Bridging the Past with Present

A voice that captivates the soul by invoking the legacy of the past, blending the sensuality with the heritage of Ghazals in India, is what Rekha Surya inherited in the wee hours of her musical journey. Are you ready to walk down the classical lanes of light Hindustani music?

Through the corridors of Surya's melodious journey; Image Source- Wikimedia Commons

Born in the cultural heartland of Lucknow, Rekha Surya was lucky to be the pupil of two renowned classical vocalists, Begum Akhtar and Girija Devi. Surya recalls the soulful connection with music despite the convent background in which she grew up. Like a moth drawn to a flame, the magical spell of music landed her at Begum Akhtar's doorstep.

An 11-year-old Surya was excited to learn under the wings of her first guru, Begum Akhtar, only to face the sting of rejection by the latter. At the twilight of her life, Begum Akhtar was unwilling to take any pupils. By a sheer call of fate, Begum demanded to hear young Surya's voice. And that's when Begum Akhtar identified the Surya's talent telling her to report at 10 am sharp the next day. You see, that's the magic music has, connecting and mending our heartstrings into an emotional symphony.

Under the able training of Begum Akhtar, Surya learned her ways around the nitty-gritty of the Lucknow Gharana while mastering the art of singing ragas and ghazals with solid command over emotions of every genre. Whether it be a playful mood or a melancholy one, Surya inherited Begum Akhtar's deep devotion over the course of time.

Forming a close bond with her guru, Surya was shaken by the demise of Begum Akhtar. As destiny had it, the void in her life did not sustain for long, leaving Surya under the guidance of another renowned singer.

Girija Devi's visit to Lucknow brought her to Surya. Listening to the legendary singer at the private concert of a family friend, Surya decided to continue her musical journey. Even though adjusting to the intermittent shift to Benaras was not easy for Surya, given the style and personality of her polar-opposite gurus, she persisted and worked hard. After learning and imbibing the discipline of the Benaras Gharana, Surya was ready to set her flight.

The final result was an amalgamation of two distinct Gharanas of Hindustani classical music, inheriting the best of two worlds. Surya went on to gain precision in Sringara Rasa while adding the essence of mystical poetry to it. Often taking lines from Sufi poetry, Surya continues to find a commonplace for eroding communal walls that prevail in our country.

Deeply affected by the horrors of the Babri Masjid massacre, Surya wielded music to propagate love for humanity. Coming from the historical torment of the partition, Surya empathised with the dread of communal rifts. Blending dohas of Kabir with Sufi poetry while singing it through a Hindustani classical outlet was Surya's way of urging the masses to quit communal violence.

No doubt her efforts crowned her with the Karamveer Noble Laureate for 2012-13 for the "Artistes 4 Change" category.

As the cliche goes, people mature as life goes on. Similarly, singers refine their art to the point of perfection throughout their lives. Surya is one such artist who continues to polish her skills with ardent devotion and heartfelt emotions. Holding onto your belief while propagating it to the world with passion is rare, something that Surya achieves effortlessly.

The Guru-Shishya duo; Image Source- The Indian Observer