Dear Mithu, Here is something about a singer I am so adore. He died on the 18th of January 1947.

I penned a few lines on him on the occasion of his death anniversary and sent the same to the Statesman. These were published on the 25th of January 2005. Your Mama (Rajat Barua) made a very perceptive comment on my write-up. He said that only fine-tuning of technique or a golden voice, howsoever magical, could not be enough to do justice to a lyric. The soulful rendering of a lyric needs identification of the singer with the feelings of the lyric. Saigal was successful because he achieved this in that particular song. My write-up is attached. Mammu, Ajay and Amrita are going to U.K. tomorrow in connection with her case. She may visit USA also. She may not be able to go to New York but may talk to you on phone. Love to all, Baba

>From: r_banerji@vsnl.net >To: tajik@hotmail.com >Subject: Runtu >Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2005 12:10:49 +0500 > >Editor Magical voice of KL Saigal >The Statesman >Kolkata > >Dear Sir, > Fifty seven years back today, i.e., on the 18th of January, Kundan Lal Saigal, the immortal singer with the golden voice, breathed his last. This is also his birth centenary year. On this occasion I wish to recount two interesting incidents of the early years of his career. > In 1936 a gala carnival with overseas performers was organised in Lucknow for a fortnight or so. One evening a musical programme was also held, where apart from other artistes, K.L.Saigal, who had just shot into prominence for his songs in Devdas (1935), was invited to participate. Even as a boy of eight I was a great admirer of Saigal, and somehow managed to attend the said function. I still remember the incident vividly. Of the two songs, for which requests came from a section of the audience, he sang Balam aye baso more man mein first. He rendered it beautifully but somehow it did not go down well with the general crowd. Maybe its very slow rhythmic movement failed to appeal to the masses. He was almost hooted out and there was an insistent demand for more thumri from Akhtari Bai Faizabadi (who later on became the famous Begum Akhtar). It would have been a different story had Saigal sang his ghazals instead. Later, whenever Saigal gave public recitals in Luck >now he sang Ghazals and enthralled the audience. Lucknow of those days was so used to the classical and semiclassical music that it would not be seduced by the other not-so-genuine stuff. > The other incident refers to Saigals rendition of the famous song babul mora naihar chhuto jai in the film Street-singer (1938). Saigal went to Lucknow to learn from Shambhu Maharaj, the musical maestro, the finer points of the said folk song of Awadh. Even after a number of sessions lasting three to four days, Shambhu Maharaj was not satisfied and asked Saigal to extend his stay so that his performance could be further honed. But Saigal could not stay longer and had to go back with whatever he could pick up from his guru. Later, he gave such a rendering of the song in the film that everyone was stunned, including the same not-so-satisfied guru. I got the story from Shambhu Maharaj himself, who used to be my neighbour in Lucknow. He, however, admitted that it

was Saigals magical voice that did the trick. By his soulful rendering Saigal has immortalised the folk song, which expresses the feelings in every daughters heart when she leaves her parental house a >fter marriage. It has almost become a classic. > >269 Jodhpur Park >Kolkata-700068 > Yours faithfully, > > > > (P.C.Banerji) > 18-1-2005 >Published on 25 January 2005 >