View source for Bishnupur gharana

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{{Music of Bengal}}
{{Music of West Bengal}}
The '''Bishnupur [[gharana]]''' (alternatively spelt Vishnupur gharana) is a form of singing that follows the [[dhrupad]] tradition of [[Hindustani music]], one of the two forms of [[Indian classical music]].<ref name="tele">{{Cite web |title =Sweet tributes to music|author=M. Ganguly | url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080507/jsp/jharkhand/story_9235797.jsp | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130719154122/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080507/jsp/jharkhand/story_9235797.jsp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 19 July 2013 | work = The Telegraph | date = 7 May 2008  | access-date = 19 July 2013 }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:bishnupur gate.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to the remains of the Palace of Bishnupur Kings]]

The gharana originated in [[Bishnupur (Bankura)|Bishnupur]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]] in the late 18th century with its roots dating back to the 13th-14th centuries CE.<ref name="DasguptaBiswas2009">{{cite book|author1=Samira Dasgupta|author2=Rabiranjan Biswas|author3=Gautam Kumar Mallik|title=Heritage Tourism: An Anthropological Journey to Bishnupur|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_0_o9Qj1LOEC&pg=PA110|access-date=19 July 2013|year=2009|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-8324-294-3|pages=110–}}</ref> The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in [[Bengali language|Bengali]]. In the ancient past, this area, known as [[Mallabhum]] was the abode of [[History of Bankura district#Bishnupur kingdom|Malla Kings]] who were vassals to the [[Mughal Empire]] and were devotees of [[Vishnu]] and patrons of music. Historians suggest that 'Mallabhum' had once been the cultural centre of Eastern India.<ref name="Ghoash_2002">{{cite journal |author=Ghoash, P |title=Tales, Tanks, and Temples: The Creation of a Sacred Center in Seventeenth-Century Bengal |jstor=1178971 |journal=Asian Folklore Studies|year=2002 |pages=193–222 |volume=61 |issue=1 |doi=10.2307/1178971}}</ref> It also has the distinction of being the only vocal gharana in West Bengal.

In the 17th century, during the reign of Mughal emperor [[Aurangazeb]], many musicians moved to the court of the Maharaja of Bishnupur who was a known patron of the arts.<ref>{{cite book|author=SinhaThakur, Debabrata| title= Bishnupur Gharanar Utpatti Itihas| publisher= Bharabi, Bankura|year= 1970|pages= 88}}</ref> The 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 play the [[Veena]], the [[Rubab (instrument)|rabab]], and the surshringar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, accepted him as a court singer. In time, a good number of students became the disciples of Bahadur Khan.

Historical evidence points to Ramasharan Bhattacharya, a disciple of Bahadur Khan as the founder of the gharana.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Capwell Charles| title= The interpretation of history and foundations of authority in Visnupur Gharana of Bengal|journal = Ethnomusicology and Modern Music History (Ed.) Stephen Blum, Daniel M. Neuman| publisher= University of Illinois Press|year= 1993|pages= 95–102}}</ref> Bishnupur Gharana therefore has a strong link to Betiya Gharana through this unbroken relationship. However, this view is contradicted by some historians, who claim that Bahadur Khan could not have attended the Durbar of King Raghunath Singh Deo II because of anachronism, as there is a gap of at least 50 years (2 generations) between them. In practice, Bishnupur Gharana has got some characteristic features in the improvisations of some Ragas which are different from the practice of the Betiya school of the Seniya gharana. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itcsra.org/sra_story/sra_story_guru/sra_story_guru_links/sra_story_guru_gharana/sra_story_guru_gharana_dhrupad_index.html|title=Dhrupad Gharanas in North Indian Classical Music|publisher=ITC Sangeeth Research Academy|access-date=1 June 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422030607/http://itcsra.org/sra_story/sra_story_guru/sra_story_guru_links/sra_story_guru_gharana/sra_story_guru_gharana_dhrupad_index.html|archive-date=22 April 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> <ref> Bharatiya Sangite Gharanar Itihas. Dilipkumar Mukhopadhyaya. Published by A. Mukherjee & Sons. Calcutta </ref>

==Style of singing and Ragas==
In this style, the artist elaborates on the [[raga]] through the [[alap]] in a simple fashion, devoid of ornamentation. It is free from intricate play with the rhythm. [[Layakari]] is however allowed in [[Dhamar (music)|Dhamar]], another form of vocalisation. The [[khyal]] of the Bishnupur gharana is noted for its sweet, lilting melody. It is adorned with the usual ornaments, which add variety to the melodic presentation of the [[raga]].

Its origins and development have led to a great openness in the teaching and evolution within this gharana.<ref>{{cite thesis| author = Owens, Naomi | title = Two North Indian Musical Gharanas | type = M.A. Thesis |publisher = University of Chicago | year = 1969}}</ref>

This gharana has the ragas , many of them are now very popular by their names, but their notes and chalans are different. For example this gharana's Purvi, Sohini, Shyam, Bibhas and many many more ragas with popular names have different notes and chalans. The Sohini, Purvi, Bibhas, Shyam , used by Rabindranath Tagore, are from this gharana. Because, his gurus-Jadu Bhatta, Bishnu Chakraborty belonged to this gharana.

==References==
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==Further reading==

*[[Charles Capwell|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|0-252-06343-0}}, {{ISBN|978-0-252-06343-5}}, pp 95–102
*Sengupta, P. K. 1991. "Foundations of Indian musicology: perspectives in the philosophy of art and culture", Abhinav Publications, Calcutta, {{ISBN|81-7017-273-X}}.

==External links==

{{Bankura topics}}
{{Bengali Hindu people}}

[[Category:Vocal gharanas]]
[[Category:Bankura district]]
[[Category:Culture of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Music of Bengal]]
[[Category:Indian styles of music]]v.  Bhn. Nn