Believed by many as the finest female vocalist of her generation, Kishori Amonkar has been blessed with a naturally melodious voice. The distinguishing feature of her performance is the effortlessness with which she presents the ragas. Her renderings keep intact the tradition of the Jaipur gharana without being tradition bound, thus winning the acclaim of purists as well as laymen. Kishori Amonkar’s mother, the illustrious Mogubai Kurdekar, told her once: “Sing for the nature and everything will respond to you.” How true were those words. Birds, animals, trees, the grass and even the sun seem to reciprocate when Kishori Amonkar sings.
Kishori Amonkar – Deskar – Hun To Tore Karan Jaagi :
Presented in this post are a few gems from some of the most renowned artists of Indian classical music. These songs were picked up by me from various music forums and sites. A couple of these songs have been specially uploaded on visitors’ requests. If your requested song is not here, please wait for the next Random Songs post.
Bhimsen Joshi – Thumri Bhairavi – Babul Mora Naihar :
The Jaipur Gharana (also known as the Jaipur-AtrauliGharana) is a Khayal based Gharana, founded by Ustad Alladiya Khan (1855-1946) in the late 19th century. An offshoot of the Agra Gharana, the Jaipur Gharana acquired its name and status as a Gharana in the early half of the 20th century as a result of the growing popularity of stalwarts of this Gharana like Kesarbai Kerkar, Mogubai Kurdikar, Mallikarjun Mansur and Kishori Amonkar.
The Gharana is unique in that it was the first Gharana to be founded in Khayal Gayaki, whereas other major Gharanas were initially founded as Dhrupad-Dhamar Gayakis and eventually evolved into the Khayal Gayaki. The founder of this Gharana, Ustad Alladiya Khan initially developed the unique Gayaki of this Gharana following the partial loss of his voice which prompted him to develop an adjusted singing style to accommodate this handicap. As a result of his exploration, he raised the level of musical and vocal artistry to such heights that he was acclaimed as the ‘High Priest of Khayal Gayaki’.
Mallikarjun Mansur – Deshkar – Hu To Tore Karan Jagi :
Kishori Amonkar – Bhairavi – Koyaliya Na Bolo Dar :
Ulhas Kashalkar – Lalit Pancham – Udat Boondan :
Shruti Sadolikar – Bhairavi – Bajuband Khul Khul Jai :
Renowned names of Jaipur Gharana include Jitendra Abhisheki, Padmavati Shaligram, Manik Bhide, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Manjiri Asanare and many more, besides the artists mentioned at the beginning of this post. As is usual with most Gharanas, the list is long.
Last century saw a distinct shift for women singers of hindustani classical music. From being the preserve of the bais and courtesans in the past, it gradually grew into an honorable profession to the young girls and women of respectable families. Women singers of today are not only admired, but seen with awe, and rightly so. Women classical singers in fact, never had it so good.
With this post I begin a new mini series of songs by some of our great women singers, each one a Diva in her own right.
Indian Raga 