Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (1922) is today regarded as the foremost representative of the Kirana Gharana. This Gharana derives its name from Kirana near Kurukshetra, the birthplace of Khan Sahab Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1937), the founder of this gharana. The Kirana Gharana attaches a great deal of significance to the alap, and a particular emphasis is placed on the melodiousness of the composition.
Student of the famed Pandit Rambhau Kundgolkar (1886-1952), also known as Sawai Gandharva, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi has nevertheless been exposed to a wide variety of influences under various gurus from Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan in Gwalior to Vinayak Rao Patwardhan in Jullundhar. Although he is considered to belong to the kirana gharana, his style cannot be straitjacketed under any category, and his music is an eclectic mix of all the influences he has been exposed to.
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is the winner of several awards and honours ranging from the Padmashri and Padmabhushan to the Sangeet Natak Academi Award. In addition to his prowess in the classical medium, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is a noted singer of devotional songs and hymns, especially those of Sant Vani and Purandara Dasa.
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