Dhrupad Classical Vocal Nathdwara Rajasthan

Dhrupad is the oldest surviving form of Hindustani classical music, a devotional genre of Sanskrit and Braj Bhasha compositions performed in a slow, austere style emphasizing meend (gliding ornaments) and gamak (oscillating ornaments) in the voice, preceded by an extended alap (melodic improvisation without rhythm) that can last an hour before the composition is introduced, drawing from the ancient marga (classical) music tradition described in the Natya Shastra and refined in the Mughal imperial court. Dhrupad was patronized by Akbar at the hands of Tansen (1493-1589), who is considered the greatest musician of the Mughal era and is associated with the Miyan ki Malhar and Miyan ki Todi ragas. The Dagar Brothers (Nasir Moinuddin and Nasir Aminuddin Dagar) and the subsequent Dagar lineage are the primary bearers of the Dhrupad tradition into the modern era. In Rajasthan, the Pushtimargi devotional sect centered at Nathdwara preserves a distinct Haveli Sangeet tradition of Dhrupad compositions dedicated to Shrinathji, performed by the temple's hereditary singer families (Haveli sangeet practitioners) at the eight daily worship services (ashtayam). The Gurukul Nathdwara and Vrindavan preserve this temple-music tradition distinct from concert-hall Dhrupad.