Thumri Styles

The various gharanas of Khayal as well as the Thumri styles of Benaras Lucknow and Punjab gained immense significance and evolved as highly sophisticated, improvised forms of music which are popular even today.

Thumri is a light classical form of Hindustani Music which is lyrical and romantic as it is linked to the classical dance form of kathak. The two distinct styles of thumri, dadra, are Purabi of Benaras, Lucknow and the Punjabi style which originated in the mountainous regions of North West India. The Thumri spans the sensuous and the sublime in its themes. It is also linked to the rustic folk melodies of northern India . This is particularly seen in the musical forms of Chaiti, Hori, Jhula, Kajri and Sawan.