ANDOVER, MA–On Saturday, New England-based Ghazal Fans Club and local singer, composer and poet Kiran Nath will present Shaam-E-Ghazal at Chinmaya Mission in Andover, MA. The event is presented as an inspiring evening of music and poetry for both ghazal connoisseurs and those who simply appreciate this art.
“Ghazal is poetry of life . It always has been there and always will be there,” Nath told INDIA New England News in an e-mail interview.
Shaam-E-Ghazal is scheduled to start at 6:00 PM on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, at Chinmaya Mission Auditorium located at 1 Union Street in Andover, MA. Nath will be joined by other ghazal singers.
Nath’s contributions to the light classical genre are widely appreciated. She has composed for artists like Anup Jalota, released several ghazal , Punjabi and Hindi folk and bhajan albums, written two volumes of poetry, and performed all over India and the U.S In recent years, Nath has been working to create a robust and active community of ghazal and thumri artists and listeners from New England and across the nation.
Here are the excerpts from the interview:
INDIA New England News: How did you get interested in ghazals?
Kiran Nath: Ghazals have always been my passion. The poetry of the songs has always intrigued me and the balance of this typical genre of poetry is very much interwoven with the magical and emotional play of words which leaves you breathtakingly smitten by the end of the second line of the couplet.
I got more interested in Ghazal because I always loved to perform and ghazals are always performed ….you just don’t sing ghazals for yourself. You sing or recite ghazal with deep meaningful and emotional voice and enjoy along with the listeners after every ‘sher’.
Like I always say …GHAZAL IS POETRY OF LIFE, POETRY THAT CONNECTS YOU TO YOU OWN LIFE.
Ghazal kisi haadse , khushi ya ghum ki Mohtaaj nahin hai
Shayari hai zindagi ki koi sisakta kabhi mehakta Aaj nahin hai.
INE: Can you recall the first ghazal you ever heard and it resonated with you and got you more interested in ghazals? Which one was this and who sang it?
KN: My father loved listening to K.L. Saigal’s ‘Aye qaatib-e taqdeer mujhe Itna bataa de’..and would look at me amused and kind of amazed as little that I was. I had picked up the tune with all its nuances and would sing it all the time.
INE: Who are your top three ghazal singers and why?
KN: Well, top three singers according to me would be Begum Akhtar, Master Madan and Jagjit Singh.
Why? Begum Akhtar Saheba was just superb. Her very distinct voice so full of emotion, flawless diction and Adaayagi will remain unparalleled.
Master Madan was just fourteen years old and sang only a few ghazals but what Adaayagi and so much soul in his singing. Jagjit Singh ji had a voice , one in millions. He chose to sing very endearing ,simple and effective ghazals and would compose them so beautifully that they would just keep you spellbound.
INE: Which singer has popularized ghazals most in India and how?
KN: Jagjit Singh.
INE: How do you look at ghazals 10 years from now?
KN: Ghazal is poetry of life. It always has been there and always will be there. People who like poetry would always go for Ghazals. By this I don’t mean that lyrics are any less important in any other genre of music but here it is the most important thing.
It is heartening to see younger generation’s interest in singing good poetry. So it looks ten years from now we will have them going very strong. I choose typical resonant deep and very soulful voices for singing my poetry and my compositions and you will see they will do a good job. I plan to give you ghazal singers who will sing for many years.
INE: Any new singers you like?
KN: I like new ghazal singers I am training. By that I mean original singers.
INE: Has there any impact of Bollywood on ghazals or vice versa?
KN: The Ghazal in its pure and effective form does not rely on any visuals to be effective.
INE: What type of program you are presenting on Saturday?
KN: I will be singing Ghazals written by my favorite poets: Faiz Ahmed Faiz,Tariq , Shakeel Badayuni to name a few, and some of my own from my books SHAAYARA and MEHERBBAN.
Have wonderful team of singers who will sing ghazals written and composed by me. I will be giving a program solidly based on poetry and good music and am sure all GHAZAL LOVERS will like it.
INE: Who are the key singers at the program?
KN: We all are key singers.
INE: What type of songs/ghazlas you plan to sing?
KN: Ghazals like… Ae mohabbat tere anjaam pe..
Yun na reh reh kar…hamein tarsaaiye
Us raat ke gar saaye
Deewana karengi tumhaari yeh baatein
Kya jaante ho tum kuch jaante nahin
phir ankh jami hai taste par….. and many more……
