The Lonely Ghazal Queen: Begum Akhtar

A legend in her lifetime, who achieved enormous fame at a very young age, and gave joy to millions of listeners of many generations, including doyens like Mehdi Hasan, Talat Mahmood, Madan Mohan, Pt. Jasraj and Pt. Ravi Shankar, Begum Akhtar’s own life seems to be full of sorrow, pain, abusive relationships, betrayal by people she loved and a deep melancholy. She was born on 7 October 1914 (as Bibbi, along with her twin sister Anwari) to a court singer, Mushtari Bai at Faizabad (UP) and Asghar Ali, a civil judge in Lucknow. Mushtari Bai’s singing was causing a strain in the conservative Muslim family of her husband, and soon after the birth of the daughters, the marriage broke apart.

Subsequently, the child Anwari (some accounts mention her name as Zohra) died of suspected poisoning by the relatives of Mushtari’s huband’s family. This completely broke down all relationships between the two families. Thus, Akhtari was brought up as a single child under severe hardship by a single mother. Mushtari Bai did not want her daughter to go through the same life, and wanted for her proper education and marriage into a respectable family. But a spirited child, Akhtari could not be caged. She detested classes, loved songs of stage and films. Her maternal uncle convinced Mushtari Bai to groom her as a singer.

Thus started a long series of her training under various gurus at many places. After early training under Ustad Imdad Khan of Patna, a famous sarangi player and Ustad Ghulam Mohammad Khan of Gaya, the family came back to Faizabad in 1923, when her training started in right earnest under Ustad Atta Mohammad Khan. Around 1927, the mother-daughter with the Guru shifted to Calcutta, which was then the music capital of India. There at a music conference organised for collecting funds for Bihar earthquake victims, absence of a scheduled top classical singer created a lot of chaos. Ustad Atta Mohammd Khan suggested to the organizers to give her disciple a chance. As she sang her first ghazal, the crowd was spellbound. By the time she finished four ghazals and five daadras, a new musical sensation had been born. Among the appreciative audience was Sarojini Naidu. (Some accounts mention that this conference was for flood victims. ‘Earthquake’ or ‘flood’ is not merely a matter of detail, it has some significance – see Notes at the end.)

Her first recording for HMV – a mix of ghazals and daadras – brought her fame and many offers from music companies, theatre and films. The East India Company of Calcutta gave her roles in Ek Din Ka Baadshah, Nal Damyanti(1933), Ameena, Mumtaz Begum (1934), Jawani Ka Nasha (1935), Naseeb Ka Chakkar (1936) etc. None of these films survive, but later she was called by Mehboob Khan to Bombay, where she acted in his landmark film Roti (1942), opposite Chandramohan and other co-stars, Shekh Mukhtar and Sitara Devi. This film is available on YT in excellent condition, but her six songs were removed because of some contractual issues with the Megaphone Record Company. Their audio was released later and is available here. In Panna Dai(1945) she sang two songs which became quite famous.

Meanwhile, she returned to Lucknow in 1942, where her training in classical music resumed under the great exponent of Kirana gharana, Ustad Wahid Khan. Her marriage in 1945 to a reputed Barrister of Lucknow, Ishtiaq Ahmed Abbasi, Nawab of Kakoli, transformed her from Akhtaribai to Begum Akhtar, but it came at a great price to her. Here onwards, the accounts differ. But, whether it was on her own volition to lead a life of quiet domesticity, or demanded by the barrister, or implicitly expected by his aristocratic family, her singing career stopped completely. In five years, she felt stifled and suffered serious bouts of depression. Doctors convinced the family that only music could cure her. When she returned to AIR for a recording she could not hold back her tears. Then started her comeback to concerts and public performances to tremendous acclaim. After a long gap, she sang playback in Daana Pani (1953) and Ehsaan(1954). She played a cameo role of a classical singer in Satyajit Ray’s Jalsaghar(1958), which turned out to be her last film appearance.

Music remained her life till her very end, even when she was in poor health. She suffered her third heart attack during a concert in Ahmedabad on 26 October 1974. She could not recover and passed away within four days on 30 October 1974.

Though trained in classical music by the greatest exponents, she chose ghazal, thumri, daadra and light classical for her expression, because these forms gave her the opportunity to explore the poetry and the words and convey emotions. Her training and inner empathy elevated her ghazal singing to the level of high art at par with classical concerts. Besides the renowned poets, the lesser known poets became famous when she chose their ghazal to sing. Here is my tribute to Begum Akhtar on her birth centenary (October 7) with her best non-film ghazals, which made her the Malika-e-ghazal.

1. Kuchh to duniya ki inaayat ne dil tod diya, lyrics Sudarshan ‘Fakir’

Stories have been written about her Deewana banana hi to (see the Notes at the end), but the ghazal which seems to tell her story is my top favourite Kuchh to duniya ki inaayat, in which Begum Akhtar pours out all her inner emotions. Rains bring cheer to people (Remember उमड़ घुमड़ कर छाई रे घटा?), but to someAayi barsaat to barsaat dil tod diya. Sudarshan ‘Fakir’ wrote another ghazal for Begum Akhtar on the same tune – Ishq mein ghairat-e-jazbaat ne rone na diya.

कुछ तो दुनिया की इनायात ने दिल तोड़ दिया
और कुछ तल्खि-ए-हालात ने दिल तोड़ दिया

हम तो समझे थे कि बरसात में बरसेगी शराब
आई बरसात तो बरसात ने दिल तोड़ दिया

दिल तो रोता है और आँख से आंसू ना बहे
इश्क़ की ऐसी रवायात ने दिल तोड़ दिया

वो मेरे हैं मुझे मिल जायेंगे आ जायेंगे
ऐसे बेकार खयालात ने दिल तोड़ दिया

आपको प्यार है मुझसे कि नहीं है मुझसे
जाने क्यों ऐसे सवालात ने दिल तोड़ दिया

2. Wo jo hum mein tum mein qaraar tha tumhein yad ho ki na yaad ho, lyrics Momin

3. Tabiyat in dino begana-e-gham hoti jati hai

A stage comes when one becomes inured to pain. When Begum Akhtar becomes बेगाना-ए-ग़म, there is no bitterness or complaint. Her voice is calm, and you see a flicker of smile on her face when she sings मेरे हिस्से की गोया हर खुशी कम होती जाती है or वही है शम्मा लेकिन रोशनी कम होती जाती है.

4. Koi ummeed bar nahi aati, lyrics Ghalib

There were moments of hopelessness in the life of Ghalib. Can you think of any other singer who could sing कोई सूरत नज़र नहीं आती better than Begum Akhtar?

5. Ab to yahi hain dil se duaayein bhoolane wale bhool hi jaayein

When the lover who has moved away, it is time to move on. The best one can do is to wish that he completely forgets.

6. Koi kah de gulshan gulshan, lyrics Jigar Moradabadi

7. Aaye kuchh abr kuchh sharaab aaye, lyrics Faiz Ahmad ‘Faiz’

Begum Akhtar loved her drink. Let the clouds come, after that let the wine come. Thereafter, who cares if misfortunes come. The leftist, revolutionary poet, Faiz wrote some outstanding romantic poetry too. When Begum Akhtar sings Faiz, the effect is magical.

आये कुछ अब्र कुछ शराब आये
उसके बाद आये जो अज़ाब आये

बाम-ए-मीना से माहताब उतरे
दस्त-ए-साक़ी में आफताब आये

हर रग-ए-खून में फिर चरागां हो
सामने फिर वो बेनक़ाब आये

कर रहा था ग़म-ए-जहां का हिसाब
आज तुम याद बेहिसाब आये

जल उठे बज़्म-ए-ग़ैर के दामन
जब भी हम खानुमां खराब आये

फ़ैज़ की राह सरबसर मंज़िल
हम जहाँ पहुंचे कामयाब आये

8. Kis se poochhein humne kahaan wo chehara ye roshan dekha hai, lyrics Taskeen Qureshi (?)

Begum Akhtar lived life to the full. With her friends she would let herself go, drinking and smoking without inhibitions. Therefore, there is a gentle challenge in her voice when she sings मेरा तड़पना देखनेवाले अपना भी दामन देखा है?

9. Mere hamnafas mere humnawaan mere dost banke dagaa na de, lyrics Shakeel Badayuni

It may or may not work, but you do not refrain from beseeching the object of your love, who has showed signs of wavering, not to betray you. There is complete sincerity in the voice of Begum Akhtar.

10. Ae mere mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aya, lyrics Shakeel Badayuni

Finally, everyone is not lucky in love. All the pleadings must have failed. We started with the lady not being able to cry (रोने ना दिया), now there is unabashed admission of रोना आया. I end with what has become her signature ghazal, written by Shakeel Badayuni, which again seems to mirror her own inner feelings. As the story goes, she was singing this ghazal, when she collapsed at the concert at Ahmedabad.

ऐ मोहब्बत तेरे अंजाम पे रोना आया
जाने क्यूं आज तेरे नाम पे रोना आया

यूं तो हर शाम उम्मीदों में गुज़र जाती थी
आज कुछ बात है जो शाम पे रोना आया

कभी तक़दीर का मातम कभी दुनिया का गिला
मंज़िल-ए-इश्क़ में हर ग़ाम पे रोना आया

जब हुआ ज़िक्र ज़माने में मोहब्बत का शकील
मुझको अपने दिल-ए-नाकाम पे रोना आया

Acknowledgement:

1.    Sutapa Mukhejee: Begum Akhtar: The Queen of Ghazal
2.    Sheila Dhar: Raga n’ Josh
3.    Rita Ganguly’s interview to The Telegraph: Loneliness was Begum Akhtar’s constant companion
4.    Films Division documentary on her life.
5.    Pt Jasraj presents his favourite Begum Akhtar songs

Notes:

1. Some details of Begum Akhtar’s life and career are shrouded in confusion. Whether her first public concert in Calcutta was for Bihar ‘earthquake’ or ‘flood’ victims makes a vital difference. The earthquake in 1934 was one of the major natural disasters in history, whereas floods in Bihar are an annual occurrence, some years being more severe than others. Therefore, a concert to raise funds for ‘Bihar earthquake’ victims seems more likely. That would put Begum Akhtar’s age at the time of her first concert at 20, an early enough age to cause a sensation.

2. ‘Flood’ allows more flexibility in ascribing greater antiquity to her first fame. Rita Ganguly, whose interview has been linked above, is her disciple and first-hand biographer (“Ae mohabbat..Reminiscing Begum Akhtar”). She asserts that her first concert was in 1925 (at the age of 11), where her rendering of Deewana banana hai to deewana banan de stole the hearts of the audience. Its records (by HMV or Megaphone? – accounts vary) were a spectacular success, running into platinum disc. The record company had to set up a separate plant at Dum Dum (Calcutta).

3. As an aside, the Bihar earthquake comes for an interesting reference in the history of our national movement. Gandhiji described it as God’s punishment for the practise of untouchability. Tagore took issues with him, publicly terming his views irrational and insensitive to the victims. A major problem with Gandhij’s interpretation is that among the people who perished were also thousands who were victims of the social evil for which God inflicted His curse.

4. None of the versions of Deewana banana hai we have heard on records or on the radio is in the voice of an eleven year old child. If her commercial record was cut in 1925, the company would have released it at some stage for its legacy value. For example, when HMV released its 4-pack ‘Swaranjali’ as a homage to Pt Kumar Gandharva, it also contained his singing as a child in Bhairavi (Kaahe ko jhooti banaao batiyan), Mishra Kafi (Aaj kaisi Brij mein), Bageshree (Gunth laao ri malaniya) and Ramkali (Sagari rain ki jaagi). Some of his renderings as a child artiste are now available on YT. Master Madan’s songs clearly show the voice of a child below 14. Begum Akhtar at 11 would have sounded very different from what we are familiar with in Deewana banana hai to.

5. Her biographies describe a divine blessing to Deewana banana hai to. As the stories go, Mushtaribai, troubled by Akhtari’s desire to become a musician, took her to a Sufi Pir at Bareilly Sharif and asked him whether she should marry her off or allow her to become a singer. The Pir asked Akhtari to open a page of her favourite book of lyrics. The page she opened had Behzad Lakhanavi’s ghazal,Deewana banana hai to. The Pir asked her to begin her next performance with this ghazal. And the rest as they say is history.