Patiala gharana

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Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (1902 – 1968), the most prominent exponent of the Patiala gharana

The Patiala gharana (Hindi: पटियाला घराना), is one of the gharanas (tradition, school or style of music) of vocal Hindustani classical music, named after the city of Patiala, India. It was founded in the mid to late 19th century by Mian Kallu[1][2] (also known as Kalu-miya Khan),[3] a sārangi player of the Jaipur durbar.[3] He received his musical training from the last Mughal king Bahadur Shah Zafar’s court musician Mir Qutub Bakhsh ‘Tanras’ Khan (Delhi gharana) and went on to become the court musician to the Maharaja of Patiala. Eventually, the mantle was passed on to his son, ‘General’ Ali Baksh Khan and his close friend ‘Colonel’ Fateh Ali Khan, both of whom became court musicians in the court of Maharaja Rajinder Singh.[4] The titles of 'general' and 'colonel' of music were bestowed upon them by the Victor Alexander Bruce, the 9th Earl of Elgin, after the duo had enthralled him with their performance.[1] The duo was popularly referred to as ‘Ali-a-Fattu ki Jodi’.[4][5] Although the Patiala gharana was originally founded by Mian Kallu, it is widely acknowledged that it was Ali Baksh Khan and Fateh Ali Khan who popularised the Patiala tradition of singing[4] and brought it acclaim and attention across the subcontinent.[6]

The Patiala gharana was inspired from and influenced by four musical gharanas — Delhi, Gwalior, Riva, and Jaipur,[7] and it is particularly noted for its ghazal, thumri and khayal styles of singing. The most influential and well-known exponent of the Patiala gharana is Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. In the latter half of the 20th century, the Patiala style of khayal singing took on two distinct forms.[7] One form gave the music world, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan (1932-1974) and Ustad Fateh Ali Khan (1935-2017). The other, originating from Kasur, produced Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (1902-1968) and his brother Barkat Ali Khan (1907-1963).

Characteristics[edit]

The Patiala gharana is known to be an amalgamated vocal style of singing and is influenced to some extent by the folk music of Punjab.[8] The Patiala singing tradition is known for its creative improvisations by borrowing freely from other gharanas and merging them aesthetically to enhance the khayal style of singing.[9] The Patiala school of music is also noted for its delicate style, use of intricate embellishments (such as gamak, meend, and murki), and for its many bandishes[8] — structure-bound "summaries" of ragas.

The Patiala singing style tends to favour pentatonic ragas such as Malkauns for their ornamentation and execution of intricate taans. Other ragas popular with singers of this gharana are Darbari Kanhra, Ramkali, Shuddha Kalyan and Bageshree.[10] Ektaal and teentaal are the most common taals chosen by members of this gharana. Pt. Shantanu Bhattacharayya, a well-known Patiala vocalist, notes about the Patiala singing style that "akaars, bol banaavs and bolbants exhibit the temperament of a painter. Each phrase is rendered like colouring a picture — vivid with imagery. There are certain features of this gharana that surface suddenly. Taans and boltaans can intersperse the bandish. There is an element of unpredictability."[10]

Renowned ghazal singer Ghulam Ali, an exponent of the Patiala gharana

A special feature of the Patiala style of singing is its rendering of taans.[11] These are very rhythmic, vakra (complicated) and firat taans, and are not bound by the rhythmic cycle. Taans with clear aakar are presented not through the throat but through the navel. Specifically, singers in the gharana tend to sing from the chest or diaphragm[12] and not with their head voice or throat voice. Vocalists in the Patiala tradition sing in a strong, open-throated voice with intricate and analytical use of notes in three octaves.[8] Singers in the gharana are also known for their emotionally evocative singing style, and particular emphasis is placed on clear diction and enunciation.[8] The gharana also has lyrical compositions that have been passed down from generation to generation, and even to disciples and students from outside the family. Singers in the Patiala tradition especially excel in Malkauns, Darbari, Adana, Des, Bhopali, and Multani ragas, according to noted gharana exponent Ustad Hamid Ali Khan.[12]

Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, a noted vocalist in the Patiala tradition today, has explained that Patiala gayaki (singing) is particularly difficult to master and requires a huge amount of practice, time and preparation. He notes that essential requirements of the Patiala style of singing are correct enunciation (bani), correct voice throw (aakar), correct articulation of scales (sargam) and above all, excellent tayyari (practice).[4] Vocalists in the Patiala gharana are also known to perform in pairs. Ustad Hamid Ali Khan explains: "Our ancestors devised this method of singing in pairs, so that the next generation always sticks together. So, while both partners have a full range, in public performances one would take care of the durat (fast tempo) while the other would take on alap (improvised sections of ragas)."[12]

Exponents of the Patiala gharana are also known for their willingness to experiment and blend traditional musical styles with newer genres and styles of music. In an interview, Shafqat Amanat Ali noted: "We are as much rooted to our gharana as we are adapting to modern music. As musicians, we have been embracing modern music. Nobody in my family objected to my singing pop or any other genre. In fact, musicians from Patiala gharana have time and again experimented fearlessly. My father sang ghazals when it was not the taste of classical artistes. He was, in fact, criticised for that. Many classical vocalists were shocked and surprised when we sang Khayal, which again was a bold step for Dhrupad vocalists."[13]

The early Patiala vocalists were known to be associated with Chishti Sufis.[6] This is reflected in the fact that lyrics of many of the gharana's compositions have recurring Sufi leitmotifs — most clearly evident in their signature raga, Ram Saakh which was composed by Mian Kallu himself.[1] In fact, the bandish of this raga alludes to the gharana's devotion to the Sufi master Moinuddin Chishti, also known as Khwājā Ghareeb Nawaz.[1]

Exponents[edit]

19th Century[edit]

20th Century[edit]

21st Century[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Remembering Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Patriarch of the Patiala Gharana". The Wire. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Paṭiālā Gharānā". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Search Results for Paṭiālā gharānā - Oxford Reference". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Khanna, Shailaja (2 March 2018). "An enchanting amalgamation". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "Aliā-Fattu". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Patiala Gharana: The Saga Of The Raga". https://www.outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 4 October 2021. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "The Maestro of the Patiala Gharana | Pakistan Today". archive.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Sharma, Manorma (2006). Tradition of Hindustani Music. APH Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7648-999-7.
  9. ↑ "The Patiala Gharana and beyond". Hindustan Times. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Nair, Jyoti (1 February 2018). "Bade Ghulaam Ali Khan - Patriarch of the Patiala gharana". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  11. ↑ Service, Tribune News. "Punjab's forgotten notes of history". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 https://www.youlinmagazine.com, Youlin Magazine. "Patiala Gharana: Music Through Generations - Haroon Shuaib - Youlin Magazine". www.youlinmagazine.com. Retrieved 3 October 2021. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)
  13. ↑ Pioneer, The. "'I will sing everything except rap'". The Pioneer. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  14. ↑ https://www.itcsra.org/TributeMaestro.aspx?Tributeid=8
  15. ↑ Article on Patiala Gharana in Dawn (newspaper), 'Classical music has healing effect on listeners' Published 3 May 2008, Retrieved 14 August 2019
  16. ↑ Sharma, Manorama (2006). Tradition of Hindustani Music (2006 ed.). New Delhi: A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. pp. 113–114, 160–161. ISBN 8176489999.
  17. ↑ Ganesh, Deepa (20 March 2003). "His master's voice". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 May 2003. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
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