UNESCO Declares Gwalior City Of Music
Source: PIB
GS II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate
Overview
- News in Brief
- Gwalior City of Music
Why in the News?
Recently, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, was granted membership in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, specifically being designated as the City of Music.
News in Brief
- This acknowledgement highlights Gwalior’s steadfast dedication to utilizing creativity and culture.
- In addition, Kozhikode in Kerala was recognized as the City of Literature.
Gwalior City of Music
- Gwalior has a long and illustrious history in Indian music, closely linked to royal patronage. Because many of the city’s leaders were also musicians, they helped create an atmosphere supporting the arts.
- Remarkably, Raja Man Singh Tomar fostered the growth of the Gwalior Gharana, the earliest Hindustani classical music group, during the 15th century.
- Man Singh was a king who loved music and is credited with creating the traditional form of dhrupad and popularizing Indian music by substituting songs in basic Hindi for Sanskrit melodies.
- Renowned artists like Bade Inayat Hussain Khan, Vasudeva Buwa Joshi, and Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar are descended from Gwalior.
Gwalior Gharana
- Before dividing Hindustani classical music into different gharanas, Gwalior became the first legitimate gharana during the Mughal era.
- With early ustads like Naththan Khan and Naththan Pir Baksh, the Gwalior gharana was crucial in developing khayal singing, which included aspects of qawwali.
- Persian terms were included in compositions, and artists such as Ustad Naththan Pir Baksh, who established the systematic method of presenting a raga called khayal, contributed to the gharana’s continued impact.
- Gwalior’s protégé Mian Tansen developed the Gwalior gharana style while studying under Muhammad Ghous and Swami Haridas.
- He gained prominence in King Ram Chandra Singh of Rewa’s court and, later, in Akbar’s court due to his musical prowess.
- Tansen’s impact grew, and via the influential Gwalior-based musician Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, the Bangash Gharana was founded.
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