The Agra gharana is a tradition of Hindustani classical vocal music descended from the Nauhar Bani.
Emphasis is laid on bold, full-throated and robust voice production, and singing in the lower register (mandra) is favoured.
Keeping in tune with its dhrupadic origins, the singers use broad and powerful ornamentations (gamaks), extensive glides (meends) and resonant articulations of notes.
Agra singers' tihais are eagerly awaited, as are their nifty ways of arriving at the same, by building up anticipation within the listener.
This is the only Gharana that has still continued to sing Dhrupad-Dhamar along with Nom-Tom Alap, Khayal, Thumri, Tappa, Tarana, Hori,