Sahela Re: A Novel by Mrinal Pande Priyanka Sarkar in Paperback

 

As she delves into the history of Hindustani classical music, music scholar Vidya uncovers the fading remnants of a time and tradition when singers embodied the ragas in their purest forms, and patrons were true worshippers rather than mere followers. Through fascinating anecdotes, correspondence, legend, and gossip, we witness the highs and lows of the artistes' lives as they loved and lost, and transitioned from mehfils to gramophones. From Benares to Calcutta to Bombay to New York, we are introduced to figures such as Hira Bai and Anjali Bai - a mother-daughter duo renowned for their beauty, intelligence, and singing prowess, as well as Anjali Bai's close friend Allarakkhi Bi, and the famous singer Husna Bai, who happens to be Allarakkhi's mother. Through the generations, they strive to preserve the essence of old music for new listeners in foreign lands. Mrinal Pande's book, Sah