Bishnupur Gharana
Encyclopedia
The Bishnupur Gharana
(alternatively spelt Vishnupur Gharana) is a form of singing that follow the Dhrupad
tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two Indian classical music
forms. It originated in Bishnupur (Bankura), West Bengal
. The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in Bengali
. In the ancient past, this area, known as Mallabhum
was the abode of Malla Kings who were vassals to the Mughal Empire
who were devotees of Lord Vishnu and patrons of music. Bishnupur Gharana was established in 1370 A. D. by the court musicians of Malla Kings. Historians suggest that ‘Mallabhum’ had once been the cultural centre of Eastern India. It also has the distinction of being the only Gharana in West Bengal
.
The gharana is reputed to have been established in the 13th century, even though there is no historic evidence to support this. In the 16th century, during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, islamic fanaticism was at its peak in the Mughal empire, and thus many musicians moved to the court of the Maharaja of Bishnupur who was a known patron of the arts. The famous Dhrupad Singer Bahadur Khan of the Senia Gharana, descendant of Tansen, fled to Bishnupur and made his Gharana popular and sought refuge in the court. Bahadur Khan was not only a vocalist but could also efficiently play on such instruments as the Veena
, the Rabaab, the surashringaar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, made all arrangements to honour him as his court singer. The Maharaja also announced that anyone having a sweet voice and interested in music could learn from Bahadur Khan without any fees. He also bore the financial liability for the poor students. In time, a good number of students became the disciples of Bahadur Khan.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a desciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan as the founder of the gharana. Bishnupur Gharana therefore has a strong link to Betia Gharana through this unbroken relationship.
In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different ‘Gharanas’ were gradually assimilating around the Khayal style, the Dhrupad
style continued flourishing among the musicians of Bishnupur.
Bhatkhand desired to be a disciple of Radhika Prasad Goswami since he found the most authentic renditions of the ragas and the most exhaustive repertoire of songs in Bishnupur Gharana (Reference:-Brammhoman by Dilip Kumar & Jugantor)
In 1921 when Prince Edward came to visit India, six artists of various gharanas were chosen to perform six Ragas for six Seasons. Three of them were from Bishnupur Gharana .Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay and Khetra Mohan Goswami.
First maiden Gramophone record in khayal in 1902 " Tara Parameshwari " by Lal Chand Baral,who learnt under Ramprassanna Bandyopadhyay(Vide Sangeet Chandrika) published by Gramophone Concert and Nicole.
First Dhrupad record In 1902 "Naad Bidya Sabse Sera" Raag Darbari,Taal Choutal,by Surendranath Bandyopadhyay published by Gramophone Concert
Kheyal started from Ramshankar Bhattachariya’s age. His writings on kheyal is being found "Bramhamoyi Paratpara", on the Raga "Yaman Kalyan".
Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
Bhatkhand first came across the Ustads of Bishnupur in a conference in Banaras around 1921/2 and this conference was attended by Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay and Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay. They gave trio performance in Dhrupad (Since at that time Dhrupad Artists used to perform duets so in answer to that, they gave a trio performance).After this they gave individual performance.
Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay also played Sitar in that conference and stood first along with Enayat khan.
through the alap
. It is simple, devoid of heavy, cumbersome ornamentation. It is free from intricate play with the rhythm. Layakari is however allowed in Dhamar
, another form of vocalization. The Khayal of the Bishnupur School is noted for its sweet, lilting melody. It is adorned with the usual ornaments, which add variety to the melodic presentation of the Raaga.
The dhrupad of the Bishnupur gharana uses shuddha dhaivata in raga vasanta, a touch of komal nisada in the descending notes of Raga bhairava. It has abandoned kadi madhyam (proper center) in raga ramakeli, and uses suddha dhaivata in raga puravi and Raga Lalita and komal nisad in raga vehaga. It has also developed its own character with regard to rhythm. It was this gharana which invented the tradition of Sawal-Jabab in Hindustani Music.
Its origins and the development have led to a great openness in the teaching and evolution within this gharana.
In spite of producing such a talented group of musicians, Bishnupur lacked venues for performances. This prevented Bishnupur from becoming a performance center for the artists of the gharana.It was only in 2007 that an auditorium was opened in the town enabling public performances in the music of the gharana to the listening public.
(alternatively spelt Vishnupur Gharana) is a form of singing that follow the Dhrupad
tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two Indian classical music
forms. It originated in Bishnupur (Bankura), West Bengal
. The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in Bengali
. In the ancient past, this area, known as Mallabhum
was the abode of Malla Kings who were vassals to the Mughal Empire
who were devotees of Lord Vishnu and patrons of music. Bishnupur Gharana was established in 1370 A. D. by the court musicians of Malla Kings. Historians suggest that ‘Mallabhum’ had once been the cultural centre of Eastern India. It also has the distinction of being the only Gharana in West Bengal
.
The gharana is reputed to have been established in the 13th century, even though there is no historic evidence to support this. In the 16th century, during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, islamic fanaticism was at its peak in the Mughal empire, and thus many musicians moved to the court of the Maharaja of Bishnupur who was a known patron of the arts. The famous Dhrupad Singer Bahadur Khan of the Senia Gharana, descendant of Tansen, fled to Bishnupur and made his Gharana popular and sought refuge in the court. Bahadur Khan was not only a vocalist but could also efficiently play on such instruments as the Veena
, the Rabaab, the surashringaar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, made all arrangements to honour him as his court singer. The Maharaja also announced that anyone having a sweet voice and interested in music could learn from Bahadur Khan without any fees. He also bore the financial liability for the poor students. In time, a good number of students became the disciples of Bahadur Khan.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a desciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan as the founder of the gharana. Bishnupur Gharana therefore has a strong link to Betia Gharana through this unbroken relationship.
In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different ‘Gharanas’ were gradually assimilating around the Khayal style, the Dhrupad
style continued flourishing among the musicians of Bishnupur.
Bhatkhand desired to be a disciple of Radhika Prasad Goswami since he found the most authentic renditions of the ragas and the most exhaustive repertoire of songs in Bishnupur Gharana (Reference:-Brammhoman by Dilip Kumar & Jugantor)
In 1921 when Prince Edward came to visit India, six artists of various gharanas were chosen to perform six Ragas for six Seasons. Three of them were from Bishnupur Gharana .Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay and Khetra Mohan Goswami.
First maiden Gramophone record in khayal in 1902 " Tara Parameshwari " by Lal Chand Baral,who learnt under Ramprassanna Bandyopadhyay(Vide Sangeet Chandrika) published by Gramophone Concert and Nicole.
First Dhrupad record In 1902 "Naad Bidya Sabse Sera" Raag Darbari,Taal Choutal,by Surendranath Bandyopadhyay published by Gramophone Concert
Kheyal started from Ramshankar Bhattachariya’s age. His writings on kheyal is being found "Bramhamoyi Paratpara", on the Raga "Yaman Kalyan".
Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
Bhatkhand first came across the Ustads of Bishnupur in a conference in Banaras around 1921/2 and this conference was attended by Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay and Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay. They gave trio performance in Dhrupad (Since at that time Dhrupad Artists used to perform duets so in answer to that, they gave a trio performance).After this they gave individual performance.
Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay also played Sitar in that conference and stood first along with Enayat khan.
through the alap
. It is simple, devoid of heavy, cumbersome ornamentation. It is free from intricate play with the rhythm. Layakari is however allowed in Dhamar
, another form of vocalization. The Khayal of the Bishnupur School is noted for its sweet, lilting melody. It is adorned with the usual ornaments, which add variety to the melodic presentation of the Raaga.
The dhrupad of the Bishnupur gharana uses shuddha dhaivata in raga vasanta, a touch of komal nisada in the descending notes of Raga bhairava. It has abandoned kadi madhyam (proper center) in raga ramakeli, and uses suddha dhaivata in raga puravi and Raga Lalita and komal nisad in raga vehaga. It has also developed its own character with regard to rhythm. It was this gharana which invented the tradition of Sawal-Jabab in Hindustani Music.
Its origins and the development have led to a great openness in the teaching and evolution within this gharana.
In spite of producing such a talented group of musicians, Bishnupur lacked venues for performances. This prevented Bishnupur from becoming a performance center for the artists of the gharana.It was only in 2007 that an auditorium was opened in the town enabling public performances in the music of the gharana to the listening public.
(alternatively spelt Vishnupur Gharana) is a form of singing that follow the Dhrupad
tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two Indian classical music
forms. It originated in Bishnupur (Bankura), West Bengal
. The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in Bengali
. In the ancient past, this area, known as Mallabhum
was the abode of Malla Kings who were vassals to the Mughal Empire
who were devotees of Lord Vishnu and patrons of music. Bishnupur Gharana was established in 1370 A. D. by the court musicians of Malla Kings. Historians suggest that ‘Mallabhum’ had once been the cultural centre of Eastern India. It also has the distinction of being the only Gharana in West Bengal
.
The gharana is reputed to have been established in the 13th century, even though there is no historic evidence to support this. In the 16th century, during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, islamic fanaticism was at its peak in the Mughal empire, and thus many musicians moved to the court of the Maharaja of Bishnupur who was a known patron of the arts. The famous Dhrupad Singer Bahadur Khan of the Senia Gharana, descendant of Tansen, fled to Bishnupur and made his Gharana popular and sought refuge in the court. Bahadur Khan was not only a vocalist but could also efficiently play on such instruments as the Veena
, the Rabaab, the surashringaar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, made all arrangements to honour him as his court singer. The Maharaja also announced that anyone having a sweet voice and interested in music could learn from Bahadur Khan without any fees. He also bore the financial liability for the poor students. In time, a good number of students became the disciples of Bahadur Khan.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a desciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan as the founder of the gharana. Bishnupur Gharana therefore has a strong link to Betia Gharana through this unbroken relationship.
In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different ‘Gharanas’ were gradually assimilating around the Khayal style, the Dhrupad
style continued flourishing among the musicians of Bishnupur.
Bhatkhand desired to be a disciple of Radhika Prasad Goswami since he found the most authentic renditions of the ragas and the most exhaustive repertoire of songs in Bishnupur Gharana (Reference:-Brammhoman by Dilip Kumar & Jugantor)
In 1921 when Prince Edward came to visit India, six artists of various gharanas were chosen to perform six Ragas for six Seasons. Three of them were from Bishnupur Gharana .Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay and Khetra Mohan Goswami.
First maiden Gramophone record in khayal in 1902 " Tara Parameshwari " by Lal Chand Baral,who learnt under Ramprassanna Bandyopadhyay(Vide Sangeet Chandrika) published by Gramophone Concert and Nicole.
First Dhrupad record In 1902 "Naad Bidya Sabse Sera" Raag Darbari,Taal Choutal,by Surendranath Bandyopadhyay published by Gramophone Concert
Kheyal started from Ramshankar Bhattachariya’s age. His writings on kheyal is being found "Bramhamoyi Paratpara", on the Raga "Yaman Kalyan".
Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
Bhatkhand first came across the Ustads of Bishnupur in a conference in Banaras around 1921/2 and this conference was attended by Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay and Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay. They gave trio performance in Dhrupad (Since at that time Dhrupad Artists used to perform duets so in answer to that, they gave a trio performance).After this they gave individual performance.
Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay also played Sitar in that conference and stood first along with Enayat khan.
through the alap
. It is simple, devoid of heavy, cumbersome ornamentation. It is free from intricate play with the rhythm. Layakari is however allowed in Dhamar
, another form of vocalization. The Khayal of the Bishnupur School is noted for its sweet, lilting melody. It is adorned with the usual ornaments, which add variety to the melodic presentation of the Raaga.
The dhrupad of the Bishnupur gharana uses shuddha dhaivata in raga vasanta, a touch of komal nisada in the descending notes of Raga bhairava. It has abandoned kadi madhyam (proper center) in raga ramakeli, and uses suddha dhaivata in raga puravi and Raga Lalita and komal nisad in raga vehaga. It has also developed its own character with regard to rhythm. It was this gharana which invented the tradition of Sawal-Jabab in Hindustani Music.
Its origins and the development have led to a great openness in the teaching and evolution within this gharana.
In spite of producing such a talented group of musicians, Bishnupur lacked venues for performances. This prevented Bishnupur from becoming a performance center for the artists of the gharana.It was only in 2007 that an auditorium was opened in the town enabling public performances in the music of the gharana to the listening public.
Gharana
In Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially from one...
(alternatively spelt Vishnupur Gharana) is a form of singing that follow the Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
forms. It originated in Bishnupur (Bankura), West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. In the ancient past, this area, known as Mallabhum
Mallabhum
Mallabhum was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur primarily in the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:...
was the abode of Malla Kings who were vassals to the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
who were devotees of Lord Vishnu and patrons of music. Bishnupur Gharana was established in 1370 A. D. by the court musicians of Malla Kings. Historians suggest that ‘Mallabhum’ had once been the cultural centre of Eastern India. It also has the distinction of being the only Gharana in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
History
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
, the Rabaab, the surashringaar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, made all arrangements to honour him as his court singer. The Maharaja also announced that anyone having a sweet voice and interested in music could learn from Bahadur Khan without any fees. He also bore the financial liability for the poor students. In time, a good number of students became the disciples of Bahadur Khan.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a desciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan as the founder of the gharana. Bishnupur Gharana therefore has a strong link to Betia Gharana through this unbroken relationship.
In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different ‘Gharanas’ were gradually assimilating around the Khayal style, the Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
style continued flourishing among the musicians of Bishnupur.
Bhatkhand desired to be a disciple of Radhika Prasad Goswami since he found the most authentic renditions of the ragas and the most exhaustive repertoire of songs in Bishnupur Gharana (Reference:-Brammhoman by Dilip Kumar & Jugantor)
In 1921 when Prince Edward came to visit India, six artists of various gharanas were chosen to perform six Ragas for six Seasons. Three of them were from Bishnupur Gharana .Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay and Khetra Mohan Goswami.
First maiden Gramophone record in khayal in 1902 " Tara Parameshwari " by Lal Chand Baral,who learnt under Ramprassanna Bandyopadhyay(Vide Sangeet Chandrika) published by Gramophone Concert and Nicole.
First Dhrupad record In 1902 "Naad Bidya Sabse Sera" Raag Darbari,Taal Choutal,by Surendranath Bandyopadhyay published by Gramophone Concert
Kheyal started from Ramshankar Bhattachariya’s age. His writings on kheyal is being found "Bramhamoyi Paratpara", on the Raga "Yaman Kalyan".
Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
Bhatkhand first came across the Ustads of Bishnupur in a conference in Banaras around 1921/2 and this conference was attended by Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay and Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay. They gave trio performance in Dhrupad (Since at that time Dhrupad Artists used to perform duets so in answer to that, they gave a trio performance).After this they gave individual performance.
Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay also played Sitar in that conference and stood first along with Enayat khan.
Style of Singing
In this style, the artist excels in unfolding the beauty of the RagaRaga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
through the alap
Alap
The alap is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga...
. It is simple, devoid of heavy, cumbersome ornamentation. It is free from intricate play with the rhythm. Layakari is however allowed in Dhamar
Dhamar (music)
A dhrupad set to the 14-beat time signature dhamar tal is called a dhamar. It is seen as a light musical form, and associated with the Holi Spring Festival of colours....
, another form of vocalization. The Khayal of the Bishnupur School is noted for its sweet, lilting melody. It is adorned with the usual ornaments, which add variety to the melodic presentation of the Raaga.
The dhrupad of the Bishnupur gharana uses shuddha dhaivata in raga vasanta, a touch of komal nisada in the descending notes of Raga bhairava. It has abandoned kadi madhyam (proper center) in raga ramakeli, and uses suddha dhaivata in raga puravi and Raga Lalita and komal nisad in raga vehaga. It has also developed its own character with regard to rhythm. It was this gharana which invented the tradition of Sawal-Jabab in Hindustani Music.
Its origins and the development have led to a great openness in the teaching and evolution within this gharana.
Famous Musicians
Most of the exponents of Bishnupur learnt Dhrupad vocal and instrumental music simultaneously.- Ud. Bahadur Khan
- Pt. Gadadhar Chakravorty (both vocal and instrumental music)
- Pt. Ram Shankar Bhattacharya (1761–1853)
- Pt. Jadu Bhatta
- Pandit Anantalal Bandyopadhyay(1832–1896)
- Pandit Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay(1871–1929),he was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
- PT. Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay(1880–1963) : He began as the court musician of the Maharaja of Burdwan Narajol and Mayurbhanj. He wrote a number of Books on Musicology, such as Sangeet-Chandrika, Geet-Darpan, and Geet-Praveshika, Sangeet-Lahari in Bengali languageBengali languageBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. He was awarded the PADMASHRI by the President of IndiaPresident of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
in 1962 for his contribution to Classical Music. One of his well known desciples was singer K C Dey, who was uncle of Manna Dey.
- Padmashree Surendranath Bandyopadhyay
- Pandit Radhika Prosad Goswami: Poet and Nobel laureate, Rabindra Nath Tagore had his training in the Dhrupad style from Radhika Prosad Goswami. The Dhrupad style of Bishnupur had a good deal of influence on many of the songs composed by Tagore.
- Pt. Girijashankar Chakraborty
- Pt. Jogendra Nath Bandyopadhyay
- Acharya Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay(1899–1980): expert in Surbahar and SitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
. Nikhil BanerjeeNikhil BanerjeeNikhil Ranjan Banerjee was a Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar Gharana who played the stringed instrument sitar.-Early life and background:...
, who was a great sitar maestro was greatly influenced by Satyakinkar.He was the most talented musician in North Indian Classical Music.He was a multitalented person who held the knowledge of music like Dhrupad,Kheyal,Thumri,Toppa and Bangla Kheyal. Besides his musical skills he was also an able instrumentalist with the hold on instruments like Surbahar, Setar, Esraj, Banjo, Joltorongo, Nyastaranga, Noukataranga, Harmonium, Tabla, Pakhwaj and Bansuri. He has, under his wings, the credit of 7 Discs and 10 Publishings till date.
- Sangeetacharya Ramesh chandra Bandyopadhyay son of Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay was an outstanding dhrupadia & khayalia of this gharana.
- Sangeetacharya Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay,the senior most vocalist of the day and an outstanding figure in the world of Indian classical music. His music has remained unimpaired by age and he is not only a performing artiste but a man devoted to his art as a music-guru, mystic and musicologist.ore than 10000 students have received talim from the Acharya. As a music teacher he takes pride in an inimitable record of guiding 14 such promising disciples who have topped in the music competition conducted by AIR.
- Pandit Santanu Bandyopadhyay, who solved the mystry behind taan (Vocal Science), the first Indian who performed in Lincoln Memorial.
- Sri K C Dey, the uncle of Manna DeyManna DeyPrabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
, also learned Dhrupad from Pt.Gopeshwar Banerjee. *
- Pt. Kshetramohan Goswami: Another maestro in this area, invented the Dandamatrik System of musical notation in Bengal.
- Pt. Gnyanrendra prasad Goswami
- Pt. Gokul Nag, the famous sitarist (1908–1983)
- Pt. Manilal Nag, his son, one of the living legends currently.
- Mita Nag, sitarist and daughter of Manilal Nag
In spite of producing such a talented group of musicians, Bishnupur lacked venues for performances. This prevented Bishnupur from becoming a performance center for the artists of the gharana.It was only in 2007 that an auditorium was opened in the town enabling public performances in the music of the gharana to the listening public.
External links
Further reading
The Bishnupur GharanaGharana
In Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially from one...
(alternatively spelt Vishnupur Gharana) is a form of singing that follow the Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
forms. It originated in Bishnupur (Bankura), West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. In the ancient past, this area, known as Mallabhum
Mallabhum
Mallabhum was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur primarily in the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:...
was the abode of Malla Kings who were vassals to the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
who were devotees of Lord Vishnu and patrons of music. Bishnupur Gharana was established in 1370 A. D. by the court musicians of Malla Kings. Historians suggest that ‘Mallabhum’ had once been the cultural centre of Eastern India. It also has the distinction of being the only Gharana in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
History
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
, the Rabaab, the surashringaar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, made all arrangements to honour him as his court singer. The Maharaja also announced that anyone having a sweet voice and interested in music could learn from Bahadur Khan without any fees. He also bore the financial liability for the poor students. In time, a good number of students became the disciples of Bahadur Khan.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a desciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan as the founder of the gharana. Bishnupur Gharana therefore has a strong link to Betia Gharana through this unbroken relationship.
In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different ‘Gharanas’ were gradually assimilating around the Khayal style, the Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
style continued flourishing among the musicians of Bishnupur.
Bhatkhand desired to be a disciple of Radhika Prasad Goswami since he found the most authentic renditions of the ragas and the most exhaustive repertoire of songs in Bishnupur Gharana (Reference:-Brammhoman by Dilip Kumar & Jugantor)
In 1921 when Prince Edward came to visit India, six artists of various gharanas were chosen to perform six Ragas for six Seasons. Three of them were from Bishnupur Gharana .Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay and Khetra Mohan Goswami.
First maiden Gramophone record in khayal in 1902 " Tara Parameshwari " by Lal Chand Baral,who learnt under Ramprassanna Bandyopadhyay(Vide Sangeet Chandrika) published by Gramophone Concert and Nicole.
First Dhrupad record In 1902 "Naad Bidya Sabse Sera" Raag Darbari,Taal Choutal,by Surendranath Bandyopadhyay published by Gramophone Concert
Kheyal started from Ramshankar Bhattachariya’s age. His writings on kheyal is being found "Bramhamoyi Paratpara", on the Raga "Yaman Kalyan".
Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
Bhatkhand first came across the Ustads of Bishnupur in a conference in Banaras around 1921/2 and this conference was attended by Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay and Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay. They gave trio performance in Dhrupad (Since at that time Dhrupad Artists used to perform duets so in answer to that, they gave a trio performance).After this they gave individual performance.
Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay also played Sitar in that conference and stood first along with Enayat khan.
Style of Singing
In this style, the artist excels in unfolding the beauty of the RagaRaga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
through the alap
Alap
The alap is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga...
. It is simple, devoid of heavy, cumbersome ornamentation. It is free from intricate play with the rhythm. Layakari is however allowed in Dhamar
Dhamar (music)
A dhrupad set to the 14-beat time signature dhamar tal is called a dhamar. It is seen as a light musical form, and associated with the Holi Spring Festival of colours....
, another form of vocalization. The Khayal of the Bishnupur School is noted for its sweet, lilting melody. It is adorned with the usual ornaments, which add variety to the melodic presentation of the Raaga.
The dhrupad of the Bishnupur gharana uses shuddha dhaivata in raga vasanta, a touch of komal nisada in the descending notes of Raga bhairava. It has abandoned kadi madhyam (proper center) in raga ramakeli, and uses suddha dhaivata in raga puravi and Raga Lalita and komal nisad in raga vehaga. It has also developed its own character with regard to rhythm. It was this gharana which invented the tradition of Sawal-Jabab in Hindustani Music.
Its origins and the development have led to a great openness in the teaching and evolution within this gharana.
Famous Musicians
Most of the exponents of Bishnupur learnt Dhrupad vocal and instrumental music simultaneously.- Ud. Bahadur Khan
- Pt. Gadadhar Chakravorty (both vocal and instrumental music)
- Pt. Ram Shankar Bhattacharya (1761–1853)
- Pt. Jadu Bhatta
- Pandit Anantalal Bandyopadhyay(1832–1896)
- Pandit Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay(1871–1929),he was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
- PT. Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay(1880–1963) : He began as the court musician of the Maharaja of Burdwan Narajol and Mayurbhanj. He wrote a number of Books on Musicology, such as Sangeet-Chandrika, Geet-Darpan, and Geet-Praveshika, Sangeet-Lahari in Bengali languageBengali languageBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. He was awarded the PADMASHRI by the President of IndiaPresident of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
in 1962 for his contribution to Classical Music. One of his well known desciples was singer K C Dey, who was uncle of Manna Dey.
- Padmashree Surendranath Bandyopadhyay
- Pandit Radhika Prosad Goswami: Poet and Nobel laureate, Rabindra Nath Tagore had his training in the Dhrupad style from Radhika Prosad Goswami. The Dhrupad style of Bishnupur had a good deal of influence on many of the songs composed by Tagore.
- Pt. Girijashankar Chakraborty
- Pt. Jogendra Nath Bandyopadhyay
- Acharya Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay(1899–1980): expert in Surbahar and SitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
. Nikhil BanerjeeNikhil BanerjeeNikhil Ranjan Banerjee was a Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar Gharana who played the stringed instrument sitar.-Early life and background:...
, who was a great sitar maestro was greatly influenced by Satyakinkar.He was the most talented musician in North Indian Classical Music.He was a multitalented person who held the knowledge of music like Dhrupad,Kheyal,Thumri,Toppa and Bangla Kheyal. Besides his musical skills he was also an able instrumentalist with the hold on instruments like Surbahar, Setar, Esraj, Banjo, Joltorongo, Nyastaranga, Noukataranga, Harmonium, Tabla, Pakhwaj and Bansuri. He has, under his wings, the credit of 7 Discs and 10 Publishings till date.
- Sangeetacharya Ramesh chandra Bandyopadhyay son of Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay was an outstanding dhrupadia & khayalia of this gharana.
- Sangeetacharya Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay,the senior most vocalist of the day and an outstanding figure in the world of Indian classical music. His music has remained unimpaired by age and he is not only a performing artiste but a man devoted to his art as a music-guru, mystic and musicologist.ore than 10000 students have received talim from the Acharya. As a music teacher he takes pride in an inimitable record of guiding 14 such promising disciples who have topped in the music competition conducted by AIR.
- Pandit Santanu Bandyopadhyay, who solved the mystry behind taan (Vocal Science), the first Indian who performed in Lincoln Memorial.
- Sri K C Dey, the uncle of Manna DeyManna DeyPrabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
, also learned Dhrupad from Pt.Gopeshwar Banerjee. *
- Pt. Kshetramohan Goswami: Another maestro in this area, invented the Dandamatrik System of musical notation in Bengal.
- Pt. Gnyanrendra prasad Goswami
- Pt. Gokul Nag, the famous sitarist (1908–1983)
- Pt. Manilal Nag, his son, one of the living legends currently.
- Mita Nag, sitarist and daughter of Manilal Nag
In spite of producing such a talented group of musicians, Bishnupur lacked venues for performances. This prevented Bishnupur from becoming a performance center for the artists of the gharana.It was only in 2007 that an auditorium was opened in the town enabling public performances in the music of the gharana to the listening public.
External links
Further reading
The Bishnupur GharanaGharana
In Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially from one...
(alternatively spelt Vishnupur Gharana) is a form of singing that follow the Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
forms. It originated in Bishnupur (Bankura), West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. In the ancient past, this area, known as Mallabhum
Mallabhum
Mallabhum was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur primarily in the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:...
was the abode of Malla Kings who were vassals to the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
who were devotees of Lord Vishnu and patrons of music. Bishnupur Gharana was established in 1370 A. D. by the court musicians of Malla Kings. Historians suggest that ‘Mallabhum’ had once been the cultural centre of Eastern India. It also has the distinction of being the only Gharana in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
History
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
, the Rabaab, the surashringaar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, made all arrangements to honour him as his court singer. The Maharaja also announced that anyone having a sweet voice and interested in music could learn from Bahadur Khan without any fees. He also bore the financial liability for the poor students. In time, a good number of students became the disciples of Bahadur Khan.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a desciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan as the founder of the gharana. Bishnupur Gharana therefore has a strong link to Betia Gharana through this unbroken relationship.
In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different ‘Gharanas’ were gradually assimilating around the Khayal style, the Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
style continued flourishing among the musicians of Bishnupur.
Bhatkhand desired to be a disciple of Radhika Prasad Goswami since he found the most authentic renditions of the ragas and the most exhaustive repertoire of songs in Bishnupur Gharana (Reference:-Brammhoman by Dilip Kumar & Jugantor)
In 1921 when Prince Edward came to visit India, six artists of various gharanas were chosen to perform six Ragas for six Seasons. Three of them were from Bishnupur Gharana .Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay and Khetra Mohan Goswami.
First maiden Gramophone record in khayal in 1902 " Tara Parameshwari " by Lal Chand Baral,who learnt under Ramprassanna Bandyopadhyay(Vide Sangeet Chandrika) published by Gramophone Concert and Nicole.
First Dhrupad record In 1902 "Naad Bidya Sabse Sera" Raag Darbari,Taal Choutal,by Surendranath Bandyopadhyay published by Gramophone Concert
Kheyal started from Ramshankar Bhattachariya’s age. His writings on kheyal is being found "Bramhamoyi Paratpara", on the Raga "Yaman Kalyan".
Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
Bhatkhand first came across the Ustads of Bishnupur in a conference in Banaras around 1921/2 and this conference was attended by Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay and Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay. They gave trio performance in Dhrupad (Since at that time Dhrupad Artists used to perform duets so in answer to that, they gave a trio performance).After this they gave individual performance.
Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay also played Sitar in that conference and stood first along with Enayat khan.
Style of Singing
In this style, the artist excels in unfolding the beauty of the RagaRaga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
through the alap
Alap
The alap is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga...
. It is simple, devoid of heavy, cumbersome ornamentation. It is free from intricate play with the rhythm. Layakari is however allowed in Dhamar
Dhamar (music)
A dhrupad set to the 14-beat time signature dhamar tal is called a dhamar. It is seen as a light musical form, and associated with the Holi Spring Festival of colours....
, another form of vocalization. The Khayal of the Bishnupur School is noted for its sweet, lilting melody. It is adorned with the usual ornaments, which add variety to the melodic presentation of the Raaga.
The dhrupad of the Bishnupur gharana uses shuddha dhaivata in raga vasanta, a touch of komal nisada in the descending notes of Raga bhairava. It has abandoned kadi madhyam (proper center) in raga ramakeli, and uses suddha dhaivata in raga puravi and Raga Lalita and komal nisad in raga vehaga. It has also developed its own character with regard to rhythm. It was this gharana which invented the tradition of Sawal-Jabab in Hindustani Music.
Its origins and the development have led to a great openness in the teaching and evolution within this gharana.
Famous Musicians
Most of the exponents of Bishnupur learnt Dhrupad vocal and instrumental music simultaneously.- Ud. Bahadur Khan
- Pt. Gadadhar Chakravorty (both vocal and instrumental music)
- Pt. Ram Shankar Bhattacharya (1761–1853)
- Pt. Jadu Bhatta
- Pandit Anantalal Bandyopadhyay(1832–1896)
- Pandit Ramprasanna Bandyopadhyay(1871–1929),he was the foremost Surbahar and Sitar Artist of India up to 1928(Vide: Sarojini Naidu's memoirs, Pramoth nath chowdhuries writings).
- PT. Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay(1880–1963) : He began as the court musician of the Maharaja of Burdwan Narajol and Mayurbhanj. He wrote a number of Books on Musicology, such as Sangeet-Chandrika, Geet-Darpan, and Geet-Praveshika, Sangeet-Lahari in Bengali languageBengali languageBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. He was awarded the PADMASHRI by the President of IndiaPresident of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
in 1962 for his contribution to Classical Music. One of his well known desciples was singer K C Dey, who was uncle of Manna Dey.
- Padmashree Surendranath Bandyopadhyay
- Pandit Radhika Prosad Goswami: Poet and Nobel laureate, Rabindra Nath Tagore had his training in the Dhrupad style from Radhika Prosad Goswami. The Dhrupad style of Bishnupur had a good deal of influence on many of the songs composed by Tagore.
- Pt. Girijashankar Chakraborty
- Pt. Jogendra Nath Bandyopadhyay
- Acharya Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay(1899–1980): expert in Surbahar and SitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
. Nikhil BanerjeeNikhil BanerjeeNikhil Ranjan Banerjee was a Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar Gharana who played the stringed instrument sitar.-Early life and background:...
, who was a great sitar maestro was greatly influenced by Satyakinkar.He was the most talented musician in North Indian Classical Music.He was a multitalented person who held the knowledge of music like Dhrupad,Kheyal,Thumri,Toppa and Bangla Kheyal. Besides his musical skills he was also an able instrumentalist with the hold on instruments like Surbahar, Setar, Esraj, Banjo, Joltorongo, Nyastaranga, Noukataranga, Harmonium, Tabla, Pakhwaj and Bansuri. He has, under his wings, the credit of 7 Discs and 10 Publishings till date.
- Sangeetacharya Ramesh chandra Bandyopadhyay son of Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay was an outstanding dhrupadia & khayalia of this gharana.
- Sangeetacharya Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay,the senior most vocalist of the day and an outstanding figure in the world of Indian classical music. His music has remained unimpaired by age and he is not only a performing artiste but a man devoted to his art as a music-guru, mystic and musicologist.ore than 10000 students have received talim from the Acharya. As a music teacher he takes pride in an inimitable record of guiding 14 such promising disciples who have topped in the music competition conducted by AIR.
- Pandit Santanu Bandyopadhyay, who solved the mystry behind taan (Vocal Science), the first Indian who performed in Lincoln Memorial.
- Sri K C Dey, the uncle of Manna DeyManna DeyPrabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
, also learned Dhrupad from Pt.Gopeshwar Banerjee. *
- Pt. Kshetramohan Goswami: Another maestro in this area, invented the Dandamatrik System of musical notation in Bengal.
- Pt. Gnyanrendra prasad Goswami
- Pt. Gokul Nag, the famous sitarist (1908–1983)
- Pt. Manilal Nag, his son, one of the living legends currently.
- Mita Nag, sitarist and daughter of Manilal Nag
In spite of producing such a talented group of musicians, Bishnupur lacked venues for performances. This prevented Bishnupur from becoming a performance center for the artists of the gharana.It was only in 2007 that an auditorium was opened in the town enabling public performances in the music of the gharana to the listening public.
External links
Further reading
- Capwell C., 1993. The interpretation of history and foundations of authority in Visnupur Gharana of Bengal., in Ethnomusicology and modern music history, By Stephen Blum, Daniel M. Neuman Ed., University of Illinois Press, 1993., ISBN 0252063430, 9780252063435, pp 95–102
- Sengupta, P. K. 1991. “Foundations of Indian musicology: perspectives in the philosophy of art and culture”, Abhinav Publications, Calcutta, ISBN 817017273X.
