INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC & DANCE FORMS : FOUNDERS, PIONEERS, GHARANAS AND STYLES
CLASSICAL MUSIC SYSTEMS OF INDIA
| Music Tradition | Founder / Father / Pioneer | Important Contribution |
|---|
| Hindustani Classical Music | Amir Khusrau (pioneer), Mian Tansen | Development of Hindustani music tradition, ragas and instruments |
| Modern Hindustani Music Classification | Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande | Developed Thaat system |
| Carnatic Classical Music | Purandara Dasa | Codified teaching methods and exercises |
MAJOR HINDUSTANI VOCAL & INSTRUMENTAL GHARANAS
| Gharana | Founder / Pioneer | Style / Specialization |
|---|
| Gwalior | Nathan Pir Baksh, Hassu Khan, Haddu Khan, Nathu Khan | Khayal |
| Agra | Haji Sujan Khan, Ghagge Khuda Bakhsh | Khayal |
| Kirana | Abdul Karim Khan, Abdul Wahid Khan | Khayal |
| Jaipur-Atrauli | Alladiya Khan | Khayal |
| Patiala | Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Bakhsh | Khayal, Thumri, Ghazal |
| Mewati | Ghagge Nazir Khan | Khayal |
| Dagar | Dagar Family (Bairam Khan) | Dhrupad |
| Indore | Amir Khan | Khayal |
| Bhendi Bazaar | Chhajju Khan, Nazir Khan, Khadim Hussain Khan | Khayal |
| Rampur-Sahaswan | Inayat Husain Khan | Khayal |
| Maihar | Allauddin Khan | Sarod, Sitar |
| Etawah (Imdadkhani) | Imdad Khan | Sitar, Surbahar |
| Bishnupur | Bahadur Khan Seni | Dhrupad |
MAJOR TABLA GHARANAS
| Tabla Gharana | Founder | Specialty |
|---|
| Delhi | Siddhar Khan Dhadi | Oldest Tabla Gharana |
| Lucknow | Bakshu Khan, Modu Khan | Graceful rhythmic style |
| Ajrara | Kallu Khan, Miru Khan | Mathematical compositions |
| Farrukhabad | Haji Vilayat Ali Khan | Blend of Delhi & Lucknow styles |
| Benaras | Pandit Ram Sahai | Powerful strokes |
| Punjab | Lal Bhawani Singh (Pakhawaj), Kader Baksh (Tabla) | Fast improvisation |
CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA
| Dance Form | State | Founder / Pioneer / Reviver |
|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tamil Nadu | Bharata Muni (theory), Tanjore Quartet (modern codification) |
| Kathak | Uttar Pradesh | Kathakars (storytellers) |
| Kathakali | Kerala | Kottarakkara Thampuran |
| Kuchipudi | Andhra Pradesh | Siddhendra Yogi |
| Odissi | Odisha | Kelucharan Mohapatra (modern revival) |
| Manipuri | Manipur | Guru Bipin Singh (modern codification) |
| Mohiniyattam | Kerala | Swathi Thirunal, Irayimman Thampi |
| Sattriya | Assam | Srimanta Sankardev |
| Chhau | Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal | Developed from martial traditions |
IMPORTANT CLASSICAL DANCE FOUNDERS – ONE LINER REVISION
| Dance | Founder / Pioneer |
|---|
| Bharatanatyam | Tanjore Quartet |
| Kathak | Kathakars |
| Kathakali | Kottarakkara Thampuran |
| Kuchipudi | Siddhendra Yogi |
| Odissi | Kelucharan Mohapatra |
| Manipuri | Guru Bipin Singh |
| Mohiniyattam | Swathi Thirunal |
| Sattriya | Srimanta Sankardev |
| Chhau | Martial tradition of Eastern India |
IMPORTANT MUSIC PERSONALITIES
| Personality | Contribution |
|---|
| Amir Khusrau | Pioneer of Hindustani Music |
| Mian Tansen | Greatest musician of Akbar's court |
| Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande | Thaat Classification System |
| Purandara Dasa | Father of Carnatic Music |
| Allauddin Khan | Founder of Maihar Gharana |
| Abdul Karim Khan | Founder of Kirana Gharana |
| Alladiya Khan | Founder of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana |
| Amir Khan | Founder of Indore Gharana |
| Ram Sahai | Founder of Benaras Tabla Gharana |
| Siddhar Khan Dhadi | Founder of Delhi Tabla Gharana |
EXAM SPECIAL FACTS
| Topic | Important Fact |
|---|
| Oldest Tabla Gharana | Delhi Gharana |
| Oldest Dhrupad Tradition | Dagar Gharana |
| Only Major Bengal Dhrupad Gharana | Bishnupur Gharana |
| Father of Carnatic Music | Purandara Dasa |
| Thaat System | Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande |
| Founder of Maihar Gharana | Allauddin Khan |
| Founder of Sattriya | Srimanta Sankardev |
| Founder of Kuchipudi | Siddhendra Yogi |
| Founder of Kathakali | Kottarakkara Thampuran |
| Modern Reviver of Odissi | Kelucharan Mohapatra |
KATHAKALI AND BHARATANATYAM
KATHAKALI
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama that originated in Kerala during the 17th century.The term Kathakali is derived from:
- Katha = Story
- Kali = Drama / Performance
Kathakali represents a unique blend of music, dance, and drama. It is closely associated with Koodiyattam, the ancient Sanskrit theatre tradition, and various traditional martial art forms of Kerala.A distinctive feature of Kathakali is its:
- Heavy and elaborate costumes
- Colorful facial makeup
- Decorative headgear
- Detailed hand gestures (Mudras)
- Well-defined body movements
- Perfect synchronization with music and rhythm
Important Features of Kathakali
| Feature | Description |
|---|
| State | Kerala |
| Origin Period | 17th Century |
| Nature | Dance-Drama |
| Meaning | Katha (Story) + Kali (Drama) |
| Related Tradition | Koodiyattam |
| Major Elements | Music, Dance and Drama |
| Special Characteristics | Elaborate costumes, makeup, gestures and body movements |
Famous Exponents of Kathakali
- Mrinalini Sarabhai
- Kottakkal Sivaraman
- Kalamandalam Nair
- Uday Shankar
- Shanta Rao
BHARATANATYAM
Bharatanatyam is regarded as the oldest classical dance form of India.A Bharatanatyam performance follows a structured sequence of items, each having a specific role in the presentation.
Sequence of Bharatanatyam Performance
| Order | Element | Description |
|---|
| 1 | Alarippu | Opening item |
| 2 | Jatiswaram | Pure dance composition |
| 3 | Shabdam | Introduction of expression |
| 4 | Varnam | Central and most important item |
| 5 | Padam | Expressive devotional piece |
| 6 | Jawali | Lyrical composition |
| 7 | Thillana | Concluding stage of performance |
Thillana
Thillana is the final or concluding stage of a Bharatanatyam recital.It is known for:
- Fast rhythmic movements
- Graceful footwork
- Dynamic dance patterns
- Energetic conclusion of the performance