Siddheshwari Devi

Siddheshwari Devi (1907 - 1976) was a famous Hindustani singer from Varanasi, India lovingly known as "Maa" (mother). Born in 1907, she lost her parents early and was brought up by her aunt, the noted singer Rajeshwari Devi.

Initiation into Music

Despite living in a musical household, Siddheshwari came to music by accident. Rajeshwari had arranged musical training for her own daughter, Kamleshwari, while Siddheshwari would do small chores around the house. Once, while the noted sarangi player "Siyaji Mishra", was teaching Kamleshwari, she was unable to repeat the tappa that she was being taught. Rajeshwari ran out of patience,and started to cane Kamleshwari, who cried out for help.

The only person to help her was her close friend Siddheshwari, who ran from the kitchen to hug her cousin, and took the thrashing on her own body. At this point, Siddheshwari told her weeping cousin, "It's not so difficult to sing what Siyaji Maharaj was telling you." Siddheshwari then showed her how to sing it, performing the whole tune perfectly, much to the amazement of everyone.

The next day, Siyaji Maharaj came to Rajeshwari, and asked to adopt Siddheshwari into his own family (they were childless). So Siddheshwari moved in with the couple, eventually becoming a great friend and support for them.

This moving incident was very vivid in Siddheshwari's mind, and is detailed in the biography Maa, co-authored by her daughter Savita Devi"Maa...Siddheshwari" Vibha S. Chauhan and Savita Devi, Roli Books, New Delhi, 2000] .

Musical career

Subsequently she also trained under "Rajab Ali Khan" of "Dewas" and "Inayat Khan" of Lahore, but considered her guru mainly Bade Ramdas.

She sang khyal,thumri (her forte) and short classical forms as "dadra", "chaiti", "kajri" etc. On several occasions she would sing perform through the night, for example on the overnight boating expeditions of Maharaja of Darbhanga.

In 1989, noted director Mani Kaul has made an award winning documentary, "Siddheswari", on her life [ [http://www.nfdcindia.com/view_film.php?film_id=190&categories_id=8 NFDC Siddheshwari (film)] , 1989, by Mani Kaul, produced by the National Film Development Corporation (India)]

She won many accolades during her career, including:
* Padma Shri by the Government of India (1966)
* honorary D.Lit. degree by the Ravindra Bharati Vishwavidyalaya in Kolkata (1973)
* Deshikottam degree by the Vishwa Bharati Vishwavidyalaya.

She died in 1976. Her daughter Savita Devi is also a musician and lives in Delhi.

References

External links

* [http://www.underscorerecords.com/artists/details.php?art_id=56 Short biography at Underscore Records]
* Fragments of her music can be heard from the collection at The Sangeet Kendra, Ahmedabad: [http://sangeetkendra.org/Audio/03%20Siddheshwari%20Devi%20-%20Vocal%20-%20Dole%20Re%20Joban%20Madmati.mp3]
* [http://www.kamat.com/indica/music/29403.htm Picture at Kamat's Potpourri]