Mewati Gharana

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This web site has been launched to present the Mewati Gharana in it’s entirety. It is probably the only Gharana to boast of two distinct musical traditions – Vocal and Instrumental. As one goes through the family tree, one can clearly see the two prominent traditions. Mewati Gharana was co-founded by two brothers – Ustad Ghagge Nazir Khan (Vocalist) and his elder brother Beenkar (Rudra Veena player) Ustad Wahid Khan.

Ghagge Nazir Khan adopted his younger brother Munavvar Khan since he had no children. Munavvar Khan, also a  vocalist further adopted his elder brother Wahid Khan’s son Ghulam Qadir Khan as he too did not have any children. Ustad Ghulam Qadir Khan, primarily a vocalist but also a Rudra Veena player was the last descendent from the family to represent the Vocal tradition. Ghagge Nazir Khan had two pupils – Nathulal and Chimanlal. Nathulal trained his nephew Pandit Motiram whose son Pandit Jasraj today represents the Mewati vocal tradition. 

Ustad Wahid Khansahab was the pupil of the famous Beenkar Ustad Bande Ali Khan. His sons Majid Khan, Latif Khan and Hamid Khan continued the tradition of Rudra Veena playing. Another son, Ustad Ghulam Qadir Khan was also a Rudra Veena player initially but later switched to singing upon the insistence of his uncle Ustad Munavvar Khan. Later their Grandsons Ustad Mohammed Khan (Rudra Veena / Sitar / Surbahar) and Mohammed Shafi (Sitar),continued the instrumental tradition. The fourth generation is represented by Ustad Mohammed Khan’s son  legendary Sitarist Ustad Rais Khan and Ustad Latif Khan’s Grandson Ustad Siraj Khan. The fifth generation of instrumentalists, Sitarists Farhan Khan (son of Ustad Rais Khan) and Asad Khan (son of Ustad Siraj Khan) are already being hailed as worthy successors.