The word gharana literally means a house (home). Different vocal music styles were called gharanas as each style was initiated by a family doyen. Each gharana has its own techniques of raga structure, its presentation, compositions and all other related techniques. In the following we list distinguishing features of each gharana.
Every gharana has an emotional undercurrent (rasabhav), which is the hallmark of the doyen of that gharana. Out of acknowledged 9 /10 rasas, according to musicians at large, rasas like karuna, hasya, shringar, veer, shanta etc. are used in musical expressions of different gharanas with varying emphasis.
Depending upon the rasabhav, the discernible features practiced by different gharanas would be as follows:
a. Preference for raga – shanta rasa pradhanya gharanas would prefer to sing ragas which project shanta rasa. Example, Bhairav, Todi, Puriya, Malkauns etc.
b. Preference for tala – different talas like Jhumra, vilambit Ektaal, Tritaal, Jhaptaal, Rupak etc. are selected by practitioners of different gharanas, according to their rasabhav. Example, shanta rasa based gharana would prefer compositions in Jhumra.
c. The voice production – would depend upon the undercurrent of the rasa, i.e. softer, louder, with a twang etc., would be the hallmarks of different gharanas. Examples, hasya rasa based gharanas would generally sing with an open throated voice while shanta rasa pradhan gharanas would prefer softer and subdued voice.
d. Raga elaboration (unfoldment) would depend upon the temperament of the doyen of the gharana. Some gharanas do not have lengthy unfoldment of the raga – whilst some gharanas unfold the raga in a very detailed manner and develop the raga structure in a very leisurely manner.
e. Taan variety – each gharana has developed the structure of taans specific to their style. Usually the pattern / structure depends upon the initiation by the moolpurush of the gharana.
f. Importance of bandish presentation – several gharanas give tremendous importance to the presentation of the bandish / composition and have specific rules to present the same.
Gharana system is an attempt at specialization of the tenets relating to different styles of vocal music. In dhrupad singing, such distinctions are known as banis, for example, Gauhar bani, Dagar bani etc. Apparently they are not as distinct from each other as in case of gharanas.
With regard to instrumental music, there are various gharanas. In the art of tabla playing, there are distinct gharanas like Delhi, Ajrada, Farukhabad, Banaras etc. In sitar, there are some distinct names like Maihar gharana, Etawah-Imdadkhani gharana, Vishnupur gharana etc. Similarly there are nomenclatures of sarod style. For instruments like flute, santoor etc. the styles do not appear to be identified with the name of the gharana.