The night hummed with an unseen magic, as the flicker of oil lamps cast a golden glow over the silken tapestries and low, embroidered cushions. In this serene sangeet mehfil, time seemed to slow, the world outside fading away.The air was alive with the gentle strum of the sitar and the rhythm of the tabla. The gaanewalis—draped in shimmering zari, eyes lined with kohl, adorned in jewels that sparkled as brightly as their fame—stepped into the spotlight, their presence as commanding as the melodies they wove.
This was a time when music wasn’t just art—it was power, it was identity. Yet, like the last lingering notes of a song, this world began to fade, crushed under the weight of colonialism and the Indian Nationalist Movement. The once-celebrated gaanewalis found themselves erased from history, their contributions left unsung.
O Gaanewaali brings this drama back to life, a passionate homage to an era where every note is sacred, and every performer is a legend written and conceptualized by Avanti Patel, a musician passionate about the intersection of gender and art, this performance is a heartfelt tribute to the women who once defined Hindustani semi-classical music. In this intimate mehfil—a baithak-style gathering—you are taken on a musical journey through the lives of legends like Gauhar Jaan, Janakibai, and Begum Akhtar, whose art still resonates with untold stories of struggle and triumph.
With a team of young musicians from Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune, O Gaanewaali revives not just the music, but the essence of a forgotten era. It’s a celebration of the women who refused to be silenced, their music flowing through time to remind us of their irreplaceable contribution to art and culture. Their music wasn’t just heard; it was felt, a melody that wrapped itself around the heart, lingering long after the last note faded into the quiet night. So sit back, let the melodies wrap around you, and step into a world where these voices once again take center stage.
~Aditi Bhale