular gharana to gain access to information regarding its traditions. Gottleib mentions accounts of how a father might not teach gharana traditions to his own son if he fears that the son in turn might pass them on to someone outside of a gharana.

Of particular interest is the leading living exponent of a given gharana who is considered to be of special prominence. Among Muslims, the title "khalifa" (literally, "a successor" or "a leader") is given to this practitioner, whereas others may refer to this individual as the "gharandar". The title is used only with legitimate blood-line descendants of the original family, passed on from father to son. If there is no son, it passes on to his eldest brother's oldest son. The daughter of a khalifa can never inherit the title, nor can it be assumed by a non-related disciple. The title is sometimes passed from the father to his son while the father is still living, but this occurs rarely and only when the father no longer actively performs or represents the traditions of the gharana.

As mentioned before, the six major gharanas of tabla provide the backbone for all professional activity on the Indian classical concert circuit. Their names are derived from the places of their geographical origin: Delhi, Ajrara, Farrukhabad, Lucknow, Benares, and Punjab. (Some ethnomusicologists/authors also mention the following gharanas of tabla: Vishnupur, Dacca and Orissa.) These gharanas, although they each hold a distinct repertoire of compositions and musical knowledge, are no longer so isolated from each other and have merged with one another to some extent. This has resulted in less distinct playing styles and more fusion of styles, a phenomenon that has manifested in many world-class tabla players today who are affiliated with more than one gharana, including Ustad Zakir Hussain (Punjab, Farrukhabad) and Pandit Anindo Chatterjee (Farrukhabad, Lucknow).