Which style of Hindustani singing is traditionally performed by men with the tanpura and pakhawaj?

Explanation

Dhrupad is the oldest surviving form of Hindustani classical vocal music. It was traditionally sung by men, with the tanpura providing the drone and the pakhawaj, a deep-toned barrel drum, providing the rhythm.

The word dhrupad comes from "dhruva" (fixed) and "pada" (verse), meaning a fixed composition. Dhrupad developed from older forms of temple and devotional singing and reached its classical form in the 15th century at the court of Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior, who was a great patron of music. It became the main form of court music under the Mughals, and Tansen, the court musician of Akbar, was its greatest master. The songs are usually in Braj Bhasha and praise gods, kings or nature. A dhrupad performance begins with a long, slow alap, sung with syllables such as "nom" and "tom" instead of words, which develops the raga note by note. The composition that follows has four parts: sthayi, antara, sanchari and abhog. Dhrupad is known for its serious, meditative and majestic character, and it avoids the light ornaments used in khayal and thumri. Dhamar is a related form, sung in the dhamar taal, often about the festival of Holi.

The four traditional styles (banis) of dhrupad are the Gauhar, Dagar, Khandar and Nauhar. Famous dhrupad singers include the Dagar family, the Mallick family of Darbhanga, the Gundecha Brothers and Uday Bhawalkar. In the 18th century, khayal gradually replaced dhrupad as the most popular form, but dhrupad has seen a revival in recent decades.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Thumri is a light classical form of romantic and devotional songs, linked with Lucknow and Banaras.
• ✗Ghazal is a form of Urdu poetry sung in a semi-classical style.
• ✗Tappa is a fast and lively form that developed from the songs of camel drivers in Punjab.