Lucknow gharana (tabla)

The Lucknow tabla gharana, also called the Purab (eastern) or khula baj tradition, grew up in the courtly and dance culture of Lucknow and is defined by its closeness to kathak. Its playing is open and resonant rather than edge-focused, and it draws heavily on pakhawaj vocabulary — a consequence of having to be heard alongside the ghungroo, the ankle bells worn by dancers.

The gharana is traced to Bakshu Khan and Modu Khan, described as nephews of Sidhar Khan of Delhi, who moved to Lucknow at the invitation of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula. Lucknow under the Nawabs supported both music and dance on a large scale, and the move placed the players in daily contact with kathak.

Its later line of khalifas includes Wajid Hussain Khan, Abid Hussain Khan and Afaq Hussain Khan; Munne Khan and, in the modern era, Swapan Chaudhuri are among its best-known representatives. The gharana also travelled to Bengal through players such as Nogendranath Bose and the Ganguli line, and the Farrukhabad gharana itself began as an offshoot when Vilayat Ali Khan, a disciple and son-in-law of Miyan Bakshu of Lucknow, established his own line.

Note that "Lucknow gharana" also names a major kathak tradition — the line of Durga Prasad Mishra, Bindadin Maharaj, Acchan Maharaj and Birju Maharaj. The two share a city and a performance context but are separate discipleship lines.

Lucknow playing is known as khula baj, open playing, and also as thapiya baj, from thapi, the palm: compositions use the flat of the hand as well as the fingers, a technique taken from the pakhawaj to produce a louder sound. The right hand plays largely on the middle of the dayan rather than the kinar or rim favoured in Delhi, and the bayan is played open.

The repertoire emphasises theka vistar and theka palta (variations on the basic cycle), gat, chalan, tukda, paran — bold pakhawaj-derived pieces closing with a tihai — and chakradar. Characteristic stroke phrases include kddhetita, dhet dhet, kddhan, ghadan, ghen tadan and tagenna. Although shaped by dance accompaniment, the gharana has a substantial solo tradition of its own.