The Gaya–Ang (Style) of Thumri

The Gaya Thumri gayaki is a highly evolved style emanating from the Poorab Thumri. The Gaywal (residents of Gaya)"Pandas" (priests engaged in facilitating prayers) were great patrons of music, and Thumri was the favoured genre of music. The night long “Baithaks” or sit-down concerts of Gaya are legendary. One single Thumri would be sung for a few hours at a stretch. The finest artists of those times, namely, Soni Maharaj, who was a harmonium wizard, Malka Jaan of Agra and Faiyaz Khan made the Gaya evenings enchanting. Subsequently, visiting artists like Moizuddeen Khan, Mahadev Mishra, Siddheshwari Devi and Begam Akhtar participated in the soirees and were frequent visitors to the city that had spun its own style of Thumri. Ramuji Mishra, the acclaimed Gaya singer, and Dhela Bai were the frontrunners of the Gaya style of Thumri.

The Gaya style derived its unique flavour from the poorbi folk music of the region, and the “Laya” (tempo) of the Gaya style Thumris were languid and leisurely compared to the Banaras belt. Usually sung to a 8 matra keharwa taal, the tempo of the tabla was so leisurely that this style came to be known as the “Thah  Ki Thumri” (slower-tempo Thumri). The folk influences on the style of “bol-banao” and the taal cycle distinguish the Gaya Thumri from other “poorab-ang Thumris, chiefly the Banaras and Lucknow styles.

Kumud’s research on the lost tradition of Gaya Thumris, a Sangeet Natak Akademy sponsored project, has enabled her to trace the origins and the performers of this style and collect the rare music of this belt. She now endeavours to sing this style of Thumri as well.

BANARAS    LUCKNOW   GAYA

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