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THE MAN WHO LIVED 1 A DREAM RAMAKANT KHAREL
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2017
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MIDWEST EDITION | EAST COAST EDITION | Volume 8 • Issue No. 434 , OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THE COMMUNITY FIRST
Rohingya c r i s i s : Ca n India play a A jewel of Hindustani classical mus role? Sunny Leone to do x
india feature
Girija Devi, groomed in the tradition of the Benaras and Seniya gharanas (lineage), played a part in raising the profile of Thumri, that gave her the appellation ‘Thumri Queen’
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ifted with a resonating magical voice that captivated the refined listeners of Hindustani classical music for generations, Girija Devi played a key part in popularizing and raising the profile of Thumri, that gave her the appellation ‘Thumri Queen. Born on May 8, 1929, in Varanasi, to a zamindar, Ramdeo Rai, Girija Devi began taking music lessons when she was a child of five. Her first guru was vocalist and sarangi player Sarju Prasad Misra, and then Sri Chand Misra. Girija Devi always loved to recount her childhood days in Varanasi, where “I considered myself more as a boy, than a girl”. Rao encouraged her to learn swimming, horse riding and stick fighting, which she loved, but never had much interest in studies. “At the same time, I did play with dolls, and spent time arranging for my doll’s marriage,” Girija Devi said during an interview few years back. At that tender age, she learnt Khayal, Dhrupad, Dhamar, Tarana, Indian folk music and Bhajan. With Varanasi being a hub of both Hindu and Muslim classical singers, the elements from both
FEATURE STORY
A jewel of Hindustani classical music
Girija Devi, groomed in the tradition of the Benaras and Seniya gharanas (lineage), played a key part in raising the profile of Thumri, that gave her the appellation ‘Thumri Queen’
Born on May 8, 1929, in Varanasi, Girija Devi began taking music lessons at the age of five.
traditions enriched her repertoire and increased her knowledge. In 1949, Girija Devi’s performance was aired by the Allahabad station of All India Radio, which had then just started its broadcast. Recognizing her talent, the AIR authorities treated the 20-year-old at par with established singers Sehnai maestro Bismillah Khan, Hindustani singer Siddheswari Devi and table exponent Kanthe Maharaj.
“During that time there was no system of audition or grading of artists. But I found from the contract forms that I was paid the same amount of money as these artists.” Two years later, Girija Devi gave her first public performance at a music conference in Bihar’s Arrah, alongside the likes of Pundit Omkarnath Thakur and Kanthe Maharaj. In 1952, she paid her first visit
to Kolkata — which became her home two and a half decades later — to take part in the Sadarang Sangeet Sammelan. Groomed in the tradition of the Benaras and Seniya gharanas (lineage), Girija Devi was celebrated for her extensive collection of rare traditional ‘bandishes’. The best in her came out when she performed in the Purabi ang Thumri style, and helped in elevat-
ing the genre. Her rend semi classical forms li Chaiti, and Holi also m the connoisseurs of H classical music. In 1978, after the for the ITC Sangeet Researc my in Kolkata, Girija De base to the eastern m after prodding from the then director Vijay Kichl She immediately fell in the city. “There is a deep love and culture. The musicia of respect. The boys and very keen learners. “But studies take up so their time, they hardly hav time to practise. In contras to practise for five/six hou In the early 90s, she a at the Banaras Hindu U thus leaving behind a larg of students to carry on h She performed extensi in the country and abroa widely feted. Apart from Padma Sh Padma Bhushan (19 Padma Vibhushan (2016 wart was also honored Tansen Samman by the Pradesh government, receiving the Sangee Akademi Award (1977).
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877.519.0508 18 Executive Ct. has sent a clear xperts areeFax: of the view that it community following a series of tute that works on policy advocathe government SouthB. Barrington IL 60010 Sanjit Shah, CPA, MBA, CGMA DThakkar@WintrustMortgage.com is high time India mediated attacks on security personnel in cy and capacity-building in Myan- message that it was not willing to Licensed CPA (IL), MBA (Kellogg School of Management) to find www.WintrustMortgage.com a solution to the Myanmar’s Rakhine state. mar, too is of the view that India accept them because of security Over 20 years of Business & financial Management Experience burning Rohingya refugee crisis. concerns. should play a role. The Rohingyas do not enjoy Company, Wintrust Mortgage is a division of Barrington Bank & Trust N.P, a Wintrust Community WWW.CPAMBASOLUTIONS.COM “Our very wise Foreign Minis- citizenship status inBank Supreme Court on Octo“The first thing New Delhi can The Myanmar and#449042. NMLS 2015 Wintrust Mortgage 150301270MS Info@cpambasolutions.com ter has a role to play and a sus- are sparingly given refugee status do is to convene a tripartite meet- ber 13 asked the Centre to strike a tainable solution should be found in Bangladesh. ing of India, Bangladesh and balance between national security, for the Rohingyas,” Rajiv Bhatia, Bhatia added at the same time Myanmar,” Win said over phone economic interests and humaniformer Indian Ambassador to that since the problem arose on from Yangon while pointing out tarian considerations with regard Myanmar, told IANS. Myanmar soil, the solution too that India and Myanmar enjoyed to Rohingya women, children, According to the latest figures should come from there. good ties. “China is trying to medi- old, sick and infirm, and listed the issued by the UN office in “The Myanmar government ate, but I would rather prefer India next hearing of the matter for Bangladesh, over 600,000 should create conditions for the to handle the matter. Remember November 21. refugees have entered the country safe return of the Rohingya there is no Rohingya in China, but Earlier this month, in an interaction with the media here, they are there in India.” since August 25 after the Myan- refugees,” he said.
as the prime mover of th Bengal Initiative for Multi Technical and Economic C tion (Bimstec), should tak initiatives to resolve the R crisis. The Bimstec regio comprises Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, S and Thailand. Bhatia said that India lend support to the recom tions made in the report su by former UN Secretary Kofi Annan-led Advisory C sion on Rakhine State.