Wrapped in an off-white silk sari,Girija Devi adjusts her pallu as she begins her final riyaz session. After she seats herself near the brown stains of tea on a white mattress,she unzips her black leather bag,and takes out the famed silver box. Opening it,she carefully takes out a rolled paan,puts it in her mouth and wipes it with a pink towel handkerchief. I only eat Banarasi paan, she points. In Kolkata,I wouldnt get it. So,I have it sent from Varanasi, laughs the prima donna of the purab ang thumri gayaki. The paan-stained teeth,the grace,all of it just works with that lilt,the passion and the intensity in the voice. In the Capital to perform on the final day of the Thumri Festival,organised by Sahitya Kala Parishad at Kamani Auditorium,Girija Devis performance was a perfect finale to the celebration of thumri the lighter and more sensual version of a raga sung as an ode to Lord Krishna. Artistes like Shubhra Guha,Purnima Chaudhri and Suranjana Bose enthralled the Delhi audience in the earlier days of the festival but the best was saved for the last. Despite Devis low state of health,she regaled the audience in a jam-packed auditorium as they craved for more. She opened with Kaisi bansiya bajayi in raga Pilu Kaafi. An ode to Krishna,the thumri set the mood for what was to come. A bandish thumri and a bhakti thumri followed. Accompanied by Sohan Lal Mishra on tabla and Bharat Bhushan Goswami on sarangi,the grand old lady of thumri held the audience together with her captivating compositions. Jhoola! demanded a voice from the crowd,and Devi obliged by giving an impromptu performance of a beautiful monsoon melody,which was interspersed with occasional bouts of humour and frequent ovations from the audience. It always gives me great pleasure to perform on stage. People didnt think enough of this form of music earlier,even the bigger artistes. But I have always seen it as a respectable art form and hence,my commitment, said Devi. Her passion for thumri knows no bounds. I know classical music as well as thumri. But I like the different moods in a thumri. I like to embellish the wonderful literature with interesting tunes, she said.
