gharana
A lineage-based school of music in Hindustani classical tradition, each with its distinctive style.
In Depth
Gharanas are musical families or schools that transmit a particular approach to performance through generations of guru-student relationships. Major gharanas include Gwalior (the oldest vocal gharana), Jaipur-Atrauli, Agra, and Kirana for vocal music, and Lucknow and Farukhabad for tabla. Each gharana has characteristic ornamentations, repertoire, and philosophical approaches. A musician's gharana affiliation shapes their entire aesthetic and technical approach to music.
The guru-student bond in gharana training is so intense that students traditionally lived in the guru's home for years, learning through constant immersion rather than formal lessons.