--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-lk/gharana/delhi-gharana-tabla' title: 'Delhi Gharana (Tabla)' author: name: Anonymous updated: '2026-11-05T00:14:18+00:00' type: website summary: 'The Delhi gharana, also called the Dilli gharana, is a school of tabla playing that began in Delhi with Siddhar Khan Dhadhi in the first half of the 18th century. SwarGanga calls it the first and fundamental gharana of tabla, and players of every gharana study its qaidas.' tags: - 'Lucknow Gharana (Tabla)' image: 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:type': image/svg+xml 'image:alt': KalaSudha --- # Delhi Gharana (Tabla) दिल्ली घराना (तबला) The two-finger rim style of tabla, built on the qaida Tabla Gharana Delhi Founded By Siddhar Khan The **Delhi gharana**, also called the Dilli gharana, is a school of [tabla](/en-lk/instrumental/hindustani-classical/tabla) playing that began in Delhi with Siddhar Khan Dhadhi in the first half of the 18th century. SwarGanga calls it the first and fundamental gharana of tabla, and players of every gharana study its qaidas. [Sign in to follow](/en-lk/user/login?flag_anon=follow_term-328&destination=/en-lk/markdownify/taxonomy/term/328) [ Share ](/en-lk/share/term/328) ### Quick Facts Type Tabla Gharana Origin Delhi ## Origins & History Aneesh Pradhan dates the gharana to the first half of the 18th century, and SwarGanga puts the founder's birth at about 1700. Pradhan calls **Siddhar Khan Dhadhi** the earliest known tabla player. His name also appears as Sidhar and Sudhar Khan, and course notes on Robert Gottlieb's recordings spell the surname Dhari and place his birth in the late 1700s. Siddhar Khan learned the pakhawaj, the barrel drum, before he turned to the tabla. SwarGanga credits his work on the chanti, the rim of the right drum, with making the tabla a regular accompaniment for khayal singing. In the 18th century, James Kippen writes, many musicians left Delhi for the Awadh courts at Faizabad and later Lucknow. The Lucknow and Ajrara gharanas both came from the Delhi line, and Pradhan calls Delhi the fountainhead of the tabla gharanas in many players' view. > "Six gharanas are widely recognised" > > — James Kippen > > The Tabla of Lucknow: A Cultural Analysis of a Musical Tradition (1988), preface ## Historical Timeline About 1700 ### Siddhar Khan is born SwarGanga gives about 1700 for the birth of Siddhar Khan Dhadhi, the gharana's founder and the earliest known tabla player. First half of the 18th century ### The gharana begins in Delhi Aneesh Pradhan places the start of the Delhi tabla gharana in the first half of the 18th century, with Siddhar Khan. 18th century ### Musicians leave Delhi for Awadh James Kippen describes musicians leaving Delhi for the Awadh court at Faizabad and later Lucknow, where the Lucknow gharana grew from the Delhi line. Around 1800 ### Ajrara founders born Kallu Khan and Miru Khan, who founded the Ajrara gharana from the Delhi line, are born around this time. 1971 ### Inam Ali Khan records for Gottlieb Inam Ali Khan, khalifa of the Delhi gharana, records in Bombay on 6 October 1971 for Robert Gottlieb's survey of solo tabla. ## Lineage & Legacy The guru-shishya tradition passed down through generations By SwarGanga's account Siddhar Khan taught his son Bugra Khan. Bugra Khan's disciple Sitab Khan then taught the founders of the Ajrara gharana. In the 20th century Pradhan names **Natthu Khan** as a significant exponent. Gamay Khan's son Inam Ali Khan, called the gharana's khalifa, or head, recorded for Gottlieb's survey of solo tabla in 1971. ### Founder #### Siddhar Khan Dhadhi Born about 1700 Founder Pradhan's earliest known tabla player. He trained on the pakhawaj first, and SwarGanga credits his rim technique with bringing the tabla into khayal accompaniment. Guru-Shishya Tradition ### 18th century, by SwarGanga's account #### Bugra Khan 18th century Son of the founder Named by SwarGanga as Siddhar Khan's son and the teacher of Sitab Khan, through whom the Ajrara line descends. #### Sitab Khan 18th century Disciple of Bugra Khan SwarGanga makes him a disciple of Bugra Khan and the teacher of Kallu Khan and Miru Khan, founders of the Ajrara gharana. Guru-Shishya Tradition ### 20th century #### Natthu Khan 1875-1940 Tabla player Named by Aneesh Pradhan as a significant exponent of the Delhi gharana, in his survey of Delhi tabla recordings. #### Gamay Khan 1883-1958 Tabla player Delhi master and father of Inam Ali Khan, as the course notes on Gottlieb's recordings record him. The name also appears as Gameh Khan. #### Inam Ali Khan 1924-1986 or 1990 Khalifa of the gharana Son of Gamay Khan and a scion of the gharana, Pradhan writes. He recorded in Bombay on 6 October 1971 for Gottlieb's survey of solo tabla. The gharana system is rooted in the guru-shishya (teacher-disciple) tradition, where musical knowledge and style are passed down through direct apprenticeship over three or more generations. ## Key exponents - Siddhar Khan Dhadhi, founder, born about 1700 - Bugra Khan, son of the founder, by SwarGanga's account - Sitab Khan, teacher of the Ajrara founders, by SwarGanga's account - Natthu Khan, 1875-1940, exponent of the gharana - Gamay Khan, 1883-1958, father of Inam Ali Khan - Inam Ali Khan, 1924-1986 or 1990, khalifa of the gharana ## Musical Characteristics Distinctive style, techniques, and aesthetic philosophy ### Overall Style Delhi tabla is played at the rim. Musicians call it **kinar baj**, the rim style, because the main right-hand stroke falls at the edge of the drumhead, and many phrases use only two fingers. Pradhan describes it as a **band baj**, a quieter and closed style, set against the more resonant khula baj. The qaida, a theme with set variations, sits at its centre. #### Kinar baj The main stroke of the right hand falls on the kinar, the rim of the drumhead, which gives the style its name. #### Two fingers Many compositions use only the index and middle fingers on the right drum, hence the name do ungliyon ka baj, the style of two fingers. #### Closed and quiet Pradhan calls Delhi a band baj, quieter and closed, against the open khula baj. Most players now practise both, in differing measure. #### The qaida The qaida, a theme played with set variations, is the core of the repertoire. Players of all gharanas treat a grounding in Delhi qaidas as essential. ## Signature Repertoire The core Delhi repertoire is peshkar, **qaida** and rela, with mukhra, mohra and short tukras. It uses fewer pakhawaj bols and gives less weight to parans. Delhi qaidas are mostly in chatusra jati, a four-fold division, on bols such as dhit, tit, dhage, tinakina and tirakita. The peshkar is said to have begun in Delhi, though most modern peshkar playing follows the Farrukhabad manner. ## Compare with Similar Gharanas Understand how Delhi Gharana (Tabla) differs from other traditions Select a Gharana to Compare: Lucknow Gharana (Tabla) | | Delhi Gharana (Tabla) (Current) | Lucknow Gharana (Tabla) (Comparing) | |---|---|---| | Type | Tabla | Tabla | | Origin | Delhi | Lucknow | | Era | | Late 18th century | | Style | Delhi tabla is played at the rim. Musicians call it kinar baj, the rim style, because the main right-hand stroke falls at the edge of the drumhead, and many phrases use only two fingers. Pradhan describes it as a band baj, a quieter and closed style, set against the more resonant khula baj. The qaida, a theme with set variations, sits at its centre. | The Lucknow manner is khula baj, the open style: bolder, more resonant strokes that use the palm with the fingers, set against Delhi's two-finger playing at the rim. Open and closed are not always clearly defined, and khula baj also plays closed strokes with force. The style draws on pakhawaj technique and on kathak, whose dancers shaped its fixed compositions. The dance school itself has its own page, the Lucknow gharana of Kathak. | [View Lucknow Gharana (Tabla) Details ](/en-lk/gharana/lucknow-gharana-tabla) ## Influence & Legacy Two gharanas came from Delhi. The [Lucknow gharana](/en-lk/gharana/lucknow-gharana-tabla) was founded by Bakhshu Khan and, it is commonly believed, by Modhu Khan, though SwarGanga names Modhu Khan alone. The Ajrara gharana was founded by Kallu Khan and Miru Khan. Delhi and Ajrara make up the Dilli baj, against the Purab or eastern baj of Lucknow, Benares and Farrukhabad, and students of every gharana learn Delhi qaidas. ### Offshoots & Related Styles Lucknow gharana of tabla Ajrara gharana ## Sources 1. Aneesh Pradhan, Tabla performances by maestros of the Delhi gharana, Scroll.in (2016) 2. SwarGanga Music Foundation, Siddhar Khan (n.d.) 3. DigiTabla, Dilli Gharana, Baj and Six gharanas (n.d.) 4. Skidmore College course notes on Robert S. Gottlieb, Solo Tabla Drumming of North India (2013) 5. James Kippen, The Tabla of Lucknow (1988) ## Frequently Asked Questions What is the Delhi gharana of tabla? The Delhi or Dilli gharana is the [tabla](/en-lk/instrumental/hindustani-classical/tabla) school that Siddhar Khan Dhadhi began in Delhi in the first half of the 1700s. Its style is the kinar baj, played at the rim with two fingers. Its qaidas are a foundation for players of every gharana. Who founded the Delhi gharana of tabla? Siddhar Khan Dhadhi founded the Delhi gharana of tabla, and Aneesh Pradhan calls him the earliest known tabla player. SwarGanga puts his birth at about 1700, while course notes on Gottlieb's recordings place it in the late 1700s. He trained on the pakhawaj before the tabla. Which musicians belong to the Delhi gharana of tabla today? The most recent khalifa, or head, of the Delhi gharana in the 20th century was Inam Ali Khan (1924-1986 or 1990), son of Gamay Khan, who recorded for Robert Gottlieb's survey in 1971. Aneesh Pradhan also names Natthu Khan (1875-1940) as a significant exponent of the gharana. How does the Delhi gharana of tabla differ from the Lucknow gharana? Delhi tabla is a closed, quieter style played largely with two fingers at the rim, while Lucknow's open style uses the palm with the fingers. Delhi centres on qaidas, and Lucknow, shaped by kathak, builds fixed forms such as gat, tukra and paran. Lucknow came from the Delhi line. Read more on the [Lucknow gharana](/en-lk/gharana/lucknow-gharana-tabla) page. What is the difference between bandh baaj and khula baaj in tabla? Bandh baaj is the closed, quieter style of tabla, and khula baaj the more resonant, open one. Aneesh Pradhan places Delhi in the band baaj. The line between them is loose, and most players now practise both, in differing measure by gharana. Is the Delhi gharana the oldest tabla gharana? SwarGanga calls the Delhi gharana the first and fundamental gharana of tabla, and Aneesh Pradhan reports that it is regarded as the fountainhead of the others. The Punjab gharana developed separately, so not every gharana descends from Delhi, though Lucknow and Ajrara do. Is the Delhi tabla gharana the same as the Delhi vocal gharana? No. The Delhi tabla gharana, founded by Siddhar Khan, is a separate tradition from the Delhi gharana of khayal singing, which shares only the city name. See the [Delhi gharana of khayal](/en-lk/gharana/delhi-gharana-khayal). Why do tabla students of every gharana learn Delhi qaidas? Tabla students of every gharana learn Delhi qaidas because the qaida, a theme with set variations, is the core of the Delhi repertoire. Most players, whatever their gharana, treat a grounding in Delhi qaidas as essential. 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