Goa has given to Hindustani music some of its best women performers. This was possible because of the immense talent that these musicians displayed and the training that they received from respected teachers in Mumbai, a city to which they migrated in large numbers starting from the nineteenth century.
Shobha Gurtu, a popular performer with Goan antecedents, created a separate identity for herself as a thumri singer. Taking elements essentially from the Purab style, she went on to evolve a style that was very much her own. Equally at home with thumri-dadra and allied forms like jhoola, chaiti, and kajri, she brought to her recitals an intonation and an expressive quality that made her a much sought-after thumri performer.
I remember watching her recordings during the black-and-white era of Indian television, and hoping that I would be able to accompany her on the tabla at some point. I am happy that this came true and that I had the privilege of accompanying her for a decade or so.
Hori
Here’s a hori that she presented as part of a televised thematic programme that also featured Pandit Jasraj. She’s accompanied by Shashikant alias Nana Muley on the tabla, Iqbal Ahmed on the sarangi, and Baburao Neskar on the harmonium.
Dadra
Rangi saari gulabi chunariya that had become an inseparable part of Shobhatai's concert repertoire. Purushottam Walawalkar and I provided harmonium and tabla accompaniment.
Dadra
The last clip is a dadra in Rupak taal, a cycle of seven counts, interspersed with verses in Khemta, a cycle of six counts. The piece ends in yet another rhythmic change to Kaherva, a cycle of eight matras, with a series of laggis or rhythmic variations that were linked to the footwork displayed by the singer-dancers of earlier times. Shobha Gurtu is accompanied here by Purushottam Walawalkar on harmonium, Dhruba Ghosh on sarangi, Indru Atma on swarmandal, and myself on tabla.
Listen to these songs as a single playlist on our YouTube channel.
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
Shobha Gurtu, a popular performer with Goan antecedents, created a separate identity for herself as a thumri singer. Taking elements essentially from the Purab style, she went on to evolve a style that was very much her own. Equally at home with thumri-dadra and allied forms like jhoola, chaiti, and kajri, she brought to her recitals an intonation and an expressive quality that made her a much sought-after thumri performer.
I remember watching her recordings during the black-and-white era of Indian television, and hoping that I would be able to accompany her on the tabla at some point. I am happy that this came true and that I had the privilege of accompanying her for a decade or so.
Hori
Here’s a hori that she presented as part of a televised thematic programme that also featured Pandit Jasraj. She’s accompanied by Shashikant alias Nana Muley on the tabla, Iqbal Ahmed on the sarangi, and Baburao Neskar on the harmonium.
Dadra
Rangi saari gulabi chunariya that had become an inseparable part of Shobhatai's concert repertoire. Purushottam Walawalkar and I provided harmonium and tabla accompaniment.
Dadra
The last clip is a dadra in Rupak taal, a cycle of seven counts, interspersed with verses in Khemta, a cycle of six counts. The piece ends in yet another rhythmic change to Kaherva, a cycle of eight matras, with a series of laggis or rhythmic variations that were linked to the footwork displayed by the singer-dancers of earlier times. Shobha Gurtu is accompanied here by Purushottam Walawalkar on harmonium, Dhruba Ghosh on sarangi, Indru Atma on swarmandal, and myself on tabla.
Listen to these songs as a single playlist on our YouTube channel.
