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BOOKS
Authorspeak
Savita
Devi:
Mother's
Melody
 With
an infectious smile and a twinkle in her eye, thumri singer Savita Devi
carries her 60 years lightly. The walls of her apartment are adorned with
photographs of her mother, Thumri ki Rani Siddheshwari Devi, and numerous
citations, souvenirs and medals from academic and music societies jostle
for space. In all, hers is a room befitting someone who has inherited
a rich tradition of classical music.
Savita is
a sitarist and a thumri specialist. Under the aegis of her mother, she
learnt the light, classical forms of Hindustani music-the thumri, dadra,
chaiti, kajri and tappa of the Benaras Gharana (purab ang), a style made
famous by Siddheshwari Devi.
Now, the
teacher is being immortalised by the student in a book entitled Maa...Siddheshwari
(Roli Books). "Maa ka rin kabhi nahin chukaya ja sakta (nobody can
pay back a mother)," explains Savita. The book has been co-authored
by Vibha Chauhan. "The objective of Maa...," says Savita, "is
to document my mother's birth, childhood, struggles, personality and achievements
in the field of music." It also gives readers a daughter's insight
into Siddheshwari Devi as an artiste and a human being.
Since 1970
Savita has been collecting documents and newspaper clippings, and interviewing
people for the book. But her work, apparently, is far from over. "There
is much more to document and write on Maa. Maybe another book on reminiscences,"
she muses.
Savita is
the head of the music department at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University.
To popularise thumri and continue the guru-shishya-parampara "as
Maa wanted," she established the Siddheshwari Devi Academy of Indian
Music in the capital in 1977. "Music is the best offering to God,"
she offers before breaking into her mother's famous thumri-Sanjh bhayee
ghar aao, Nandlala, in which Yashoda asks Krishna to return home as evening
descends. Savita's eyes brim with tears, providing some poignant frames
for the photographer. They are as much Yashoda's tears as of a daughter
yearning for her mother.
-S.Sahaya
Ranjit
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The
Government should encash at least a part of its stake in LIC and GIC before
its too late, suggests INDIA TODAY associate Editor V. Shankar Aiyar
in 
