Not many born after the 1960s will be familiar with her name. And those in the know will regard that as a lamentable loss, for Zarina Begum, one of the last living disciples of Begum Akhtar, is regarded as the best voices this side of the golden decade of Indian music.
It won?t be easy accessing Zarina Begum?s work, for there is not much available in the form of tapes or recordings. YouTube does have some video clips, but very few feature her. She has sung in Muzaffar Ali?s album, Husn-e-Jana, and in a film, Daaman, but that was not released.
A rare occasion to hear her came at the launch of ICCR?s new initiative, the Horizon series, launched in the capital earlier this week. She enthralled audiences with her mellifluous vocals as she sang some popular ghazals by Zigar Sahib, Bahadur Shah Zafar and Begum Akhtar. ?In the 1950s and ?60s, Zarina was a must at the Awadh court,? recalls her older son Naved Ayub, who was accompanying her.
Zarina was the only one of her four sisters who was inclined to music. As her older son says, ?She had bought a toy harmonium for Rs 5 as a kid and practiced at night after everyone went to sleep. That?s how her father Shehenshah Hussain, also a teacher of music, discovered her talent. He encouraged Zarina to take music lessons. By the age of 16, she had begun singing publicly. ?I would keep singing for hours. As a mark of respect, the Nawab of Nanpara, Raja Saadat Ali Khan, christened me Zarina Begum,? she says.
In her eighties now, Zarina Begum still does her riyaaz daily. By 10 in the morning, she sits for her lessons, leaving aside everything else. She smiles and says, ?Hum toh sote kum hain aur jaagte jyada hain? (I sleep less and am awake more). Hum khana kum khaate hain aur mehnat jyada karte hain (I eat less and work more).?
She follows the style of the Kirana gharana, but does not belong to it. There is that touch of royalty associated with her?she sung only in royal mehfils and never at kothas. For instance, if there was a wedding in any Nawab?s house or a baby shower, or a ghazal mehfil, Zarina would sing. The singer clarifies, ?I am a court singer of Awadhi durbars. I hope you won?t refer to me as tawaif.? A believer in perfection, Zarina goes on to add, ?Jab raag samajh mein na aayega toh koi gaana kya gayega (If one can?t follow the ragas, it?s impossible to sing). Zarina got trained under her father and later under Ghulam Hazrat of Firangi Mahal, the guru of Begum Akhtar. Recalling the days of her learning with Baajee (Begum Akhtar), she admires Shanti Hiranand, Baajee?s other shagird.
She also goes to train girls individually in Nanpara. Ask her if she wishes to sing for the films now, she says, ?Mauka milega to, hum zaroor gana chahenge (I would like to sing if I get a chance).?