Koyelia Gaan Thama -- Begum Akhtar

Begum Akhtar as we know today was a shining star of our Hindustani Classical Indian Music. While Thinking about her life i feel it was a path full of thorns on which she had to walk all through her life.
Born in a family of traditional singers she was destined to become a singer.
In some LP records of past years it was written as Akhtari Bai Faizabadi. As per tradition in end of songs each singer had to announce his or her name. similarly Begum also announced "Akhtari Bai Faizabadi".
That indicates she hailed from Faizabad. This town is famous for many gems of Indian Classical music often known as Hindustani music. Most famous SuperStar of her times




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When she married to Abbasi saheb, a lawyer at Lucknow, she became Begum Akhtar from Akhtari Bai ji. But this life, seems to be of respected household, was full of restrictions. it is learnet that she as Begum Abbasi was forbidden from singing in public. how awkward was our society back then? (i think still in present times society is same) Man visit girls-women of their choice, even she is a dancer or tawaif but once she is married she had to follow all restrictions. Thus Begam Akhtari sahiba, who was born & brought up in singing atmosphere and she was well known as an singer par excellence suddenly could not sing anywhere in public-not in front of MEN in particular.

that's why i framed "a free bird put in a cage" appropriately. described her situation. She became ill, due to this suffocation.

All India Radio became one of the greatest patron for our classical artists of that time, in absence of kings-queens. Here too AIR Lucknow came to rescue of Begum Sahiba. She sang three songs-ghazals & dadra, to everyone's relief she was cured off her ailments. True artist inside her won the battle that she was fighting within for 5 years after marriage. 

Begum Sahiba as she can be addressed,

sang many songs in Bengali too. Imagine how difficult it might have been. She hailed from Faizabad in UP and in that area mostly poorvi boli dialect is used. Eastern Uttar Pradesh has little bit different dialect from Central Uttar Pradesh. She learned in Faizabad, must have visited Varanasi, Lucknow also, but in those times Calcutta was a big cultural hub. Most of famous Tawaifs of those times often dream of going to Calcutta to perform. thinking that if they get recognition in Calcutta then their dreams will come true.

Begum Akhtar also went to Calcutta, not only went but sang in Bengali too? What type of training she might of got and from whom? Who taught her to sing in Bengali? that time standard of teaching learning was of high.

In modern India people start fighting over language? Bengali will say bad about Hindi. Tamil area rise against Hindi? similarly now Punjabi and Karnataka areas have also started opposing Hindi? Begum Akhtar sang in Hindi, Urdu, Awadhi, Bengali also. But She has some PATIALA gharana connection too? if i am not wrong?

Every seasons had different style of singing & songs. in months of March, April, May
Basant, sawan, ashadh ect have different songs.
Begum Akhtar sang this famous song in Bengali- asking Koyal to stop singing as it pierce inside her heart. Pangs of longing & separation for lovers is portrayed through words & singing.

I term it as vachik abhinaya, where swar play important role. how to say particular swar, in what tone, thus tonal quality of voice was very important in singing. those times tawaif were expert in using tone or swar in portraying bhaav. that was not practicable by women in married household. 

As Shanti Hiranand, who was disciple of Begum Akhtar at Lucknow told man times, about difference in style of singing by tawaifs and other ladies. Tawaif being free birds could be naughty, while singing they used sensuous tones or words in many ways, also facial expression were added. Thus in mehfil singing they excelled. Bhaav Batana in swar abhinaya. But greatness is in learning or mastering this art. 

DADRA by Begum Akhtar: it is sung in the awadhi dialect, that we speak or listen in and around Lucknow, Kanpur, Sitapur, Unnao, Hardoi area. The lyrics are symbolic and indirectly tease the listener or the patron. Subtle nuances or erotic emotions are created through the suggestive lyrics and also through the voice modulation. Emotion through voice - it is hard to learn these, but in the their learning classes and through daily life experiences those dancing girls of bygone era learned all that ABHINAYA? Vachik Abhinaya as it is called. As in theatre the actor on stage delivers the dialogue but with the emotions, that's called the Vachik Abhinaya.

DADRA