Bishnupur Gharana traces back to the classical dhrupad singer Ustad Bahadur Khan of the Senia Gharana established by the legendary Tansen of Emperor Akbar's court. Ustad bahadur Khan was brought to Bishnupur Raghunath II of Bishnupur in the early 18th century. Pir Baksh, maestro who played the mridanga or pakhawaj followed suite. Under these two great musicians, bothe vocal and classical instrumental music flourished in the court of Bishnupur and in course of time their disciples graced the courts of princes and nobilities throughout eastern India.
In the 19th century with the advent of the Brahmo form of religion in Bengal, the Bishnupur Gharana under the patronage of the this new religion. Dhrupad became a way of worship of the 'formless God' of the Brahmo people.
When Maharshi Debendranath Tagore formed the Brahmo Samaaj he patronised several musicians of this gharana. This gradually led to the formation of a branch of the Bishnupur Gharana of music at the Tagore residence at Jorasaanko. Ram Shankar Bhattacharya and Jadunath Bhattacharya (or Jadu Bhatta) were the most eminent among this group of artists. Jadu Bhatta had composed the music of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's Vande Mataram which became the rallying cry of the Indian freedom struggle.
The Bishnupur Gharana had huge influence on the music of the great Rabindranath Tagore.
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