One of India’s oldest festivals, the Shriram Shankar Lal Music Festival, kicked off yesterday. The festival, in its 70th edition, began with a recital by the reigning queen of thumri, Girija Devi.
She began the recital with Raag Purvi. As tradition demands, she sang the raag elaborately in various ways in the first, second and third speed. Her voice was as clear as a bell, despite her age. However, one wished the tabla player had tuned the instrument before the rendition. Girija Devi had to prompt him a number of times in this regard. He finally managed to tune his tabla
