Girija Devi

Girija Devi
Devi performing in Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal (July 2015)
Devi performing in Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal (July 2015)
Background information
Born(1929-05-08)8 May 1929
Varanasi, United Provinces, British India
Died24 October 2017 (aged 88)
GenresHindustani classical music
Instrumentsvocal
Years active1949–2017

Girija Devi (8 May 1929 – 24 October 2017) was an Indian classical singer of the Seniya and Banaras gharanas. She performed classical and light classical music and helped elevate the profile of thumri.[1]

Early career

Devi agreed to not perform privately for others, but gave her first public concert in Bihar in 1951.[2] She worked as a faculty member of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata in the 1980s and of the Banaras Hindu University during the early 1990s, and taught several students to preserve her musical heritage.[2] Devi often toured and continued to perform in 2009.[2][2]

Musical career

Devi sang in the Banaras gharana and performed the purabi ang thumri style typical of the tradition, whose status she helped elevate.[3]

Death

Devi died on 24 October 2017 of cardiac arrest at the age of 88.

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Ramnarayan, Gowri (11 November 2008). "Queen of thumri". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Trivedi, Sukumar (5 January 2009). "Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia works a charm with his magic flute". The Indian Express. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  3. ↑ Dorian, Frederick; Broughton, Simon; Ellingham, Mark; McConnachie, James; Trillo, Richard; Duane, Orla (2000). World Music: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. p. 91. ISBN 1-85828-636-0.
  4. ↑ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.

Other websites

Media related to Girija Devi at Wikimedia Commons