Dhrupad and dhamar
Dhrupad (from dhruva = fixed, and pada = verse) is the oldest form still sung in North India. It grew from temple songs and the older prabandha songs, and became a court art. Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior (15th century) supported it, and Tansen in Akbar's court (16th century) made it famous.
How a dhrupad is built
- Alap: slow, with no tala, using syllables like "nom, tom, re, na". It opens the raga note by note.
- Then the composition in four parts: sthayi (low and middle notes), antara (rises high), sanchari (moves through all registers), abhog (closing).
- Tala: mostly chautal (12 beats), also sooltal and teevra; accompanied by the pakhawaj.
- Mood: serious, devotional or heroic; few ornaments; the words are clear.
Dhamar is sung in dhrupad style but in dhamar tala (14 beats). Its songs are usually about Holi and Krishna. Famous dhrupad families today include the Dagar family.
Khayal
Khayal is a Persian/Urdu word for "imagination". It gives the singer more freedom than dhrupad. It is linked by tradition to Amir Khusrau (13thβ14th century), but it really grew in the 18th century court of Muhammad Shah in Delhi, where the composers Sadarang (Niyamat Khan) and Adarang wrote many khayals.
- Bada khayal: in vilambit (very slow) laya, e.g. ektaal or jhoomra; the raga is built up slowly.
- Chhota khayal: in madhya or drut (medium or fast) laya, usually teentaal (16 beats).
- Two parts: sthayi and antara.
- Ornaments: taan (fast note runs), meend (glide), murki, bol-taan.
- Accompanied by tabla and harmonium or sarangi, with the tanpura drone.
Khayal is today the most common vocal form, and the main gharanas (Gwalior, Agra, Kirana, Jaipur-Atrauli, Patiala) are khayal styles.
Tarana
A tarana uses meaningful-sounding but wordless syllables such as ta, na, dere, dim, tom, odani, yalali. Tradition credits Amir Khusrau with creating it. It is usually sung in fast (drut) laya after a khayal, like a joyful finale. Some taranas include drum syllables (tabla or pakhawaj bols) or a short Persian couplet. The singer's voice behaves almost like a rhythm instrument.
Instrumental gats: Masitkhani and Razakhani
On the sitar, sarod and other melodic instruments, the fixed composition is called a gat. Its pattern comes from the right-hand strokes: da (inward) and ra (outward), with dir = da+ra quickly.
| Masitkhani gat | Razakhani gat | |
|---|---|---|
| Named after | Masit (Maseet) Khan, Delhi, 18th century | Ghulam Raza Khan, Lucknow, 19th century |
| Laya | vilambit (slow) | madhya or drut (medium/fast) |
| Tala | teentaal (16 beats) | teentaal (16 beats) |
| Typical start | 12th beat; bols like dir da dir, da ra, da da ra | often the 2nd or 9th beat; bright, short strokes |
| Mood | calm, spacious, many meends | lively, brilliant, jhala often follows |
A concert usually goes: alap β jod β jhala (no tala), then a Masitkhani gat, then a Razakhani gat.
Key formulas and definitions
- Dhrupad: alap β sthayi β antara β sanchari β abhog; chautal 12 beats; pakhawaj
- Dhamar: dhrupad style; dhamar tala 14 beats (5+2+3+4); Holi songs
- Khayal: bada (vilambit) + chhota (drut); sthayi + antara; tabla
- Tarana: syllables (ta, na, dere, dim, tom); drut laya
- Masitkhani gat: slow teentaal; Razakhani gat: fast teentaal
- Laya: vilambit (slow) < madhya (medium) < drut (fast)
Worked examples
1. A singer begins with a long slow alap using "nom tom", then sings four parts with the pakhawaj in 12 beats. Which form is it?
Dhrupad: nom-tom alap, four parts (sthayi, antara, sanchari, abhog), chautal with pakhawaj.
2. Give three differences between dhrupad and khayal.
(1) Dhrupad is older and more serious; khayal is freer. (2) Dhrupad has four parts; khayal has two (sthayi, antara). (3) Dhrupad uses pakhawaj and chautal; khayal uses tabla with ektaal, teentaal and others; khayal uses fast taans, dhrupad mostly does not.
3. A sitar gat starts on the 12th beat of slow teentaal with bols dir da dir da ra. Name it and the person it is linked to.
A Masitkhani gat, linked to Masit Khan of Delhi (18th century).
Common mistakes
- Saying khayal is older than dhrupad: dhrupad is the older form.
- Mixing the talas: dhrupad uses chautal (12), dhamar uses dhamar tala (14), not teentaal.
- Calling tarana a song with words: it uses syllables, not words with meaning.
- Swapping the gats: Masitkhani is slow, Razakhani is fast.