Song of Bird

While listening to the songs of Allah jilai bai(Allah zillai Bai)  I felt as if I traveled a long journey. A very immense and thought-full journey. this journey tells how the life is or what is a life??.  

Listening Maand song of Smt Allah Jilai bai, the Kesariya Baalam Padharo Mhare Desh, we get to imagine the difficult life with great valour of Rajputana, the Mewar, the Chittorgarh, the jaipur and its relation with the Mughal empire, Dhola Maru Ratan etc.   But for me she and her life was more important. How a girl, lived a hard life in those days. When girls were exploited the most. Moreover since they belonged to the community meant for singing. But I feel proud that it is due them only that India is boasting of great cultural heritage all over the world. But time has not changed much. Look at our backyard, in post Independence India how we treat those who belonged to this community!!. In those days, girls were prohibited to be seen by anyone other than their patrons. When I say girls, it means those belonging to the singing community. Shri  Muzaffar Ali has correctly made a film touching these topics. People kidnapped girls and sold them. That time the community get few Umrao Jaan and other girl becomes the Begum of the kingdom and not leaving behind the Husaini Bua ji, who must have been also a stolen girl??? who knows?

Allah Jilai Bai, belonged to the family of singers. She was appointed as court singer in court of Maharaja Ganga Singh ji. She also got training under ustads and Achhan Maharaj, the star of Lucknow Gharana of Kathak.

Then another gem is Asgari Bai of Tikamgarh of famous princely state Orcha. She was also a rare gem of India. Once I watched her on Doordarshan. In that interview she came out as a frank but courteous lady. She was telling one incident about singing in front of deity/mahant in a temple. she sat just next to the door so that she should not face the deity of temple. To that she frankly said how can i face the presiding deity and adding to it she said "nobody in this world is so capable of  facing the lord?? !!! Very true indeed.
But the hurt and pain which she might have felt at that moment... was so enormous. Since she was from that community thus she herself was not confident to sit facing the deity in temple???.  But what she said about that incidence means they were most intelligent also. Due to situations they became victim. She once commented on the Dhrupad rendition of Dagar Bandhu that  “I didn’t find the tum num na na or re re da neem etc  good, what Dagar people sing”  It is not dhrupad”. it is actually for riyaz purpose. It meant for practice at home not for concert singing.   I am unable to understand all this. If people want to sing the Dhrupad they should sing in the correct way.  
In those days singers used to learn many things including dhrupad. Since they had to sing everything as per the wish of patrons or audience.
One famous example is Begum Akhtar. She made gazal singing famous. That does not mean she did not know singing other styles. She knew many styles, Thumri or dadra etc. She sang Gazal decorated with “Raag”.  In those times being a singer was tough in comparison to modern times. we have various forms, easily available in various media. Dhamar was sung by a particular community on Holi. 

http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/in-a-male-bastion-asgari-bai-held-her-own-tune/10304/1

in this article it is written that she picked up Dhrupad singing in 1980s. How wrong is this statement? She was court singer at Teekamgarh, She had learnt from Ustads, other wise how she could have become a court singer of Teekamgarh. Her mother and grandmother had been court singers themselves. Then if anyone says she picked up dhrupad? She and other singers of her time had to undergo rigorous training of classical music. Then only they become famous and thus appointed as court singers of princely states. Thus she had mastered the art of singing, i guess she might have learnt Dhrupad also. As she commented on singing style of Dagars, her teaching was to sing a bandish based on Dhrupad and not those swara vistara as Dagars used to do. in the article itself Gundecha brothers said her style was different from Dagar style. 

VIDEO

5. another for Asghari Bai



6. a video

another one echos of silence

Thus, whenever the name of Teekamgarh will be written, name of Asgari Begum will have to be added. Without her name history of Teekamgarh is nothing. It is sad that not much of archives are available on her(of her young age).
Another Gem from Orcha i remember, she was Rai Praveen. She was also a singer of Orcha. It is said that son of Madukar Sah, Inderjeet Singh loved this lady singer. He wanted to marry her, as per one legend, but he could not. Then this Akbar heard about her. He sent message that if she is not sent to Mughal court, mughal army will capture Orcha? Thus as per legend to save Orcha she went to Mughal court, and as the prince/king was weak and could not fight with Mughal Army.
In court of Akbar She might have sang? 
a couplet he said:  Vinti Rai Praveen ki, suniye sah sujan. Juthi patar bhakat hain, bari, bayas, swan.
 
0' good and intelligent! Please listen to the prayer of Rai Praveen. Only bari (a low caste among Hindus), barber and dog(?) eat from a plate, food from which has been partaken by someone else. 
Akbar, an intelligent person himself, understood the import of Rai Praveen's couplet immediately. he rewarded her and allowed her to return to Orchha with full dignity and honour. 

Prince Indrajit Singh constructed Rai Praveen Palace for his belloved. The walls of the central hall on second story bear many paintings depicting several moods of Rai Praveen.  The Rai Praveen was a great beauty whose main accomplishments were dancing, horse riding and poetry. The famous poet Keshavdas compiled Kavi priya to honour Rai Praveen and praised her beauty comparing her to Roopamti & Mriganayani. 

Rai Praveen Mahal at Orcha having paintings of Dance

 
I heard Rasoolan Bai, Sidheswari Devi, Gauhar Jaan, Hira Devi Mishra, Mohamad bandi, Jaddan Bai, Malka Pukhraj, Reshma and many more. I also read about the Malka Jaan, Moti Bai (Choti and badi) Janaki bai of Allahabad, All and each tell a story of our bygone era.

There is very good work on Begum Akhtar written by Shivani ji named as Koyaliya mat kar pukar. In the end the writer wrote that on listening story the Begum Akhtar commented "nobody else has written on her like this ever before". Begum Akhtar sang Koyalia mat kar pukar, lagat karejawa pe chot. The same song Begum Akhtar sang in Bengali, Koyalia Gaan thama ei-bar.
I have heard that Malka Pukhraj of Jammu became famous in Delhi at the age of 12 or 14. Later she was appointed in the court of Maharaja Harisingh ji. She has brought out her memories in the book "Song Sung True".
The Hindustani Music was prevalent from Jammu Kashmir to the Madurai. Once i read that M S (Subhbulakshmi, the Bharat Ratna) used to hear songs in neighbour's radio. She heard many Hindustani songs. Down south in Dharwad, Smt Gangu Bai Hangal was also impressed by Hindustani Music after listening LP records of Gauhar Jaan etc. She at age of 12 was learning music by making journey to her guru. Everybody used to laugh at her. All these tender aged girls singing reminds the little singing birds. Thus it is a song of birds.