In the early years of the twentieth century, in what was then British India, culture thrived in the city of Allahabad. In this vibrant hub of musicians, poets, scholars and freedom fighters, Janki Bai Ilahabadi was a musical star, counting among her fans maharajas, poets, judges, nawabs, government officials and multitudes of ordinary people. Popularly known as Chhappan Chhuri, Janki Bai’s career, originating in a nautch house and vexed by many trials and torments, soared to stellar heights lifting her from penury to palaces and even the Delhi Durbar of 1911.
Based on the real-life story of Hindustani singer Janki Bai Ilahabadi (1880–1934), Requiem in Raga Janki is the beautifully rendered tale of one of India’s unknown gems. Moving from Hindustani classical music’s earliest times to the age of the gramophone, from Baiju’s mysticism and Tansen’s magic to Hassu Khan’s stringent opposition to recordings, this is a novel that brings to life a tapestry of music lore through the eyes of a gifted performer.
Imprint: India Penguin
Published: Apr/2024
ISBN: 9780143467342
Length : 368 Pages
MRP : ₹399.00
An Indian English fiction writer and academic, Neelum Saran Gour is the author of Grey Pigeon And Other Stories,, Winter Companions And Other Stories, Virtual Realities, Sikandar Chowk Park and Song Without End And Other Stories. Her work has appeared in several anthologies and journals and she has been an active book reviewer for the […]
