Bhendibazaar gharana


The Bhendibazaar gharana is one of the vocal gharanas of Indian classical music, which originated in Bhendi Bazaar area of Mumbai in 1890.

History and features

The Bhendibazaar gharana was founded around 1890 by brothers Chhajju Khan, Nazir Khan and Khadim Hussain Khan in the Bhendi bazaar area of Mumbai. 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 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.

Prominent exponents

Third generation

Lata Mangeshkar; Vasantrao Deshpande; Manna Dey
Kumar Gandharva; Kishori Amonkar; Begum Akhtar; Naina Devi
Asha Bhosle; Jitendra Abhisheki; Suman Kalyanpur; Pankaj Udhas