Selected gazals of Begum Akhtar

The official cultural exchange centre of Kerala
Jointly organize with
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
Government of India
3rd
October 2015
Saturday
6.30 pm
Selected gazals of Begum Akhtar
In connection with
All India Begum Akhtar Centenary Commemoration
at Bharat Bhavan Thirumuttam
Near Police Ground
Thycaud, Trivandrum
Recital of
famous gazals of
Begum Akhtar by
Abhradita Banerjee
Reshma Raghavendra and
Gowry Lekshmi
Tabla: Mahesh Mani
Harmoniom: Jaiprakash
Violin: Chandlu
Performers for Tribute to
Mallika-e-Ghazal, Begum Akhtar
Abhradita Banerjee
Mrs Abhradita Banerjee is one of the renowned Hindustani musician in India with expertise in Ghazal, Hindustani Classical, semi classical, traditional and light music.
She learnt music under Guru Shishya Parampara from
Pandit Madan Chouhan since childhood. She has won
Government sponsored National Music Competition for
five consecutive years in vocal light and classical music.
She has received many honors and awards for her performances.
Reshma Raghavendra
Reshma Raghavendra is an upcoming artist with several
laurels to her credit. Semi finalist of Gandharva Sangeetham 2008, Winner of Swaralaya Unni Menon Yuva Gayika
award, 2015, First runner up of Gandharva Sangeetham
2012, First runner up of Sunfeast Delishus star singer
2014, participated in Kerala school youth festival for kathakali sangeetham, participated in Kerala University youth
festival 2014 and secured 2nd in ghazal competition.
Gowry Lekshmi
Gowry Lekshmi is one youngest female music director
and lyricist in South India. She started learning music at
the age of 3 and the BA Music course in RLV College of
Music and Fine Arts, Thrippunithura. has composed quite
a good number of tunes for music bands and albums.
Thoni is her biggest work so far. She has rendered her
voice to few Tamil and Malayalam film songs. She has
performed with several prominent music bands of Kerala.
BEGUM AKHTAR –“ QUEEN OF GHAZALS”
Akhtari Bai Faizabadi, also known as Begum Akhtar (7 Oct. 1914 – 30
Oct. 1974), was a well known Indian singer of Ghazal, and Dadra, and
thumri genres of Hindustani classical music. She received the Sangeet
Natak Akademi Award for vocal music, and was awarded Padma Shri
and Padma Bhushan (posthumously) by Govt. of India. She was given
the title of Mallika-e-Ghazal.
Begum Akhtar was born in Bada Darwaza, Town Bhadarsa, Bharatkund,
Faizabad District, Uttar Pradesh.Akhtar was barely seven when she was
captivated by the music of Chandra Bai, an artist attached to a touring
theatre group. However at her uncle's insistence she was sent to train
under Ustad Imdad Khan, the great sarangi exponent from Patna, and
later under Ata Mohammed Khan of Patiala. Later, she travelled to
Calcutta with her mother and learnt music from
classical stalwarts like Mohammad Khan, Abdul
Waheed Khan of Lahore, and finally she became
the disciple of Ustad Jhande Khan.
Her first public performance was at the age of
fifteen. The famous poetess, Sarojini Naidu, appreciated her singing during a concert which was
organised in the aid of victims of a Bihar earthquake of 1934. This encouraged her to
continue singing ghazals with more
enthusiasm. She cut her first disc for the
Megaphone Record Company, at that
time. A number of gramophone
records were released carrying her
ghazals, dadras,thumris, etc. She was
amongst the early female singers to
give public concert, and break away
from singing in mehfils or private
gatherings, and in time came to be
known as Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of
Ghazal).
Thripthi, Near Police ground, Thycadu P.O, Trivandrum - 695 014
Tel: 0471 2321747, 2320198 [email protected]