gharana, in Hindustani music of India, a community of performers who share a distinctive musical style that traces to a particular instructor or region. The notion of a gharana arose in the 19th century, but it was not until the 20th century that the gharana took shape as a veritable system for the transmission of classical music. The system emerged as a means by which musicians could maintain their artistic authority—through emphasis of the lineage—in an era of declining court patronage. In the 21st century the gharana system remains a vital force in the validation of North Indian classical musicians.
A “distinctive musical style” in Hindustani tradition includes not only peculiarities of performance and repertoire but also a broader ideology of music, aesthetics, and pedagogy. That style must be passed down through three generations before it and its practitioners may be considered a gharana. Members of a gharana are entrusted with the maintenance of a certain standard of musicianship in accordance with the ideals of the lineage. Traditionally, students—or disciples—moved into the home of their teachers, which helped ensure the integrity of the musical transfer. Gharanas exist for both vocal and instrumental traditions. The Gwalior vocal gharana, named for its city of origin (now in the state of Madya Pradesh), is widely regarded as the oldest gharana; it was founded in the first half of the 19th century.