Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana - Singing Style

Singing Style

The Rampur-Sahaswan gayaki (style of singing) is closely related to the Gwalior Gharana, which features medium-slow tempos, a full-throated voice and intricate rhythmic play. The gharana style is also known for the diversity and intricacy of the taans (rapidfire elaborations), as well as tarana singing.

The renowned singers of this gharana include the first and, perhaps the foremost disciple of Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan, Ustad Hyder Khan sahab. In fact, Ustad Hyder Khan and his family plays a vital role in upbringing the legacy of this illustrious family as, not only him but, after his demise, his son Ustad Fida Hussain Khan and his grandson, the renowned maestro Padma Bhushan Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan made sure that the legacy carries forward to the next generation.

Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan was not just a singer but a great teacher who has given the gharana what it has in the modern era. Also, another legendary singer of this gharana is Ustad Mushtaq Hussain Khan, who was a disciple of first, Ustad Hyder Khan and later on, groomed by Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan sahab. He was the recipient of the forst Padma Bhushan award in singing.

Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan gave some of the best exponents in the field of Indian Classical Music (Hindustani/ North Indian Style) such as Ustad Hafeez Ahmed Khan (ex Deputy Chief Producer Of A.I.R, ex Vice Chancellor of the Indira Kala Vishwa Vidyalaya, the only musical university of India and a recipient of Padma Shree Award), Ustad Sarfaraz Hussain Khan (ex Producer of A.I.R and the eldest son of Nissar Hussain Khan), Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan (recipient of Padma Bhushan Award), Ustad Iftikhar Hussain Khan Ustad Ghulam Akbar Khan, Zulfiqar Hussain Khan, jafar Hussain Khan Badauni, Ateeq Hussain Khan, Ustad Rashid Khan (one of the leading vocalists of the modern era and recipient of Padmashri award), Ustad Mujahid Hussain Khan, Mushahid Hussain Khan and Wajahat Hussain Khan and Ghulam Niyaz Khan. Also belonging to the same lineage are Ustad Aftab Ahmed Khan (disciple and son of Ustad Waris Hussain Khan and brother of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan), Ghulam Qadir Khan, Ghulam Murtuza Khan, Nadeem Khan, Danish Hussain Khan, Azeem Khan, Shazeb Hasan, Arshad Khan, Rizwan Khan and Shahbaaz Hussain.

Belonging to the other family of the same gharana are the disciples and relatives of Ustad Mushtaq Hussain Khan Sahab, one of the other pioneers of the gharana. His family consists of his sons, Ustad Ishtiyaaq Hussain Khan,Ustaad Is-haaq Hussain Khan, Ustad Ghulam Hussain Khan,Ustaad Ghulam Abid Khan, Ustad Ghulam Taqi Khan, son-in-law Ustad Ghulam Sadiq Khan (recipient of Padma Shree),Ustaad Shujaat Hussain Khan,Ustaad Sakhawat Hussain Khan,Shehzad Hussain Khan,Ghulam Fariduddin Khan,Ustaad Muhammad Ahmed, Usama Khan Niazi,Areeb Khan Niazi,Salman Khan Niyazi(vocalist of astitva band),Ustad Afzal Hussain Khan, Ustad Wajid Hussain Khan, Ghulam Fariduddin Khan,Ghulam Abbas Khan, Shakeel Ahmed Khan, Ghulam Siraj Khan, Ustad Maqbool Hussain Khan, Zeeshaan Khan and Ghulam Hasan Khan and Ustad Adnan Khan.

Apparently, there were artists who came in and learned under the able guidance of these legends of Rampur Sahaswan Gharana such as Chajju Khan and Nazir Khan (founder of Bhendi Bazaar Gharana and disciple of Inayat Hussain Khan Sahab), Pandit Ganpat Rao (considered to be the godfather of Harmonium playing in Sub continent territories), Ustad Hafeez Khan of Gudiyani (Gurgaon).

Some other famous names in the same category of musicians who came from elsewhere and learned in Rampur Sahaswan Gharana are Shanno Khurana (recipient of Padma Bhushan Award), Sulochana Brihaspati (recipient of Padma Shree Award), Arun Bhaduri, Deepak Chatterjee, Pradeep Chatterjee, Pranab Biswas, Prasad Kharpade, Chandan Das, A.Hariharan, Sonu Nigam and Shaan, to name a few.

Dr Sakuntala Narasimhan, who is herself a disciple of Ustad Hafeez Ahmed Khan, has written a book on the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana.