Knowra Khayal Khayal Khayal is a major Hindustani vocal genre built around a composed song and flexible improvisation within a raga. Its performances balance melodic invention with rhythmic development.
Raga : A melodic framework in South Asian classical music defined by characteristic pitches, phrases, and patterns of movement. Each khayal performance develops a raga through characteristic phrases and melodic rules.
Bada khayal : The slower, more expansive section of a khayal performance, allowing extended raga development. Its spacious pace gives the singer room to elaborate the raga around the bandish.
Dhrupad : An older Hindustani vocal genre known for solemn compositions and extensive raga development. Its formal weight and vocal approach differ from khayal’s more flexible style.
Sawai Gandharva : An influential Hindustani vocalist of the Kirana gharana, active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His singing helped transmit Kirana khayal to prominent later performers.
Thumri : A Hindustani vocal genre emphasizing lyrical expression, romantic themes, and flexible treatment of a raga. Thumri favors expressive text interpretation more than khayal’s structured raga development.
Bandish : A composed vocal or instrumental piece that provides a melodic and rhythmic framework for performance. The bandish supplies the song text, melody, and rhythmic cycle around which khayal improvisation unfolds.
Chhota khayal : The faster section of a khayal performance, typically emphasizing rhythmic energy and rapid melodic passages. It often follows the bada khayal and intensifies the performance’s pace.
Amir Khusrau : A Persian-born poet and musician of the Delhi Sultanate, traditionally associated with developments in North Indian music. Later traditions credit him with khayal’s invention, though that attribution is historically uncertain.
Kesarbai Kerkar : An Indian classical vocalist celebrated for her performances in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. Her khayal exemplifies the gharana’s intricate raga choices and tightly organized development.
Tarana : A vocal form using rhythmic syllables rather than conventional poetic text, often performed at a brisk tempo. Its syllabic text and rhythmic focus differ from khayal’s song-centered improvisation.
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