Khyal

Khyal or Khayal is a major form of Hindustani classical music in the Indian subcontinent. Its name

comes from a Persian/Arabic word meaning 'imagination'. Khyal is associated with romantic poetry, and allows

the performer greater freedom of expression than dhrupad. In khyal, ragas are extensively ornamented, and the

style calls for more technical virtuosity.

Etymology:

Khyal is an Urdu word of Arabic origin which means 'imagination, thought, ideation, meditation, reflection'. Hence khyal connotes the idea of a song that is imaginative and creative in either its nature or execution. The word entered India through the medium of the Persian language. Just as the word reflects ideas of imagination and imaginative composition, the musical form is imaginative in conception, artistic and decorative in execution and romantic in appeal.

Characteristics:

There are three main characteristics of khyal:

various musical materials that can be employed,

the selection of different types of improvisation, and

the placement of various materials in order to produce a balanced and aesthetically pleasing performance.

Musical Materials:

Raga

Raga is a melodic framework for improvisation based on the idea that certain characteristic patterns of notes (svara) evoke a heightened state of emotion. These patterns of notes are a fusion of scalar and melodic elements, and each raga can be described in terms of its ascending lines (aroha) and descending lines (avaroha), as well in terms of its characteristic melodic figures in which certain intervals are emphasised and attention is focused on particular notes.

Khyal can be played in hundreds of ragas and there are few conceptual limitations when it comes to selection. Instead such decisions are made on the basis of artistic preference, vocal quality, the nature of the composition and time of the day of the performance. Some khyal singers maintain a large anthology of ragas while others prefer to focus their attention on a smaller selection. Those with high pitched voices often prefer ragas in the upper register while those with heavy vocal quality can choose ragas that are deep and ponderous in nature. Similarly artists that are adept in intonation can cultivate ragas which has melodic skips and those who enjoy intellectual and musical challenges might choose ragas of a complex nature.

Tala

The term Tala, which is perhaps best translated as 'time measure', covers the whole subject of musical meter in Indian classical music. A tala is a metrical framework, or structure of beats (matra), within which musical compositions are composed and performed. They can be performed in different tempi - slow (vilambita), medium (madhya) and fast (druta).

Khyal is usually performed in seven talas, which are Tilwada, Jhumra, Rupak, Ektal, Jhaptal, Tintal and Adacautal. Tilwada, Jhumra and Rupak are generally used for vilambit performance although composers who use tilwada are relatively few. Ektal was traditionally used for vilambit and madhya performances, but it is also used for drut performances. Jhaptal is used for madhya performances. Adacautal is used for both slow and fast performances, but rarely encountered. Tintal was conventionally associated with drut performances, especially those that emphasize rhythmic play. It is now used for playing performances in all three tempi.

Bandish

Khyal bases itself on a repertoire of short songs (two to eight lines); a khyal song is called a bandish. Every singer generally renders the same bandish differently, with only the text and the raga remaining the same. Khyal bandishes are typically composed in a variant of Hindi-Urdu or occasionally the Dari variant of the Persian language, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, or Marathi. These compositions cover diverse topics, such as romantic or divine love, praise of kings or gods, the seasons, dawn and dusk, and the pranks of Krishna, and they can have symbolism and imagery. The Rajasthani or Marwari khyals were usually written down in the Dingal language.

A bandish is divided into two parts, the sthayi and the antara (if there are three sections, the third will be considered as an additional antara verse). These sections can be characterised in terms of three pitch registers, low middle and high. The sthayi section is composed in the low register and bottom of the middle half

register, while the antara section is composed in the upper middle register and high registers. The sthayi section is considered more important because it shows the pitch selection and melodic contours of the raga, while antara section is more textually dense.

Types of Improvisation

Alap

alap is a form of improvisation that is used to introduce the characteristics of a raga in a gradual and systematic fashion. It can be sung to vocables in free form, in which case it is known as ragalap. It can also be sung to the text of the bandish in metrical form, in which case it is called bolalap or rupakalapti (rupaka is a Sanskrit word which means 'composition'). The degree of rhythm that is introduced to the alap by the bandish also varies from singer to singer. There are various styles of presenting a raga, such as merkhand (combination of various pitches manner) and badhat (pitch-by-pitch manner). The pacing and divisions of alap can also vary, some artists spend more time in a certain pitch register than others.

Tans

Tans are fast melodic figures of a virtuosic nature, sung to a vowel - usually 'a' (which is called akar). They can vary in shape, range, presence of ornamentation, speed, etc. The concept of tans is elusive and difficult to define. Some singers are well known for singing tans, especially tans of shape such as 'roller-coaster' and 'plateau', while others use only a few in their performances. Tans can be sung in different sections, or they can be ornamented to the point that the different pitches are indistinguishable.

When tans are sung to syllables of the bandish text they are known as boltans. They provide a textual element to improvisation in khyal. The bols in bolton are supposed to be spaced in a scattering of tans so that the meaning of the text can be properly understood. They can be described as being melismatic and contrasted

with the long and stretched form of akars. They can be used to create rhythmic interest or they can be indistinguishable to akars.

Bolbant

Bolbant refers to the use of the bandish text (bols) for the purpose of rhythmic play. It is used by musicians who excel in the control of tala. Some artists create passages of bolbans with rhythmic placement of the straight lines of the bandish text while others recombine the text words and phrases for variety. Many artists use simple syncopation patterns while others use more audacious patterns such as layakari. The rhythmic variety in bolbant is essentially unlimited.

Sargam

Sargam passages are those enunciating the syllables for the pitches (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni) as they are sung. Most artists use them for speed, in the manner of tans, but with manifestation of mathematically proportioned rhythmic densities relative to the speed of the tala counts (double speed, quadruple speed, etc) than a 'flowing'

tan is likely to give. Another option is to use sargam in bolbant-like improvisation, and a few khyal singers bring the text syllables into play.

Nom-tom

Nom-tom features rhythmic pulsations, achieved by pitch repetition, particular ornamentation, and enunciation of text syllables, vocables, or vowels. It is only used by a limited number of artists since it is associated more often with dhrupad than with khyal. In dhrupad, it is sung as part of the unmetered ragalap which is presented before the composition is performed, and it is sung to vocables. In khyal, it is sung before or after the composition is presented, and it can be sung to either vocables or syllables of the bandish text. Its features complement the rippling effects of tans and the lyrical element of alap while avoiding the rhythmic complexity of boltans.

Placement of various materials

A typical khyal performance uses two bandish compositions the bada khyal (great khyal) constitutes most of the performance, while the cho?a khyal (small khyal) is used as a finale and is usually in the same raga but a different tala. The bada khyal covers a wide range of possibilities, ideally giving attention to all musical

elements - melody, rhythm and speed. In the chota khyal, melody is accomplished through the bandish while rhythm and speed is emphasised through improvisation. Another difference is one of speed, the bada khyal begins at a slow speed (vilambit laya) or medium speed (madhya laya), while the chota khyal begins at a fast speed (drut laya). In each of these two songs, the rate of the tala counts gradually increases during the course of their performance.

The main portion of the khyal performance is often preceded by some kind of melodic improvisation which widely varies due to artistic preference. Some artists begin their performance by singing to a small number of vocables, such as 'de', 'ne', or 'na', or to vowels (usually 'a'), or to the words of the bandish text. For some,

this section acts as a kind of vocal warm-up, taking up only a few seconds. Others use it in order to set the mood, singing for a minute or two, with the effect of beginning a ragalap, or singing a kind of 'mini-ragalap', or possibly foreshadowing the bandish that comes next. Meanwhile, some singers make it a major structural

portion of their bada khyal and surround it ragalap before and rupakalapti after.

The first phrase (mukhda) of the sthayi is the most important component of the bandish because it provides material for most cadences in the performance. Some artists present the antara gradually by creating a cadence or two in the process while the first phrase of the antara (antara mukhda) provides material for the cadence. The mukhda can be performed as an element of rhythm, or it can be blended into the alap-oriented structure of the slow bada khyal. The melody of the mukhda generally undergoes a great deal of change during improvisation. The bandish is usually sung with its sections (sthayi and antara) separated in some way. In the bada khyal,

especially at a slow speed, artists usually sing the sthayi only at the beginning, after which the sthayi text (or the vocables or the vowels) are augmented with new melody. Most artists begin singing the antara some point when the high pitch register is reached. Meanwhile, other artists prefer to skip the antara section, thereby

reducing the textual density of the bada khyal, and instead sing the sthayi text in an antara-like melody. Some artists sing both the sthayi and the antara are the beginning of the bada khyal, this is particularly common in medium speed bada khyal performances. They often use some kind of improvisation to separate the sthayi

from the antara, or they might use a different arrangement.

Ensemble

The basic ensemble of a khyal performance consists of the featured soloist(s), an accompanist (or two) on a melody-producing instrument, a tabla player, and one or two accompanists on the tanpura, the drone-producing instrument. A possible addition to the basic ensemble is a supporting singer (or two). This is a traditional part of training for young aspiring artists whose task is to begin improvising when the soloist wishes to rest, or when the soloist asks the supporting singer to repeat a passage after him (for example, a tan repeated in sargam). The supporting singer can also be assigned to play the tanpura.

Khyal is usually sung as a solo, but in some cases there are two soloists who perform together by dividing the improvisation between them so that there is still only one vocal part, this is known as jugalbandi. The jugalbandi form of khyal is cooperative, as opposed to competitive, and it requires a considerable amount of skill and intimacy to create a performance in which both soloists contribute equally.

The melody producing instrument in a khyal performance can either be a sarangi (a bowed string instrument) or a harmonium (a portable organ). The role of the artist is to complement the vocal line of the soloist, by playing in heterophony a split second behind as the soloist improvises, by repeating ends of phrases for continuity

when the soloist takes a short break, or by repeating earlier phrases during longer breaks. In some cases, the soloist and the sarangi player can form a partnership, in which case the sarangi player can be asked to improvise rather than just repeat during vocal breaks, or they can be asked to perform a challenging feat such

repeating a phrase such as a tan.The other major instrument used in a khyal performance is the tabla, which is a percussion instrument. The tabla player is essentially the time keeper for the performance, and it is their task to play the various drum patterns associated with a particular tala.

Dhrupad and Khyal are two prominent forms of vocal music in Indian classical music, each with distinct characteristics and historical significance. Here are the specific differences between them:

1. Historical Context

Dhrupad: One of the oldest forms of Hindustani classical music, Dhrupad has roots in ancient traditions and is believed to have evolved from the Vedic chants. It has been associated with temples and court performances.

Khyal: Emerging later, around the 17th century, Khyal is considered a more modern form of Hindustani music. It evolved from Dhrupad and incorporated influences from folk music and Persian traditions.

2. Structure and Composition

Dhrupad: It typically has a more rigid structure with a fixed composition. Dhrupads often consist of verses (padas) that are set to a specific raga and tala. The performance usually starts with an alap (a slow, improvisational section) followed by the composition.

Khyal: Khyal is more flexible and allows for greater improvisation. It consists of a short melodic phrase (khyal) that can be elaborated upon in various ways. The form usually includes a slow (bada khyal) and a fast (chhota khyal) rendition, allowing for a wider range of expression.

3. Performance Style

Dhrupad: The performance style is more austere and serious, emphasizing the purity of the raga. The vocal technique is more controlled, and the use of ornamentation is minimal.

Khyal: Khyal performances are more expressive and dynamic, allowing for intricate ornamentation and improvisational flourishes. The emotional content is often more pronounced, making it accessible to a wider audience.

4. Rhythm and Tempo

Dhrupad: Generally features a slower tempo with a focus on the rhythmic aspect, creating a meditative atmosphere. The tala is strictly adhered to.

Khyal: While Khyal can also utilize complex talas, it often incorporates varied tempos and rhythmic patterns, allowing for more spontaneity and energy.

5. Themes and Lyrics

Dhrupad: The lyrics often draw from spiritual or devotional themes, focusing on the divine and philosophical concepts.

Khyal: The lyrics can cover a broader range of themes, including love, nature, and everyday life, often with a romantic or emotional focus.

Summary

In summary, while both Dhrupad and Khyal are integral to Hindustani classical music, they differ significantly in their historical development, structure, performance style, use of rhythm, and thematic content. Dhrupad is more traditional and structured, while Khyal is dynamic and improvisational, reflecting a more contemporary approach to Indian classical music.

Meetkalakar Gurus offer comprehensive training in Khyal and Khayal gayaki of Hindustani classical vocal music, guiding students from beginner to advanced levels. These online classes focus on building a strong foundation in swaras (notes), aalaps, taans, and rhythm, allowing students to gradually deepen their understanding and command of the art form. With step-by-step training in raga structure, intricate compositions, and improvisation techniques, students are encouraged to explore and express their own musical creativity. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, Meetkalakar’s offer a nurturing environment to master Khyal and Khayal gayaki.

Swarangi Mukund Marathe

Meetkalakar artists specialize in Kyal and Khayal Gayki, prominent styles of Hindustani classical vocal music. Our talented performers bring these rich traditions to life, delivering soulful renditions at various events and festivals both in India and abroad. Whether it’s the intricate improvisations of Kyal or the emotional depth of Khayal, each performance is a journey into the world of classical music. From intimate gatherings to large festivals, Meetkalakar artists continue to spread the beauty of Hindustani classical music globally, enchanting audiences with their mastery and devotion to the art.

Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan

Girindra Talegaonkar

Anol Chatterjee

Yagnyaseni Majumder Mitra

Pt. Kaivalyakumar Gurav

Prabhakar & Diwakar Kashyap (Kashyap Bandhu)

Vidushi Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay

Dr. Abha Chaurasia

Shashwati Mandal

Vijaya Jadhav Gatlewar

Khayal, which in Hindi, means thoughts and in Persian means lyric, is considered one of the most important singing aspects and styles to pick up in Hindustani music.

Gayaki stands for singing in Hindi as well as Arabic.

Simply put, Khayal Gayaki is the art of interpretive singing - one that has no definite style, speed, pattern, or text. A long-form, continuous-paced singing that is performed by the singer, Khayal Gayaki is the rendition of Ragas. It is one of the few musical traditions that depend solely on the performing vocalist.

Khayal is also accompanied by musical instruments like the Tabla and the Indian Flute, also known as the Tambura (in Indian classical music terminology). It is also important to remember that Khayal Gayaki is performed in the ascending (aroh) as well as the descending pattern (avaroh) of a Raga, in a cycle of continuous rhythm. These are known as talas. These talas are aligned to thekas - repeated patterns of music that are performed by the accompanying musician.

Most of Khayal Gayaki’s form emerged from Dhrupad, a style of devotional and traditional singing that was performed in Mughal courts. According to Wikipedia, Khayal was a style that evolved from Dhrupad, mainly during the Mughal rule. The Sultans ruling in North India during that period were the ones who introduced Dhrupad Singing in their courts, impressed by Hindu court musicians who practiced them. This gradually led to the foundation of Khayal Gayaki as a musical genre in the 17th century - mainly through the famous Dhrupad court musician Sadarang. Sadarang was a court musician in the court of Sultan Muhammad Shah, and he was known and acclaimed for a specific reason - he was the descendant of the music legend Tansen.

Sadarang’s singing style included a lot of devotional Hindu devotional music where he included the musical techniques of Sufi music and Qawwali - despite being categorized as a Dhrupad singer. His singing as well as the accompanied music was different - inspired by both Dhrupad singing with middle-east and Persian influences. It is Sadarang’s unique blend of music during this period, that inspired many musicians to spin their own renditions from the same performing style, leading to the birth of Khayal Gayaki. The introduction of Khayal Gayaki as a musical genre is, however, credited to the Sultans of Jaunpur in the 17th Century. In particular, Sultan Mohammad Sharqi and Sultan Hussain Sharqi were small district rulers who were under the rule of the Mughal emperor Babur. These district rulers are the ones who started introducing Khayal Gayaki.

Performed on royal occasions and courts, Khayal Gayaki was considered to be extremely dreamy and romantic - consisting of several odes to love stories, emotions, and feelings. Khayal Gayaki was also the most popular choice among Mughal musicians and this reflects the preference of the listeners too, in those days. It is said that during the rule of Shah Jahan, the last Mughal Emperor in India, the troupe of royal court musicians included specifically qualified Khayal singers too. Hailing from a hereditary line of musicians, these singers were also known or called the Khayaliyas. They were solely and specifically trained in this musical genre, knowing every facet of the singing style and genre from the time they were born.

Gradually, as time passed, the Khayaliyas of the mid-18th century also came from those musician families who specialized in either the musical genre Khayal, Dhrupad, or Qawwali. With the passing of time and the advent of the 19th and 20th centuries, these families and their lineage of Khayaliyas evolved their musical styles. And steadily, this musical genre grew its importance, making it the predominant vocal genre in Hindustani Classical music.

The Structure of Khayal Gayaki

Khayal Ghayaki can be performed in two different fashions - one is the Bada Khayal and the second is called the Chota Khayal. Let’s break down these two styles first, starting with the Bada Khayal.

Bada Khayal is a long-form tune, that is performed on a very slow, prolonged tempo by the vocalist. It is also called the Vilambit Taal for the very same reason (Vilambit stands for long or lengthy in Sanskrit). Bada Khayal is also compared to the practice of Alaap - a sort of vocal exercise that Hindustani Classical singers practice, where they enunciate their notes one by one in a single breath.

Chota Khayal is comparatively a tune that is shorter in duration but is performed on a faster tempo by the singer. It is also termed the Dhrut Taal, where the term Dhrut stands for fast/speedy in Sanskrit.

The basic melodic structure of a Khayal, which is the raga that is being sung, serves as the main framework around which performers improvise. Sometimes, it is the style of singing and enunciating that the singer tries to add his/her twist in. At other times, the singer presents the Khayal in a simple, unadorned form, contrasting the regular kind of singing, which comes with fixed compositions and style.

Some Taals that are performed in Bada Khayal and Chota Khayal, include - Teen Taal (16 beats), Jhumra (14 beats), and Ek Taal (12 beats). Taal is the scale and the tempo at which the particular kind of Khayal is being sung.

Khayal Gayaki is performed in three parts: in the Mukhada (lower octave), the Madhya Sthan (the middle octave), and the Antara (the upper octave).

The way this style is sung usually has a rise, followed by a steady pace, and then a dive into lower tones. In Bada Khayal, the emphasis is the most on the Antara and the least on the Mukhada - in a slow tempo. Whereas in Chota Khayal, there is an equal, short emphasis on all three parts - in a faster tempo.

Khayal texts can be of a variety of types, ranging from historic poems to contemporary creations by musicians or patrons. Their subjects can be from topics like advice, religious devotion, Hindu deities (e.g., Krishna), praise of patrons, or descriptions of seasons. Love, both divine and human, is a common theme. Although the Bada Khayal is different from the alaap (singing basics and practice) of other forms in the Hindustani sangeet paddhati (tradition), some similarities remain. The Roopak Alaapti is an alaap-like version of the Bada Khayal, sung to the pre-existing musical form of the Raga. Most of the musical attention in Khayal Gayaki’s reference text focuses on the various kinds of Taan. Taans are fast melodic figures of a vocal nature. They allow the vocalist to stretch the taal or the Raga.

Some examples of these figures include Akar Taans, Gamak Taans, and Bol Taans. A number of these improvisations called bols are common to both Khayal and Dhrupad. The use of the bols is for purposes of rhythmic play, also known as lehekaari. The great Indian tradition of Hindustani classical music gradually blossomed into a new flower of many hues and great fragrances following the basics and path laid down by Dhrupad music. This metamorphosis into Khayal Gayaki was gradual but essential to the present state of this age-old music style and genre. Keep this tradition alive by enrolling under some of the best Hindustani Classical music exponents on ipassio.

Credits: https://www.ipassio.com/blog/khayal-gayaki-the-traditional-facet-of-hindustani-music

Khayal, in Hindustani music, a musical form based on a Hindi song in two parts that recur between expanding cycles of melodic and rhythmic improvisation. In a standard performance a slow (vilambit) khayal is followed by a shorter, fast (drut) khayal in the same raga (melodic framework).

The khayal is related to the longer melodic form known as the dhrupad but has fewer restrictions. It is usually accompanied by a tabla (pair of drums) and a tambura (lute) in a variety of talas (metric cycles). Khayal is ordinarily performed by a vocalist. The rhythm of the melodic performance is nonmetric, but the percussion

accompaniment is cast in a tala, and the time cycle is shaped by the repeated pattern (theka) performed by the accompanist.

Credits: https://www.britannica.com

History

Development of Khyal

Music in the Indian subcontinent was traditionally divided into two categories, gandharva and prabhanda. Gandharva was an ancient form of music which was traditionally handed down from master to pupil while Prabhanda, also known as gana or desi gana, consisted of regional songs or tunes. Prabhanda was a systematic and organised form of music that consisted of four sections, udgrahaka (later known as sthayi), melapaka, dhruva and antara, and numerous musical elements such as svara, tala, pada, viruda, tenaka and pata. There were several musical compositions such as sadhara?i, rupakalapti, suddha, bhinna, gau?i and vesara. Sadharani was an eclectic style of composition that incorporated elements of other styles, particularly bhinna, and incorporated sweet idioms and delicate nuances of emotion. Rupakalapti was a creative and imaginative style of composition which consisted of alap (musical improvisation), raga and tala, incorporated inside of a prabhanda.

The Ghaznavid conquest of northern India resulted in the introduction of the Persian language and culture into the Indian subcontinent. The Ghaznavids were Turks based in Ghazni (in present day Afghanistan) and they were the political heirs of the Persian Samanid dynasty based in Bukhara (in present day Uzbekistan). When Delhi became the capitol of the new rulers, it inherited many of the cultural institutions and literary practices of the Ghaznavids, causing a new literary florescence. The Mongol invasions caused many poets to seek refuge and find patronage at the royal court of Delhi. The first generation of Persian poets, such as Abu al-Faraj Runi and Mas'ud Sa'd Salman, continued the literary traditions of the Samanids. Amir Khusrau (1253 - 1325) was a poet and composer who lived during this period. He was born in North India but raised in a Turco-Iranian environment. He served in the courts of various sultans and princes belonging to the Mamluk, Khalji and Tughlaq dynasties, and remained attached to the Chisti suffis of Delhi. It has often been speculated that khyal was created by Amir Khusrau, but the evidence for this is insufficient. Most scholars agree that khyal was the outcome of a gradual process of evolution that occurred in the Delhi Sultanate. It developed upon the ancient structure of sadharani composition and its creative and imaginative style was based on the rupakalapti form of composition. The Sharqui rulers of Jaunpur were great patrons of fine art such as architecture, painting and music. They patronised khyal to a great extent in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Medieval India also witnessed the emergence of different schools of classical music known as gharanas. The term gharana carries multiple and diverse connotations, but the concept can be said to include a lineage of hereditary musicians, their disciples and the different musical style they represent. In the case of khyal, a

gharana may consist of a single lineage or several lineages of hereditary musicians. In the case of the Gwalior gharana, the oldest of the khyal gharanas, the lineage of hereditary musicians who were the founding family of the khyal style is extinct; a different family of hereditary musicians who were trained into the tradition by

the founding family carries on the tradition.

Mughal Period

During the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar, khyal was nurtured by eminent musicians, and many master musicians, such as Suraj Khan, Chand Khan, Baz Bahadur and Rupamati, were interested in the culture of khyal, though it did not enjoy royal patronage like dhrupad. As a result, it remained outside the pale of royal courts and aristocratic societies of the time. A list of musicians at the court of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan included in Raga Darpan, a book written by Faqir Ullah, one-time governor of Kashmir, mention two khyal performers.

Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah was another great patron of music, poetry and painting, which he continued even after the invasion of India by Persian emperor Nadir Shah. One of his musicians, Niyamat Khan, who was adept in both dhrupad and veena, won the title Sadarang from the emperor for his talents and theoretical and practical knowledge in classical music. He created the elegant classical form of khyal in a majestic and colourful slow tempo (vilambita laya) like dhrupad. Sadarang heightened the classical form of khyal such that it was appreciated by the top-ranking musicians and royal sovereigns of the time. As a result, khyal attained a similar high position to that enjoyed by dhrupad, and gradually came to be developed with many modifications and changes in forms and styles and decorative elements.

Colonial period

The decline of the Mughal empire and the British colonisation of the Indian subcontinent had a detrimental effect on the quality and quantity of khyal music as it did not get any special patronage from the British colonial government in India. As a result, its patronage was more or less confined to the courts of certain

maharajas, rajas and nawabs who provided employment for numerous artists. Meanwhile, others preferred (or could only afford) to maintain a few artists or to invite artists to visit on a temporary basis. Some patrons, such as the Gaekwads of Baroda, employed khyal players from more than one gharana; as a result, Baroda is

associated with many different styles of performance. Others, such as the rulers of Gwalior and Rampur, preferred to patronize consistently and primarily musicians of one gharana, so that those courts are associated with a single style of performance. In the nineteenth century, a large number of wealthy urban citizens became

patrons of Indian classical music. By the early twentieth century, some khyal players were leading efforts to introduce classical music to the general public, which helped in broadening the patronage base.

During this period, particularly the early twentieth, two major ideas emerged about the study and transmission of Indian classical music. The first had to do with the growing demand for institutional teaching, which led to a rising number of music schools being established though patronage by native princes and urban elites.

The other was concerned with systematisation and generalisation of the Indian classical music. The Indian musicologist Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande played a major part in systematising the tradition while also opening it up for the general audience. He wrote the first modern treatise on Hindustani classical music, introduced the

Thaat system for classifying ragas, published a series of textbooks, and initiated a number of conferences to provide a common platform for discussion between Hindustani and Carnatic classical musicians.

Post-Independence period

In 1947, British rule in the Indian subcontinent came to an end, and two new nations came into existence, India and Pakistan. The princely states that had been part of the British Raj were incorporated into the two new nation states. This led to a radical change as patronage shifted from the hundred of princely courts to the

Government of India. As part of the post-independence project of nation building, the cultural domain was developed by the establishment of bodies such as Sangeet Natak Akademi (inaugurated in 1953), the state-owned All India Radio and, later, the national television broadcaster, Doordarshan. Such agencies have continued to support khayal music prominently, making it accessible to the public of the nation through concerts, recordings, music education, grants and fellowships, etc. The second half of the twentieth century was also a period when khayal entered the global stage on several levels. On the one hand, beginning in the 1960s, instrumental artists such as Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan introduced Hindustani classical music genres to mainstream audiences in Europe and North America through concerts, collaborations with popular musicians and training of non-Indian disciples. On the other hand, the growing Indian diaspora implied transnational audiences, patrons and students for the classical form.

Credits: https://en.wikipedia.org

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