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Bhendi Bazaar gharana

One of the vocal gharanas of Indian classical music

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The founders of the gharana originally belonged to the Moradabad area of Uttar Pradesh. Upon migrating to Mumbai, their gharana became better known as the Bhendi Bazaar gharana instead of Moradabad gharana. Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey are prominent playback singers who belonged to this gharana.

History and features

The Bhendi Bazaar gharana was founded around 1890 by brothers Chhajju Khan, Nazir Khan and Khadim Hussain Khan in the Bhendi Bazaar area of Mumbai. This gharana was founded in Bombay in 1890 after these three brothers moved from Moradabad area, Uttar Pradesh to settle in Bombay, British India. The features of this gharana include using 'aakaar' for presenting khyals in an open voice, with clear intonation, a stress on breath-control, singing long passages in a single breath, a preference for madhyalaya (medium tempo) and use of the well-known Merukhand or Khandmeru system for extended alaps. Chhajju Khan's son Aman Ali Khan and Anjanibai Malpekar, are well-known exponents of this gharana. Amir Khan's father Shahmir Khan belonged to this gharana and passed on the tradition to his son.

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