Sadarang and Adarang

Sadarang and Adarang were two of the most distinguished composers and innovators in the history of Hindustani classical music, credited with the creation and popularisation of the Khayal genre during the 18th century. Their contributions marked a pivotal transformation in North Indian music—from the older, austere Dhrupad tradition to the more expressive, improvisational, and lyrical form of Khayal that dominates Hindustani music today.
Both were active during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah “Rangeela” (1719–1748), a noted patron of the arts, under whose court the Khayal genre attained maturity and refinement.

Historical Background

By the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Dhrupad style of Hindustani music, though majestic and devotional, had become formal and rigid. Musicians sought new means of expression that allowed greater freedom in melody, rhythm, and emotional range. This search culminated in the emergence of Khayal, a form that prioritised imagination (khayal literally means “thought” or “imagination”) and personal interpretation over strict composition.
The Mughal court under Muhammad Shah Rangeela became a cultural centre for musical innovation. The emperor himself was a skilled musician and poet, deeply interested in developing refined and sensual art forms. It was in this environment that Sadarang and Adarang, uncle and nephew respectively, flourished as court musicians and revolutionised Indian music.

Biographical Details

1. Sadarang (Niyamat Khan, c. 1670–1748):

• Full name: Mirza Niyamat Khan “Sadarang”.
• He belonged to a family of professional musicians who served at the Mughal court.
• Sadarang was a vocalist, veena player, and composer in Emperor Muhammad Shah’s court, where he held the title Sadarang.
• His profound understanding of Dhrupad and Persian-influenced melodies enabled him to merge the rigour of classical structure with lyrical imagination.
• He is widely regarded as the founder of the modern Khayal form.

2. Adarang (Firoz Khan, c. 18th century):

• Nephew and disciple of Sadarang.
• Like his uncle, Adarang was an accomplished vocalist and instrumentalist, especially skilled on the Rudra Veena.
• He collaborated with Sadarang in developing and codifying the Khayal style.
• Both are often mentioned together as Sadarang-Adarang, symbolising their joint contribution to Hindustani music.

Contribution to the Development of Khayal

The most significant legacy of Sadarang and Adarang lies in their refinement and formalisation of the Khayal genre, which soon replaced Dhrupad as the dominant vocal style of North Indian classical music.
Key Contributions:

1. Creation of the Modern Khayal Form:
   • They expanded the melodic and rhythmic scope of Khayal, allowing for greater improvisation (alap, taans) and emotional nuance (bhava).
   • Their compositions balanced lyrical beauty with technical structure, making Khayal both artistically expressive and musically disciplined.
2. Composition of Bandishes (Fixed Songs):
   • Sadarang and Adarang composed hundreds of bandishes—short, fixed compositions in different ragas and talas—which form the backbone of the Khayal repertoire even today.
   • These compositions are admired for their poetic elegance, rhythmic sophistication, and perfect raga representation.
   • Most were written in Braj Bhasha, the literary language of North Indian devotional poetry, giving them lyrical charm and universality.
3. Integration of Persian and Indian Aesthetics:
   • Drawing on the Mughal court’s Persianate cultural milieu, they incorporated delicate ornamentation (murkis, meends, gamakas) and fluid improvisation into the Indian melodic framework.
   • Their approach merged the Persian idea of musical imagination with the Indian concept of raga, creating a form that was both disciplined and creative.
4. Emphasis on Bhava (Expression):
   • Unlike Dhrupad, which emphasised spiritual austerity, Khayal under Sadarang-Adarang focused on romantic, devotional, and emotional expression.
   • This shift reflected the cultural mood of Muhammad Shah’s court, where art was seen as an avenue for pleasure, beauty, and sensitivity.
5. Evolution of the Gharana System:
   • The compositions of Sadarang and Adarang became foundational to several gharanas (schools) of Hindustani music, including Gwalior, Agra, and Kirana.
   • Each gharana interpreted their bandishes in unique ways, but all acknowledged their influence as the basis of Khayal pedagogy.

Features of Sadarang–Adarang Compositions

The bandishes composed by Sadarang and Adarang demonstrate clarity of structure, elegance of melody, and precision of rhythm.
Key Characteristics:

• Language: Predominantly Braj Bhasha and Hindi, occasionally mixed with Persian vocabulary.
• Themes: Mostly devotional or romantic—praising Lord Krishna, describing nature, or expressing sringar rasa (love and beauty).
• Structure:
  • Typically set to vilambit laya (slow tempo), allowing for elaborate improvisation.
  • Followed by a drut laya (fast tempo) section with lively taans and rhythmic interplay.
• Raga and Tala: They composed in a wide variety of ragas and talas, expanding the expressive range of Hindustani music.
• Musical Ornamentation: Rich use of alankars (embellishments), meends (glides), murkis (grace notes), and taans (fast melodic runs).
• Poetic Content: The lyrics often begin with invocations or descriptive lines that introduce emotional and spiritual themes.

Example of a typical Sadarang composition:

“Piya bin nahi aavat chain” (I find no peace without my beloved).This simple yet profound line reflects both emotional longing and spiritual yearning—a hallmark of the Khayal aesthetic.

Relationship with the Mughal Court

Emperor Muhammad Shah Rangeela played a pivotal role in promoting the music of Sadarang and Adarang. Himself a skilled singer and veena player, he encouraged artistic experimentation and emotional expressiveness in court music.

• Under his patronage, the Dhrupad-dominated court music transformed into the Khayal-dominated system.
• Sadarang, as a court musician, composed many pieces dedicated to the emperor, using epithets such as “Rangeela” or “Muhammad Shah” in his bandishes.
• The emperor is believed to have performed compositions written by Sadarang, indicating their close artistic collaboration.

Legacy and Influence

The influence of Sadarang and Adarang on Indian classical music is immense and enduring.

1. Institutionalising Khayal: They gave Khayal its modern structure—introducing the vilambit-drut format, expansive alap sections, and improvisational possibilities that define the form today.
2. Foundation for Gharanas: Their compositions became the pedagogical base for later musicians and gharanas. The Gwalior gharana, in particular, considers their style as its earliest model.
3. Continuity in Repertoire: Many of their bandishes are still sung by leading Hindustani vocalists, maintaining their relevance and vitality across centuries.
4. Bridging Tradition and Innovation: Sadarang and Adarang demonstrated how creative innovation could coexist with classical discipline—an ideal that continues to guide Hindustani musicians.
5. Influence Beyond Music: Their compositions influenced the aesthetics of Indian poetry and performance, linking courtly sophistication with devotional depth.

Notable Later Exponents Influenced by Them

• Haddu Khan and Hassu Khan of the Gwalior gharana.
• Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (Patiala gharana) and Abdul Karim Khan (Kirana gharana), who often performed Sadarang-Adarang compositions.
• Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Kesarbai Kerkar, and Rashid Khan, among many modern vocalists, have sung their bandishes in concert repertoires.