Kirana

Kirana is a term with several related meanings in the Indian subcontinent and surrounding regions. In everyday commerce, a kirana refers to a small, family-run neighborhood grocery or general store. The term comes from Urdu and Hindi usage, and kirana shops typically stock staples, spices, household items, and personal care products. They are an important part of local retail networks, often operating with flexible credit and personal customer service, and they are usually supplied by regional wholesalers.

Kirana Gharana: In Hindustani classical music, the Kirana Gharana is one of the prominent schools or gharanas. It takes its name from the Kirana locality in the Punjab region and is known for a focus on melodic development, precise intonation, and expansive, slow-building phrases. The gharana emphasizes long, sustained notes and nuanced microtonal inflections (swara). Notable exponents associated with the Kirana Gharana include Abdul Karim Khan, Abdul Wahid Khan, and Bhimsen Joshi.

Other uses: Kirana also appears as a place name in various parts of the Indian subcontinent, including towns and villages, and it is sometimes used more broadly in regional language to refer to groceries or small shops. In contemporary contexts, the term kirana shop remains common in India and Pakistan for neighborhood groceries, while the Kirana Gharana continues to be cited as a significant tradition within Hindustani music.