Lucknow

Lucknow is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and serves as its administrative capital. Historically the seat of the Nawabs of Awadh, Lucknow emerged as a cultural hub for North Indian classical music, dance, and poetry during the 18th and 19th centuries. The city fostered the Lucknow gharana, a distinct school of khayal in Hindustani classical vocal music, characterized by intricate taan patterns, bol-baant, and emphasis on lyrical expression. Notable exponents include Ustad Chand Khan, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan, and Begum Akhtar, who contributed to the gharana’s development in the early to mid-20th century.

The city’s musical legacy extends to instrumental traditions, particularly the sitar and shehnai. Ustad Vilayat Khan, a sitar maestro born in Gouripur (near Lucknow) in 1928, refined the gayaki ang (vocal-style playing) associated with the region. His 1968 album Vilayat Khan: The Greatest Sitarist of India (EMI-Columbia) showcased compositions like Raga Yaman and Raga Todi, exemplifying the Lucknow-influenced improvisational approach. The shehnai tradition gained prominence through Ustad Bismillah Khan, who, though based in Varanasi, frequently performed in Lucknow’s courts and festivals. His 1980 live recording at the Lucknow Mahotsav (HMV) featured Raga Kafi and Chaiti, reinforcing the city’s role in promoting instrumental classical forms.

Lucknow’s kathak dance tradition, nurtured under the patronage of the Awadh court, produced figures like Achhan Maharaj and his descendants, including Birju Maharaj. The 1979 documentary Kathak: The Dance of Storytellers (Films Division of India) captured Birju Maharaj’s performances in Lucknow, highlighting the city’s contribution to the Lucknow gharana of kathak, marked by graceful movements and narrative abhinaya. The city also hosted the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s regional center, which documented folk and classical arts through archives and annual festivals.

In contemporary contexts, Lucknow remains a center for classical music education. Institutions like the Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University (established 1926) offer degrees in Hindustani classical music, while the Lucknow Mahotsav, an annual cultural festival since 1980, features performances by artists such as Kishori Amonkar and Zakir Hussain. The 2015 album Lucknow to London (Times Music) by sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee and tabla player Ojas Adhiya included fusion tracks like Raga Mishra Pilu in Teentaal, blending classical ragas with global influences. The city’s recording studios, including Doordarshan Kendra Lucknow, have archived performances by local and visiting artists since the 1960s, though comprehensive digital catalogs remain incomplete.

The architectural and acoustic design of venues like the Kaiserbag Palace and Rumi Darwaza area influenced classical performances, with open-air mehfils (concerts) held during the Nawabi era. Modern venues such as the Dr. Viren Dang Auditorium host the Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan, an annual event since 1952 that features artists from the Lucknow and neighboring gharanas. While specific commercial releases tied exclusively to Lucknow’s studios are limited, the city’s role as a nurturing ground for classical arts persists through oral traditions, institutional training, and periodic festivals.