Neelum Saran Gour’s novel Requiem in Raga Janki (Penguin Random House India, 2018) is a fictionalized biography of Janki Bai Ilahabadi (1880-1934), one of the most famous Hindustani classical singers of the early twentieth century. Janki Bai was an extremely successful gramophone artist in the early days of recording. She performed at the Grand Delhi Darbar in December 1911, where George V was crowned as Emperor of India. She also wrote Urdu poetry, most famously the Diwan-e-Janki.
Gour begins the novel by describing one of the most famous stories associated with Janki Bai, when she was stabbed by a jealous lover (depending on the version of the story, the man was either her lover or the lover of her father’s mistress). Janki received 56 stab wounds, which led to her receiving the nickname “Chappan Churi” (56 knives). After the stabbing, her father’s mistress, Lakshmi, ran away and Janki’s father abandoned his wife and children to go searching for her. Janki and her mother Manki Bai were then sold to a brothel in Allahabad. In order to protect her daughter from becoming an ordinary sex worker, Manki Bai arranged for her to recieve a high level of musical training from Ustad Hassu Khan of the Gwalior gharana (school) of Hindustani classical singing. Her success at this art is what made Janki a bai or courtesan– a highly valued female entertainer.
Later in her life, Janki Bai converted to Islam, which caused tension with Manki, who eventually left her house and went back to Benaras. Janki then became the second wife of a lawyer named Haq Sahab. Gour spends a considerable amount of time on this tumultuous relationship and on Janki’s struggles with her adopted son “Baccha”. I personally would have liked more attention given to Janki’s performances and her musical life, but I suppose many readers would find the personal drama compelling.
For me, the most interesting portions of the book were those describing Janki’s relationships with Gauhar Jan (another celebrated singer of the era) and with the noted Urdu poet Akbar Allahabadi. Gour does an excellent job at evoking the illustrious circles that Janki was part of and her contributions to musical life.
Gour’s book can best be compared with Vikram Sampath’s My Name is Gauhar Jan (Rupa Publications 2010). However, Sampath’s book is a work of non-fiction while Gour’s is a novelization.
Though Requiem in Raga Janki does not have the most literary value it is valuable for introducing the reader to an under-appreciated figure in Hindustani classical music. I highly recommend it to those who are interested in this artform and particularly in courtesan culture.
Enjoy this clip of Janki Bai performing Raga Sohni
Thoughts Of A Bibliophile 