Begum Akhtar

Begum Akhtar
The Legend (1914 - 1974)
The legendary name of Begum Akhtar is synonymous with the thumri, ghazal and dadra forms of Indian classical music. To lovers and connoisseurs of these traditional forms, her name has a special significance, for the likes of Begum Akhtar are rarely born.
A pioneer in the field of Indian light classical music, Begum Sahiba introduced these at a concert level both in India and abroad. Sensuous romanticism is the very essence of these singing forms. Their rendition calls for a great deal of talent and imagination on the part of the singer to depict their lyrical fineries and musical subtleties. Begum Akhtar possessed all these qualities and more.

Her Music
Begum Akhtar's supreme artistry in the Thumri, Ghazal & Dadra musical forms had it's moorings in the tradition of pure classicism. This could be explained by the fact that the Begum Sahiba received her initial training from Ustads who were classical maestros in their own right. This also explains her penchant for setting her light classical repertoire to essentially classical tunes.
What set Begum Akhtar apart was the hypnotic quality of her voice and authenticity of style. The notes which she produced were so limpid, so hauntingly sweet that the audience was immediately captivated. She had the uncanny knack of choosing the right kind of ghazal, adorning it with a befitting tune and rendering it so endearingly that her every note would grip the hearts of the audience.

The Beginnings
Begum Akhtar was born in the small town of Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, on the 7th of October, 1914. She was barely seven when she was captivated by the music of Chandabai, an artist of a moving theatrical company. Soon she embarked on her musical carrier receiving initial training under the great sarangi exponent from Patna, Ustad Imdad Khan. She then received training from classical stalwarts like Ata Mohammad Khan of Patiala and Abdul Wahid Khan of the Kirana gharana. She later became a disciple of Ustad Jhande Khan.
Her first public performance at the age of fifteen took listeners by storm. Those who heard her acknowledged her to be a singer of great promise. From that day she came to be known as Akhtari Faizabadi. The famous poetess Sarojini Naidu appreciated her singing during one such concert and this encouraged her to continue singing Ghazals with more enthusiasm. She also cut her first disc for the Megaphone Recording Company at this time.
In due course, age brought about changes in her voice and style. Maturity and experience lend grace to an artist's presentation and make it blossom forth in its full beauty. No wonder, Begum Akhtar soon reached the heights of fame and popularity. The one - time Akhtari Faizabadi now came to be known as Begum Akhtar. 'Real beauty can weather any storm!' This adage was especially true in her case. During recitals whenever she reached a high note her voice would crack. Strangely enough this was considered by connoisseurs as the highlight of her recital. The audience would wait eagerly for that delicious crack in her voice.

The Inspirations
Begum Akhtar's real aptitude had always been for thumri, ghazal and dadra in which she was destined to be peerless. She was inspired to achieve her goal by two stalwarts. One was Jaddan Bai, a noted disciple of the great Maujuddin Khan (and mother of the late celebrated actress, Nargis). The second was the equally noted Barkat Ali Khan the gifted brother of Bade Gulam Ali Khan.
She was later influenced by her husband, Mr. Ishtiaq Abbasi, a Lucknow barrister and a great connoisseur of Urdu poetry and music. He helped her acquire a literary appreciation of the great gazals of Ghalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Jigar Moradabadi, all of whom she sang with passion. He is also said to be responsible for a hiatus she took from music after marriage in 1945 until 1949.
Awards

She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for vocal music as well as a Padma Shri. She was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan.
Today her name is almost synonymous with the concept of ghazal gayaki, and her imitable style of singing which immortalized her, and gave her the title of Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazals).

The End
The youthful exuberance she revealed until her death at 60, compelled special admiration in her countless votaries.Death came to Begum Akhtar on the performing stage on the night of October 30, 1974.The place

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