Khayal Music [UPSC Notes]

In April 2023, the government decided to delete chapters on the Mughal empire from history textbooks. The case study of Khayal delves into the importance of historical narratives in understanding Indian culture. In this article, you can learn about the classical musical tradition of Khayal, an important topic for the IAS exam art & culture segment.

Khayal Music

Khayal is a type of classical Indian music that has its origins in Sufi Islamic traditions. 

• It began to take shape in the late 16th century when Sufi musicians from the Delhi and Jaunpur regions adapted the cutkula form to devotional forms like the Persian qaul and tarana. 
• Niyamat Khan “Sadarang,” a dhrupad singer and player at the court of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah “Rangila,” played a significant role in the further development of khayal. 
• He combined some melodic movements from dhrupad with khayal compositions, and these compositions were typically played at a slow tempo. 
• Today, this slow composition, known as the vilambit bandish, is an essential part of khayal music.
• The word Khayal comes from the Persian/Arabic word meaning imagination.
• This form of Hindustani music is associated with romantic poetry and allows the performer greater freedom of expression than dhrupad.
• Khayal singing is usually accompanied by a tabla and a tanpura in a variety of talas (metric cycles).
• The Gwalior Gharana is said to be the oldest of the Khayal Gharanas.
• A few famous Khayal singers of the present era are Bhimsen Joshi Prabha Atre, Ajoy Chakrabarty, Gangubai Hangal, etc.

The Importance of Historical Narratives:

• The evolution of khayal illustrates the syncretic nature of Indian culture, where Hindus and Muslims were attracted to the genre, and hereditary khayal musicians taught it to people outside their respective families, including Hindus. 
• Khayal, as a case study, illustrates the syncretic nature of Indian culture and the interfaith harmony that existed in the past. 
• According to some, the study of such historical narratives is crucial in preserving the diversity and pluralism that defines Indian culture.

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