Faculty / Department · Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Faculty of Performing Arts, BHU
Part of Banaras Hindu University
The Faculty of Performing Arts carries Varanasi's centuries-old gharana traditions into university degrees: Hindustani classical vocal music, instrumental music (sitar, sarod, tabla, violin, flute), Kathak and Bharatanatyam dance, and musicology, with departments for vocal music, instrumental music, and dance.
| Established | 1950 |
| Type | Government / central |
| Location | BHU Campus, Varanasi 221005 |
| Website | https://www.bhu.ac.in |
Growing from BHU's College of Music & Fine Arts — whose formative era is associated with Pt. Omkarnath Thakur's leadership — the faculty became the academic home of the Banaras gharana's living tradition. Its alumni and faculty include some of Hindustani music's most distinguished names, and its degree ladder made classical performance a full university discipline.
Courses & degrees
• UG — Vocal Music
• UG — Instrumental Music (sitar, tabla, violin, flute…)
• UG — Dance (Kathak, Bharatanatyam)
• PG — Musicology / Performance
• Ph.D.
Notable people
• Pt. Omkarnath Thakur (founding principal, College of Music)
• Prof. N. Rajam (violin, former Dean)
Facts last verified 2026-08-15. Spot an error? Tell us.