Ajrara gharana or Ajrada gharana is one of the six main traditional schools in tabla

Tabla

The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...

 drum. This school was founded in the nineteenth century by Miru and Kallu, disciples of Sitab Khan of the Delhi gharana

Delhi gharana

The Delhi Gharana is the oldest of all tabla gharanas, and is also the first to establish improvisation rules. It was founded in North-East India, and is easily one of the most, if not the most, common Gharana used today.-History:...

, at the Ajrara

Ajrara

Ajrara is a village situated in the Kharkhoda Mandal of Meerut District in Uttar Pradesh, India . It located at a distance of 7.484 kilometres from its Mandal headquarters at Kharkhoda, and 19.97 kilometres distance from the district headquarters in Meerut.The population of Ajrara according 2001...

 village, in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

.

Playing style

Clarity of sound is made possible by the propensity for using the index and middle fingers in the traditional manner. The Ajrara gharana style includes bol

Bol (music)

A bol is a mnemonic syllable. It is used in Indian music to define the tala, or rhythmic pattern, and is one of the most important parts of Indian rhythm. Bol is derived from the Hindi word bolna, which means "to speak."...

 patterns that are rather complicated, much more than does the Delhi gharana, and for the purpose the third fingers are brought into play as well. Pakhawaj bols are rarely encountered in this gharana. Similarly, the gharana's repertoire does not include many fixed compositions.

Ajrada is most well known for its theme and various compositions (qaidas and relas) as well as its beautiful and balanced bayan work. The qaidas of Ajrada, often, have an additional second line; this is one of the few "gifts" of Ajrada to the tabla world.

Prominent exponents

Though, on the world stage Ajrada is weakly represented, the gharanas compositions are played by almost everyone. In the recent past, Ustad Habibuddin Khan's associated with Ajrada. Maestros like Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa and Ustad Shaik Dawood also presented many rare and poetic compositions of Ajrada. Ustad Ghulam Sarvar Sabri and Ustad Akram Khan are notable tablaiyas who present the gharana's compositions in their full glory. Ustad Manju Khan Sahib, student of Ustad Habibuddin Khan Sahib is the representative of Ajrada gharana. His disciples Aman Ali, Athar Hussain, Anil Kumar are representing this gharana tradition set by Ustad Habibuddin Khan.