In the professional sense a gharana has some of the characteristics of a guild. The gharanas were entrusted with the duty of maintaining a certain standard of musicianship. In the artistic sense the gharana is somewhat comparable to a "style" or "school". Various gharanas adopt their own particular approach to presentation, technique and repertoire.

In the past few decades the gharana system has had a negative impact on the standard of musicianship. The secretive nature of the gharana system coupled with the fact that gharanas tended to specialize in only one technique or approach is inconsistent with modern pedagogic and professional requirements 

Gharanas Of Tabla 

Gharanas Of Hindustani Vocal