By Gaurika Mehrotra
O Gaanewali, a music ensemble from Mumbai, recently captivated the audience at the Bangalore International Centre with their enthralling performance. As the group’s producer and vocalist, Avanti Patel, delivered her opening line “Kale baadal gher hai,” her voice resonated through the hall, instantly transporting the audience to a bygone era dominated by the tawaifs, the distinguished courtesans of India.
The enchanting mehfil, or gathering, seamlessly combined soulful ghazals with the fascinating stories of the female artists who crafted and performed them. The night was a careful act of balancing the melodic beauty of the ghazals with the historical narratives of the women behind them. These women, known as gaanewalis and nachnewalis, were once at the forefront of India’s musical and cultural heritage.
In an interview before the performance, Avanti expressed her commitment to highlighting women’s perspectives in ghazals. “I am never not going to talk about women,” she stated firmly. She emphasized that having a female gaze in a ghazal is exceedingly rare, noting that historically, ustaads and pandits had co-opted the genre from the tawaifs.
Adding depth to the evening, vocalist Rujuta Lad discussed the comprehensive education these courtesans received, surpassing that of other women of their time. “These were highly intellectual women, fluent in languages such as Farsi and Urdu, despite it being considered inappropriate for respectable women to perform on stage,” she shared, shedding light on the intellectual prowess of these often misunderstood figures.
The performance was bolstered by the skillful dynamics between the harmonium player Apoorv Petkar and the tabla player Akshay Jadhav. As Avanti’s and Rujuta’s captivating voices intertwined, Apoorv’s harmonium chords and Akshay’s rhythmic tabla beats provided a rich, immersive backdrop. Akshay took a moment to explain his “laggi ladi” to the audience. “It’s a bit of a friendly war between the singer and the tabla player — we alternately give space to each other for our creativity to shine,” he said with a laugh.
. This playful interaction added another layer of vibrancy to an already electrifying performance.
Despite the creative brilliance of these tawaifs, historical attempts were made to sanitize their music, excising its sensual elements. Some claimed that the only way to “save” these trailblazers was to marry them off. However, these women, who were among the highest taxpayers to the British government, required no saving. Their coffers were overflowing, and they held significant financial independence and influence.
O Gaanewali’s performance provided more than just auditory pleasure; it was an educational experience designed to break down barriers of elitism in classical music. “We want to make our shows accessible to the masses and we are big on imparting musical literacy during our performances,” Avanti explained. With their upcoming concerts in Pune on August 23 and Mumbai on August 31, they aim to continue this mission of demystifying classical Indian music for broader audiences.
Throughout the performance, the group presented a selection of ghazals, including Gauhar Jaan’s “Mere Hazrat ne Madine mein manayee Holi” and “Aaj jaane ki zid na karo,” along with works by other prominent artists like Janaki Bai Allahabadi and Farida Khanum. The inclusion of these timeless pieces added historical depth and emotional resonance, allowing the audience to experience the legacy of these groundbreaking women firsthand.
The interactive and immersive nature of the performance was met with enthusiastic recognition and applause from the audience. Avanti noted the magic of unprompted expressions of appreciation, often hearing collective “waah” from the captivated attendees. The evening was not just a concert but a heartfelt tribute to the extraordinary tawaifs who shaped the landscape of Indian music, and a testament to O Gaanewali’s dedication to preserving and celebrating this heritage.
Overall, O Gaanewali’s concert was a spellbinding blend of music, history, and storytelling that left the audience both educated and enchanted, eagerly anticipating their next performance.
