Dhrupad Gurukul Kathmandu carries forward the ancient tradition of Dhrupad, a major form of Hindustani classical music that is distinguished by its emphasis on maintaining the purity of ragas and swaras. Vishal Bhattarai trained in the Dagarvani tradition at the Dhrupad Sansthan Bhopal Nyas under the Gundecha brothers, disciples of the late Ustads Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Zia Fariduddin Dagar. He joined hands with his gurubhai Inoue Sou to establish Dhrupad Gurukul Kathmandu, and the duo has been performing and teaching Dhrupad in Nepal for the last decade. They are joined by the renowned pakhawaj player Mukesh Shakya, who trained under the late Rabin Lal Shrestha, as well as two students currently training under the Gurukul, Rajin and Keshab.
