the name of this school of music derives from kirana or kairana, a town and tehsil of shamli district in uttar pradesh. it is the birthplace of abdul karim khan (1872–1937), who was one of the most important musicians of this gharana and of hindustani music in general in the twentieth century. a frequent visitor to the court of mysore, abdul karim khan was also influenced by carnatic music, and roots of the tradition can also be traced back to his great-grandfather ghulam ali and ghulam maula, the brother of ghulam ali.