# Agra gharana

The Agra gharana is a tradition of Hindustani classical vocal music descended from the Nauhar Bani. So far, Nauhar Bani has been traced back to around 1300 AD, during the reign of Emperor Allauddin Khilji of Delhi.
The first known musician of this tradition is Nayak Gopal. The style prevalent then in the Gharana was "Dhrupad-Dhamar". Ghagghe Khudabuksh (1790–1880 AD) introduced the "Khayal" style of Gwalior Gharana into Agra gharana which Khudabaksh learnt from Natthan Paribaksh of Gwalior.

## Pedagogical genealogy

The following maps are based on recorded accounts by Vilayat Hussain Khan and Yunus Hussain Khan.

### Ancestral Lineage

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gauharbani Guru Parampara | Gauharbani Guru Parampara | Gauharbani Guru Parampara | Gauharbani Guru Parampara |
| Swami Haridas | Swami Haridas | Swami Haridas | Swami Haridas | Swami Haridas | Swami Haridas | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Nauharbani Guru Parampara | Nauharbani Guru Parampara | Nauharbani Guru Parampara | Nauharbani Guru Parampara | Nauharbani Guru Parampara | Nauharbani Guru Parampara | | | | | Kirana Gharana Parampara | Kirana Gharana Parampara | Kirana Gharana Parampara | Kirana Gharana Parampara | Kirana Gharana Parampara | Kirana Gharana Parampara |
| Miyan Tansen | Miyan Tansen | Miyan Tansen | Miyan Tansen | Miyan Tansen | Miyan Tansen | | | Lohang Das | Lohang Das | Lohang Das | Lohang Das | Lohang Das | Lohang Das | | | Alakh Das | Alakh Das | Alakh Das | Alakh Das | Alakh Das | Alakh Das | | | Khalak Das | Khalak Das | Khalak Das | Khalak Das | Khalak Das | Khalak Das | Malukh Das | Malukh Das | Malukh Das | Malukh Das | Malukh Das | Malukh Das |
| Daughter | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter | | | | | | | Sujan Singh | Sujan Singh | Sujan Singh | Sujan Singh | Sujan Singh | Sujan Singh | | | | | | | Bichitra Khan | Bichitra Khan | Bichitra Khan | Bichitra Khan | Bichitra Khan | Bichitra Khan | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Surgyan Khan | Surgyan Khan | Surgyan Khan | Surgyan Khan | Surgyan Khan | Surgyan Khan |
| | | | | Qader Shah (Jogi Bacche) | Qader Shah (Jogi Bacche) | Qader Shah (Jogi Bacche) | Qader Shah (Jogi Bacche) | Qader Shah (Jogi Bacche) | Qader Shah (Jogi Bacche) | | | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter |
| | | | | Hyder Shah | Hyder Shah | Hyder Shah | Hyder Shah | Hyder Shah | Hyder Shah | | | Wazir Khan | Wazir Khan | Wazir Khan | Wazir Khan | Wazir Khan | Wazir Khan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Dayam Khan ("Saras-rang") | Dayam Khan ("Saras-rang") | Dayam Khan ("Saras-rang") | Dayam Khan ("Saras-rang") | Dayam Khan ("Saras-rang") | Dayam Khan ("Saras-rang") | | | Hasan & Saiyad Khan | Hasan & Saiyad Khan | Hasan & Saiyad Khan | Hasan & Saiyad Khan | Hasan & Saiyad Khan | Hasan & Saiyad Khan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gwalior Gharana Guru Parampara | Gwalior Gharana Guru Parampara | Gwalior Gharana Guru Parampara | Gwalior Gharana Guru Parampara | Gwalior Gharana Guru Parampara | Gwalior Gharana Guru Parampara |
| | | | | Qayam Khan ("Sham-rang") | Qayam Khan ("Sham-rang") | Qayam Khan ("Sham-rang") | Qayam Khan ("Sham-rang") | Qayam Khan ("Sham-rang") | Qayam Khan ("Sham-rang") | | | Faiz Mohammed Khan (Barodewale) | Faiz Mohammed Khan (Barodewale) | Faiz Mohammed Khan (Barodewale) | Faiz Mohammed Khan (Barodewale) | Faiz Mohammed Khan (Barodewale) | Faiz Mohammed Khan (Barodewale) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Nathan Peer Baksh | Nathan Peer Baksh | Nathan Peer Baksh | Nathan Peer Baksh | Nathan Peer Baksh | Nathan Peer Baksh | Rangile Gharana Parampara | Rangile Gharana Parampara | Rangile Gharana Parampara | Rangile Gharana Parampara | Rangile Gharana Parampara | Rangile Gharana Parampara |
| Junggu Khan | Junggu Khan | Junggu Khan | Junggu Khan | Junggu Khan | Junggu Khan | | | Soosa Khan | Soosa Khan | Soosa Khan | Soosa Khan | Soosa Khan | Soosa Khan | | | Gulab Khan | Gulab Khan | Gulab Khan | Gulab Khan | Gulab Khan | Gulab Khan | | | Ghagge Khuda Baksh | Ghagge Khuda Baksh | Ghagge Khuda Baksh | Ghagge Khuda Baksh | Ghagge Khuda Baksh | Ghagge Khuda Baksh | | | | | | | | | Ramzan Khan ("Rangile") | Ramzan Khan ("Rangile") | Ramzan Khan ("Rangile") | Ramzan Khan ("Rangile") | Ramzan Khan ("Rangile") | Ramzan Khan ("Rangile") |
| Sher Khan | Sher Khan | Sher Khan | Sher Khan | Sher Khan | Sher Khan | | | Mohammed Khan | Mohammed Khan | Mohammed Khan | Mohammed Khan | Mohammed Khan | Mohammed Khan | | | Ghulam Haider "Kallan" Khan | Ghulam Haider "Kallan" Khan | Ghulam Haider "Kallan" Khan | Ghulam Haider "Kallan" Khan | Ghulam Haider "Kallan" Khan | Ghulam Haider "Kallan" Khan | | | | | | | | | Ghulam Abbas Khan | Ghulam Abbas Khan | Ghulam Abbas Khan | Ghulam Abbas Khan | Ghulam Abbas Khan | Ghulam Abbas Khan | | | Mohammed Ali Khan | Mohammed Ali Khan | Mohammed Ali Khan | Mohammed Ali Khan | Mohammed Ali Khan | Mohammed Ali Khan |
| Nisar Hussain "Natthan" Khan | Nisar Hussain "Natthan" Khan | Nisar Hussain "Natthan" Khan | Nisar Hussain "Natthan" Khan | Nisar Hussain "Natthan" Khan | Nisar Hussain "Natthan" Khan | | | Hydori Begum | Hydori Begum | Hydori Begum | Hydori Begum | Hydori Begum | Hydori Begum | | | Tassaduq Hussain Khan | Tassaduq Hussain Khan | Tassaduq Hussain Khan | Tassaduq Hussain Khan | Tassaduq Hussain Khan | Tassaduq Hussain Khan | | | Qadri Begum | Qadri Begum | Qadri Begum | Qadri Begum | Qadri Begum | Qadri Begum | Abbasi Begum | Abbasi Begum | Abbasi Begum | Abbasi Begum | Abbasi Begum | Abbasi Begum | | | Safdar Hussain Khan | Safdar Hussain Khan | Safdar Hussain Khan | Safdar Hussain Khan | Safdar Hussain Khan | Safdar Hussain Khan |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Faiyaz Hussain Khan | Faiyaz Hussain Khan | Faiyaz Hussain Khan | Faiyaz Hussain Khan | Faiyaz Hussain Khan | Faiyaz Hussain Khan |

## Distinguishing characteristics

The gayaki (style of singing) of the Agra Gharana is a blend of khayal gayaki and dhrupad-dhamar. In training, both the khayal and dhrupad components run hand in hand and are not taught in an isolated fashion. This is obvious from the method of singing notes of the Agra Gharana which demands that the projection of voice be more forceful and voluminous than usually encountered in khayal gayaki, as well as uttering notes open and bare (without grace notes).
Most khayal performances by artists of Agra gharana commence with the nom-tom alaap, a tradition unique to the Agra gharana. Different facets of a raga are displayed with the help of bandish while the raga is elaborated using vistaar.
The gharana adopts a kind of voice production which relies on a flatter version of the vowel sound "a", which makes its music agreeable to rhythmic variations and is best suited for a deep masculine voice. Emphasis is laid on bold, full-throated and robust voice production, and singing in the lower register (mandra) is favoured. Keeping in tune with its dhrupadic origins, the singers use broad and powerful ornamentations (gamaks), extensive glides (meends) and resonant articulations of notes. As with the Gwalior gharana, the Agra singers accentuate the importance of the bandish and its methodical exposition. Singers following Faiyaz Khan's style resort to the dhrupadic nom-tom alaap before singing the bandish. The singers of this gharana are also great masters over layakari or the rhythmic component. In fact, layakari is the foundation on which the singers build the edifice of the bandish. Agra singers' tihais are eagerly awaited, as are their nifty ways of arriving at the same, by building up anticipation within the listener.
This is the only Gharana that has still continued to sing Dhrupad-Dhamar along with Nom-Tom Alap, Khayal, Thumri, Tappa, Tarana, and Hori.

## Exponents

* Mehboob Khan daraspiya
* Nathan Khan
* Zohrabai (1868–1913)
* Faiyaz Khan "Prempiya" (1886–1950)
* Vilayat Hussain Khan "Pran Piya" (1895–1962)
* Shrikrishna Narayan Ratanjankar "Sujan" (1899–1974)
* Khadim Hussain Khan "Sajan Piya" (1907–1993)
* Ramarao V. Naik (1909–1998)
* Dhruvatara Joshi "Premrang" (1912-1993)
* Sumati Mutatkar (1916–2007)
* Dipali Talukdar Nag (1922-2009)
* Shrikrishna Haldankar "Raspiya" (1927–2016)
* Sharafat Hussain Khan[1930-1985]
* Yashpaul "Sagun Piya" (1937 - ?)
* Lalith J. Rao (1942 - ?)
* Subhra Guha (1956 - )
* Shaukat Hussain Khan (1962 - ?)
* Mohsin Ahmed Khan Niazi (1965-2020)
* Bande Hassan Khan
* Latafat Hussain Khan "Prem Das"
* Ata Hussain Khan "Ratan Piya"
* Kaale Khan "Saras Piya"
* Abdullah Khan "Manhar Piya'
* Bashir Ahmed Khan
* Aqeel Ahmed Khan
* Wasi Ahmed Khan
* Shabbir Ahmed Khan
* Naseem Ahmed Khan
* Yunus Hussain Khan
* Yaqoob Hussain Khan
* Yusuf Hussain Khan
* Nasir khan
* Shamim Ahmed Khan
* Ghulam Rasool Khan
* Anwar Hussain Khan
* Ghulam Hussain Khan Raja Miyan
* Arif Hussain