Mewati Gharana

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2014-10-19
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Mewati Gharana

The Mewati Gharana is a Khayal-based Hindustani Classical musical stylized musical family-hood (Gharana) founded in the late 19th Century by Utd. Ghagge Nazir Khan of Jodhpur. An offshoot of the Gwalior Gharana, the Mewati Gharana acquired its name after the region from which its founding exponents hailed; the Mewar region of Rajasthan. The current torchbearer and foremost exponent of this Gharana is Pt. Jasraj. As a result of the worldwide popularity of Pt. Jasraj and his students (including Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar, Smt. Kala Ramnath, and Pt. Arawind Thatte), Mewati Gharana is among the forefront popular Gharanas in modern times.

Mewati Gharana Gayaki (Styles & Trends)
Although it has ancestry in the style and trends of the Gwalior gayaki, the Mewati Gharana gayaki has more distinct and unique qualities. Through Sufi and Kirtankar influence, the Mewati Gharana gayaki includes theistic and spiritual elements, where religious verses from Hinduism and Islam are incorporated not only in the grammatical content of the music, but as an intrinsic elements in musical development. The verse, "Om Shri Anant Hari Narayana," is typically invoked as the initiation of a performance, and as the grammatical medium for an Alap. Elements of Hinduism and Islam are simultaneously and polytheistically incorporated throughout musical works.

Mewati gayaki also includes substantial use of Sargam and Tihais. In a crude sense, the approach to Taankari is similar to the Patiala Gayaki and Tappa Gayaki in execution but is more closer to the Gwalior gayaki in application. Altogether, the qualities of the Mewati gayaki are unique.

Pt. Jasraj has added a complete new twist of devotional and religious compositions to the Gharana.