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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Report: The 2025 Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival
The theme for the 16th edition of the Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival this year was 'Lucknow ke Gali-Kooche'. While a city is known by its grand monuments in the popular imagination, life takes place in the narrow lanes or galiyan which witness a whole array of diverse syncretic practices that preserve sociocultural memories. Held from 31 January to 4 February at Safed Baradari and Salempur Estate in Qaiserbagh, 'MSLF 2025', as its website states, encourages 'visitors to look beyond postcard-perfect landmarks and instead focus on the lived experiences of communities, the layers of history embedded in architecture, and the social complexities within these intimate spaces.' O Gaanewali celebrated figures such as Gauhar Jaan, Jaddanbai, Begum Akhtar and Shobha Gurtu (among others) through performances of iconic pieces from their repertoire. (L-R) Akshay Jadhav, Rutuja Lad, Avanti Patel, and Nusrat Apoorv. (Courtesy Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival) The Kids Corner AKA Masti ki Paathshala at Safed Baradari had art workshops, storytelling sessions, interactive games, DIY crafts and puppet shows. (Courtesy Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival) After the inauguration, Sabika Abbas regaled the audience with a Qissagoi performance on the little-known stories of her animated neighbourhood of Mashakganj. The Husn-e-Karigari Showcase, a first for the fest, followed it. In essence a fashion show, vendors and volunteers walked the stage wearing clothes and accessories from the stalls hosted in Safed Baradari to exhibit the wares on sale. The highlight that night was O Gaanewali, a critically acclaimed music show curated by Avanti Patel. The melodious renditions were interspersed with stories, anecdotes, historical titbits and glimpses of the socio-political context of the lives of women performers, especially tawaifs, who popularised the various semi-classical forms such as thumri, dadra, and ghazal that were a part of the show. Day two began with three car tours and a heritage walk — common for most mornings of the festival. Since they are programmed simultaneously, it was difficult to pick which one to go for as all are equally enticing. 'Feminists of Awadh par Salaam' was a celebration of the inspiring iconic women of Lucknow, 'Lucknow ki Rehaish' toured iconic havelis, kothis, and bungalows of the old city, 'War Chronicles' explored the Residency in the light of 1857. Other walks centred on the Qaiserbagh palace complex, Raja Bazaar in Yahiyaganj, Chowk, and Aminabad. MSLF also had food-related tours, from an early morning breakfast crawl to lunch at the ancestral home of the Habibullah family to a Miriyasin performance followed by dinner at Ahmad Manzil. Sopan Joshi (centre) explored the history and the cultures surrounding mangoes in a conversation with Himanshu Bajpai (left) and Jamal Kidwai (right). (Courtesy Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival) In the afternoon, a short film by Rohan Shivkumar — a Mumbai-based architect, urban designer and filmmaker — was screened. He also gave the Saleem Kidwai Lucknow Lectern Keynote Lecture on how time can be seen through the lens of a city, especially in pop culture, focusing on Mumbai. Sopan Joshi, author of Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango, expounded on the fruit and the unheard facts and stories surrounding it in an engrossing, and often hilarious, session. The evening announced itself with a customary round of Baitbaazi as two teams traded shers and showcased their knowledge of ghazals. Saturday closed with an electrifying qawwali performance by Shahid Sami Niyazi Brothers of the Rampur gharana that cast a spell on packed venue. The Qawwali performance by Shahid Sami Niyazi Brothers, which included 'Allah Hu', 'Bhar Do Jholi', and 'Kun Faya Kun' among other songs, was a fest favourite that drew the biggest crowd. (Courtesy Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival) Sunday began with a Hindustani Classical Seher Concert by Omkar Dadarkar at 5:30 AM. The afternoon was dominated by the Awadhi Home Cooked Food Festival where home chefs presented tasty recipes ranging from kebabs and qormas to regional veg thali, kheers and halwas. As usual, the lal mirch qeema and yakhni pulao sold out first but the raan musallam, murgh zafrani, and kali gajar ka halwa were showstoppers too in this gastronomic extravaganza. A series of interesting talks followed but a particular highlight of the afternoon was a session by Pooja Saxena, a typeface designer and lettering artist. She explored the typography of Indian street signs, bringing out what they can tell us about a city and its people. In the evening Daira, an art-rock band from Mumbai collaborated with folk musicians from Bastar in Chhattisgarh in a lively show that featured songs whose lyrics used Kalbi, Bhatri, Gondi and Hindi. Shilpa Mudbi (R) and Aditya Kothakota transported the audience into the mythical world of Goddess Yellamma through their take on a traditional musical play that posed questions regarding patriarchy, purity, and dominant power structures in society (Courtesy Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival) On the fourth afternoon, oral historian and social activist Sohail Hashmi regaled the audience with tales about different galis in Lucknow and Delhi while drawing connections between a city and its culture/s. This was followed by an absolutely mesmerising performance by Shilpa Mudbi and Adithya Kothakota who presented their own version of the Yellammanata, a ritualistic overnight play originating in Karnataka that relates the story of goddess Yellamma, the mother of Parashurama. The duo also spoke about their Urban Folk Project and all they learnt in the years they have spent travelling around Karnataka and learning and documenting its folk practices. Four short films that explored the lived experiences of both human and non-human denizens of Lucknow's dynamic gali-kooche were screened. The feature films Dhushor (Dir: Purandar Chaudhuri) and Imamdasta (Dir: Rizwan Siddiqui) were also screened. In the evening, actor Danish Husain narrated a fantastical story from the Tilism-e-Hoshruba as part of a dastangoi performance that left the audience in awe. The festival closed with a set by Wild Wild Women, India's first all-female hip-hop collective, whose linguistically-diverse songs touched on everything from women's rights, social activism, body dysphoria and gender inequality to power structures, mental health, and self-love. Tushar Kadam on percussion and actor Danish Husain presenting an excerpt from Tilism-e-Hoshruba (Courtesy Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival) Exhibits and installations have always been a big part of the festival and this year was the same. Taijasi Mishra's Life in the Bylanes was a huge painting that portrayed the daily rhythms of Lucknow's bustling side streets. Kothis in Our Gali by Aditya Vikram and Karan was a photographic exploration of the transfeminine worlds of Lucknow's working-class galis. Soumyadeep Roy's Huzn: City of Exile looked at the effects of Wajid Ali Shah's migration on the people around him in Lucknow and in Calcutta through a mixed media. The art fed into the décor — there was a functional paan shop and a non-functional 'saloon' at one venue. With its dynamic programme of events, handicraft and apparel stalls, and food counters, Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival 2025 definitely left a lasting impression. Areeb Ahmad is a Delhi-based writer and literary critic. He is @Bankrupt_Bookworm on Instagram.
India.com
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
India's forgotten singing superstar, once took more money than Lata Mangeshkar, Md Rafi, traveled in private train, her name was...
India's forgotten singing superstar, once took more money than Lata Mangeshkar, Md Rafi, traveled in private train, her name was... Long before the renowned legends like Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi dominated the music world. There was a woman who ruled the Gramophone. She rose from a series of rejections to becoming India's first music recording star. She carved a space for herself in the male-dominated world and became a millionaire. Yes, the person we are talking about is none other than Gauhar Jaan Gaurhar Jaan was one of the finest singers in the early 1900s. However, she was born on 26 June 1873 as Angelina Yeoward in Azamgarh to an Armenian Christian father and an Indian mother. But later, her parents got separated, and Guahar's mother converted to Islam after she married to Muslim man Khurshid. Her mother became Malka Jaan, and Angelina became Gauhar Khan. Eventually, Gauhar and her mother Malka moved to Kolkata, where she was trained in classical music and eventually began performing in royal courts by the age of 15. The 'Gramophone Girl' Back in 1902, Gauhar Khan recorded a song on a gramophone disc and became the first Indian artist to record a song on a gramophone. She became a trendsetter who redefined the way classical music was presented. At a time when people used to run their houses for a few hundred, Gauhar started charging Rs. 1000-3000 per recording. Decades later, Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi used to charge Rs 500 per song in the 1950s. She also earned the title of 'Gramophone Girl'. Gauhar Jaan's Fame and Fortune Gauhar Khan soon earned name and fame, and became a millionaire with her voice reaching to masses. Not only that, she led a luxurious life; she travelled in a buggy driven by horses, which was exclusive only for the Viceroy of India. Besides this, she also owned a private train coach during that time. In 1911, she was invited to perform at the coronation of King George V in Delhi Durbar. A Lonely End Despite earning massive wealth and a name for herself, Gauhar Jaan died a lonely death. During her final years, she had moved to Mysore, where she was appointed as court musician by Ruler Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV. According to reports, she suffered from depression in her last years and succumbed to a lonely death. After she passed away, many claimants to her estate came in the hope of getting a share of her fortune. However, Gauhar Jaan had already spent all her money and had no fortune but an unforgettable musical legacy that she left behind.
India.com
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This singer was born in a brothel, sang over 600 songs in 10 different languages, sold per song for Rs…, became India's first crorepati singer, her name is…
Today, India's big singers charge lakhs for a recording and crores for a concert. In such a situation, it is difficult to imagine the time when a few hundred rupees for a recording were considered a 'royal amount'. But still there was a singer in that era who became a millionaire only based on her recording and popularity. This is the story of India's first singing superstar, gramophone girl Gauhar Jaan. Gauhar Jaan was born on 26 June 1873. Gauhar Jaan's Early Days Gauhar Khan was born in Azamgarh to a Christian family of Armenian origin. Her name at that time was Angelina Yoward. Her father, Robert William Yoward was an engineer. Her grandmother was Hindu, her grandfather British, and her father Armenian Christian. This marriage broke down in 1879 when Gauhar was six years old. Both Angelina and her mother, Victoria, faced difficulties. After which, Victoria married a Muslim man named Khurshid. Victoria converted to Islam and became Malka Jaan. They changed Angelina's name to Gauhar Jaan. Exceptionally beautiful and talented over time Malka Jaan became a popular singer and moved to Calcutta in 1883. Within three years she bought her own brothel where Gauhar grew up and learnt music. Gauhar was an exceptionally beautiful, talented and graceful woman. Gauhar gave her first performance in 1888. She was appointed court musician in the royal court of Darbhanga Raj. She started performing in Calcutta in 1896 and was described as the 'first dancer' in her records. After embracing Islam, Gauhar remained a devout Muslim throughout her life. However, most of her compositions are full of devotion to Krishna. Singing Superstar Gauhar Jaan Gauhar Jaan was one of the finest singers in India in the early 1900s. She became a sensation when she agreed to record her songs for the gramophone. She composed classical vocals into 2-3 minute songs. Soon her records began selling. By the end of the decade, Gauhar was charging Rs 1000-3000 per recording, which was more than the annual income of most households in those times. Interestingly, decades later, Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi used to charge Rs 500 per song in the 1950s. According to Bangalore Mirror, there came a time when she became so rich that she would travel around the city in a horse-drawn carriage. This luxury was only given to the Viceroy of India at that time. Gauhar paid a fine of Rs 1,000 for violating government laws, but never gave up evening walks. One of her patrons in Bengal also gifted her a private train, which she used for her trips across India. Performed at the King's Coronation In 1911 she was invited to perform at the Delhi Durbar at the coronation of King George V. This honour was given to only one other singer, Jankibai of Allahabad. The King, his Queen and all the royal families of India were present at the magnificent ceremony. After the concert she was taken to the King. The King praised her talent and presented her with a hundred guineas as a token of his appreciation. Contemporary reports of the time described her as a millionaire. She was one of the richest non-royal women in the country. Suffering from ill health, Gauhar Jaan moved to Mysore While being in Mysore, the ruler Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV appointed her as a palace musician. According to The Hindu, she suffered from depression in her last days. Gauhar Jaan died in Mysore in 1930 at the age of 56. At that time, several claimants to her estate came forward, hoping that she had left behind a substantial fortune. But it soon transpired that Gauhar Jaan had spent all her money in the last decade of her life. When she died, she had nothing. Yet her work inspired generations of singers after her, notably Begum Akhtar and Noor Jehan. Her recordings for the Gramophone Company of India earned her the nickname 'Gramophone Girl'.
