Mallika-e-Ghazal of Hindustan

Time Capsule: Begum Akhtar (1914-1974)

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Updated At : 08:55 AM Oct 07, 2024 IST

Time Capsule: Begum Akhtar (1914-1974)

Begum Akhtar’s life was a mix of all the nine emotions, and through music, she often presented them in their finest form. Her unique ‘andaaz’ to present ‘thumri’, the romantic-devotional music inspired by the Bhakti movement, or light classical form, ‘dadra’, combining ‘purab’ and Punjabi style of Hindustani music, made her an instant favourite in the royal courts of Lucknow and other states. But it’s her mastery in the much-intense and deeper emotional form of music, ghazal, which earned her accolades.

A private-performer for her patrons at the outset, Begum Akhtar impressed the Nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu, with her first-ever stage performance organised to aid the victims of the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake.

Born on October 7, 1914, to courtesan Mushtari Begum, she was named Bibbi Akhtari. Her twin sister was Zohra Anwari. Abandoned by her father at an early age, she was raised by her mother at Faizabad. Her sister Zohra died at the age of three, but Begum Akhtar never spoke much about her childhood.

Her keen interest in music was appreciated by Mushtari as she took her to different ustaads to hone her raw talent. She learnt music from sarangi maestro, Ustad Imdad Khan, Ustad Ata Mohammed Khan of Patiala gharana and Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan of the Kirana gharana.

Hailed as Akhtari Bai Faizabadi for performing in royal courts, her marriage to a barrister, Ishtiaq Ahmed Abbasi, helped her get rid of the ‘bai’ title, and she became Begum Akhtar.

She was forced to stay within the confines of her home, and shun her public image as a performer.

Music was her lifeline, and after abandoning it, she fell seriously ill.

However, after the advice of doctors, she was allowed to resume music.

She sang for All India Radio, Lucknow, and once again, her sensuous, pain-laden voice mesmerised her fans.

The quality of her voice was such that even those born much after her, continue to relate to her. Her words — ‘Sun ne walon ko Begum Akhtar ka salaam — forever echo in the hearts of ghazal-lovers who know her in the era of audio-streaming platforms.

She would often say, “I have always tried to pay back the love that I have received through music.”

She never stopped performing at mehfils, private and government events, and eventually was burnt out.

She breathed her last in Ahmedabad on October 30, shortly after performing at a concert. It was ominous, for she sang the last ghazal, written by Kaifi Azmi, on AIR, ‘Mein dhundta hun jise, woh yahan nahin milta….’

Akhtar sang close to 400 songs in her lifetime, and through her soulful voice, brought a unique character into the poetries of Mirza Ghalib, Kaifi Azmi, Shakil Badayuni, Mir Taqi Mir and Jigar Moradabadi.

Her popular ghazals ‘Wo jo hum mein tum mein qarar tha’, ‘Mere ham-nafas mere ham-nawa’, ‘Dil se teri nigah jigar tak utar ga’ and ‘Hamari atariya pe’ continue to strike a chord with fans, even decades later. The last one was sung by Rekha Bharadwaj in recent times, but nothing comes close to Begum Akhtar’s timeless voice.

Among her admirers were Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Kaifi Azmi, Pandit Jasraj and Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, who was deeply influenced by her ghazals and her presence is felt in his poems.

It is said back then, she was the only singer allowed to smoke inside the AIR station. Agha Shahid Ali also spoke about her love for Capston cigarettes and how they drove late at night in his father’s Fiat to Amira Kadal to buy them!