This article looks into various aspects of the Gharana tradition. The tradition of Gharanas has been an integral part of Indian classical music. All learned musicians talk of Gharana and its valuable contribution to the Indian music. Most of the artists of Indian music are convergent upon the point that the Gharana tradition is the best institution when it comes to the teaching of music. In this article, we would go a bit deeper into the various features, characteristics, opinions etc about this very important institution of Indian classical music.
Meaning and definition of Gharana
Gharana is an Urdu word which has been adapted in Hindi language too. It basically means: family, members of a family, several generations of a family etc. in the field of arts as well as the academics, the English synonym for this word seems to be "school". For example, there are many schools which interpret history in different manner. For them we can call different school of historical interpretation. Likewise, there are different styles of painting. For instance, "the Venetian school of painting". Therefore, colloquially, we can connect Gharana with different styles of arts. We are aware of the facts that not one single style can persist when it comes to the performing arts. Different styles are developed according to the tastes of the artists as well as the audiences. Sometimes, these styles represent the regional aspirations too. There is a famous saying in the Northern India, "as many tongues, so the tastes! As many heads, so the interests." This saying can further be stated as "as many musicians, so the styles of performance". Indian music is very flexible. It differs from region to region, from artist to artist and from place to place. The regional influences, the individual influences, the linguistic influences etc are chiefly responsible in developing new style in any form of music. Be it Dhruvapada, Khayal, Thumari or any other form of Indian classical/semiclassical music, there are and can be numerous styles of singing and playing of musical instruments. These different styles, when practiced for more than three generations, become a Gharana. In a Gharana, there are some main contributors, who play the important role in developing and shaping that style. These artists are called the originator of that style or Gharana.
Evolution
The concept of Gharana is very much related to the Guru Shishya Parampara. In fact, music is an art which can only be taught through the system of Guru Shishya Parampara. It cannot be taught through the formal educational methods. Therefore, it is very important that we should analyse this Parampara. It is this tradition of Guru-Shishya which has played a very vital role in the shaping and development of our classical music. In the ancient works of the Indian literature, the importance of a learned Guru has been felt and admired at numerous places and instances; so much so that the Guru has been given the higher status than even the Almighty God. When it comes to the learning of fine arts and especially the Indian classical music, the importance of guru is said to be much more important. That is why, in the modern days too, when there are a lot of means of learning music, the serious learners still look for a learned and appropriate Guru. But for a skilled guru, one cannot learn music in its proper spirit. But our concern is not to discuss the importance of a guru but to look into the aspects of Gharana. As we have mentioned earlier, the Gharana tradition is based upon the Guru Shishya parampara. Now we would explain how the tradition of Gharana evolved and took shape in the initial stages.
For this, we have to peep into the history of Indian music and through its glimpses we would try to find some facts and signs about the tradition of Gharana. The history of Indian music begins from the Sam Veda, the most important one of the four Vedas. During the period of Sam Veda, we find that there were around a thousand styles of Saamgaan, which were practiced by the singers of the Sam. Gradually, as the ancient Indian culture got diluted because of various socio-political reasons, many styles of saamgaana were forgotten on account of overlapping of other cultures over our own ancient civilization. It is believed that presently, there are three basic styles of Saamgana. Namely, Kautubhi, Ranayani and Stobhi. What I mean to say that these styles may represent different schools or Gharanas of singing the Richaas of Sam. This is the initial concept upon which the tradition of Gharana is actually based. Therefore, though the Gharanas are said to be the result of the so-called Durbari Sangeet yet the elementary concept of Gharana existed in Indian heritage even during the period of Vedas.
After the extinction of the tradition of Saamgaana, the vacuum which was very much there in the field of the Indian classical music was filled by the new tradition of Prabandha Gaan. This tradition was also based upon the several kinds of Prabandhas which were sung in different manners and styl4es. In Sangeet Ratnakar, a separate chapter has been dedicated to the study of Prabandha. This shows the importance of Prabandhas. This form of Indian music was very rich in content as well as in respect of various styles of its presentation. Thus, the tradition of Gharana still existed in Indian music. Though the name for this tradition was different. There were numerous styles of singing Prabandhas which were known as different schools of Prabandhagan. In Karnatik music too, there are different schools of presentation of music popularly known as the Sampradayas. These sampradayas also represent the concept of Gharana. Thus, it is very clear that the concept of Gharana existed in Indian music. There is no doubt about it. However, the word "Gharana" was not used prior to the period of Durbari Sangeet.
After the suppression of Prabandhagaan, came the form of Dhruvapada singing. It is believed that the prabandhas were eliminated from the Indian music because of the unpopularity of Sanskrit language amongst the ruling class. We are aware of the fact that during the period of Sultanate in the Indian history, the foreign invaders captured the mainland of the Indian subcontinent. The new rulers, who had come from the central Asia and the Afghan Territory, did not know Sanskrit. They even were unaware of our native languages and dialects. Neither did they have any idea of our cultural heritage. They tried to impose their cultural practices over the Indian culture. This overlapping of cultures resulted in different cultural changes. During this hustle and bustle Sanskrit lost its glory and the same happened to be with the Prabandhagaana, which were based on Sanskrit language. In its place, a new singing form was originated by the scholars of the Court of great king of Gwaliyar, Raja Mansingh Tomar.
In this form of singing too, there were different singing styles. These styles were called as Baanis. There were mainly four baanis in the singing of Dhruvapadas. These baanis were as follows:
- Dagurbani, 2. Gobarhari, 3. Nauhari and 4. Khandari.
These baanis of Dhruvapada singing were also in tune with the basic concept of Gharana. They represented different singing styles of Dhruvapada. Hence, it is beyond any reasonable doubt that the concept of Gharana very much existed in the Indian music. The only thing was that its name was not Gharana. In Karnatik music, it is still called Sampradaya. In the Northern India, which was very much influenced by the period of Sultanate, the ancient system gave way to the new system designed and imposed by those who had little knowledge about our culture, let alone music. Therefore, it is claimed that the tradition of Gharana is the creation of those musicians who had been connected with the Durbar and the Sultanate. The Sultans and the Nawabs had little knowledge of ancient Indian music. Neither did they know our language. Therefore, they had nothing to do with our traditional arts and musical forms. They did whatever they liked. Therefore, the music of their liking was specially devised by the court musicians. This specific kind of music was later called as "Durbari Sangeet". From this durbari sangeet, many singing styles were originated in due course of time. These singing styles were later called as Gharanas.
The artists of most of such Gharanas try to relate themselves with Tansen or the members of his family. Some of the musicians seem to relate themselves from some prominent regions, which have once been famous for the art of Durbari Sangeet, like Gwaliyar, Agra, and Banaras etc.
The fact of the matter is that every Nawab in the medieval period of our history had a tendency to award patronage to different arts. Especially, music was liked by the rulers of that time and hence it got more patrons than any other form of the fine arts. Thus, the Court musicians of different Nawabs and emperors developed different styles of singing, dancing and playing of musical instruments. This way, different Gharanas came into being.
Fall of Gharana Tradition
These gharanas or singing styles were practised by almost all the musicians of that particular region. It is note-worthy at this point that there were no quick means of transport and the communications available at that segment of time. Therefore, the style of one place could not easily be conveyed to another place. This led to further enhancement of those styles. More or less, at that period of time, one region had no frequent contact with other regions. The artists of a particular area would hardly ever visit other places. Especially, when the artists were attached to a specific Durbar, they were not supposed to go to another such Durbar. This tendency gave birth to a kind of competition between these Gharanas. This competition though generally was a healthy one but at times, it would get some kind of rivalries too. Gradually, such rivalries became very often and the artists of one Gharana snapped all contacts whatsoever with other Gharanas. This led to many illogical practices like each artist of a gharana tried to let down the artists of other such Gharanas. This leg-pulling developed ill will and hostilities between different gharanas. Followers of one Gharana were told not to listen to the music of any other Gharana. The Guru strictly prohibited his pupils from establishing any contact of any nature with the followers of other Gharanas. Not only this, the Gurus were not impartial to every pupil. They fragmented their knowledge in three broad compartments. First fragmentation of the knowledge group was for the common pupils. These were considered the average kind of pupils. The second knowledge-group was meant for those pupils who were brilliant but were not related to the family of the Guru himself. Other relations like cousins were given training in this group. The most important and the real knowledge were given to the direct relations of the Guru, like his sons, grandsons etc. This division of knowledge was very common in the tradition of Gharanas during the period of Durbar and Sultanate. These and many more sharp practices started in this tradition of Gharana which once had been one of the best traditions. This attitude of the artists related to different gharanas began corrosion in the system itself. Gradually, the popularity of Gharanas started to come down. Presently, the Gharana system is on the verge of collapse.
It is not only the aforesaid factors which can be held responsible for the unpopularity of the tradition of Gharana. There are other reasons too which need to be discussed here.
The first and the foremost of such factors is that the present era is the age of information and the technology. In the medieval period, it was difficult for a person related to a specific Gharana to communicate with the artists of other gharana. However, in the modern times, one can listen to any kind of music at just a click of a mouse. Today, it is not just possible for the Guru to seclude his pupils from the music of other artists. The electronic media has made it very easy to listen to music of our liking. Moreover, we can record different kind of music on digital recorders and play it back at our convenience. Therefore, in this era it is not possible for the guru to keep his pupils away from other kind of music.
In addition to this, these days, there are several music concerts and shows where one can go as per his/her liking and enjoy the music. The development in the transport and the communication has made it possible for us to travel at ease and communicate with anybody in the world by just dialling a specific code. Therefore, these days, there are numerous options of music-listening as well as music-following. This boon of science and technology has contributed in more than one ways to dismantle the system of Gharana.
The new system of institutional education has also played a great role in ending the Gharana tradition. These days, music is taught in the schools and the colleges. There the students learn music from more than one teacher. In this environment, they cannot follow the tradition of just one teacher. They come in contact with the styles of many teachers. Moreover, they get exposure to many famous artists. Thus, it is not possible for them to follow the style of just one teacher. This is the reason that these days, the glimpse of any particular Gharana is very rear even in the traditional artists.
Conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that in the modern times, the Gharana tradition has lost its relevance. It is true that in the medieval period, it contributed a lot in the preservation and conservation of the tradition of music. It helped prepare high quality artists. In the era when the recording of compositions was not possible and there was not a suitable notation-system for writing those compositions either, this system of Gharanas preserved those musical compositions and it is thanks to that same system that we can be able to listen to those great compositions. But for the present era, it looks that this system has been a bit old-fashioned. The students just do not listen to their teachers. They do not believe anything without verification. In this age, the learners ask for the logical explanations of whatever they are said or preached. Therefore the system of Gharana needs many changes for its own survival.
No comments:
Post a Comment