Allah Jilai Bai (1 February 1902
– 3 November 1992)
was a folk singer from
Rajasthan, India.
Born in
Bikaner to a family of singers,
by the age of 10 she was singing in the
Durbar of
Maharaja Ganga Singh
General Maharaja Sir Ganga Singh, (13 October 1880 – 2 February 1943), was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Bikaner (in present-day Rajasthan, India) from 1888 to 1943. As a member of the Imperial War Cabinet, he was present ...
.
She took singing lessons from Ustad Hussain Baksh Khan and later on from Achhan Maharaj.
At one time she sung in the court of
Ganga Singh
General Maharaja Sir Ganga Singh, (13 October 1880 – 2 February 1943), was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Bikaner (in present-day Rajasthan, India) from 1888 to 1943. As a member of the Imperial War Cabinet, he was present in t ...
, the
Maharajah of Bikaner.
She was well versed in
Maand
Mand or Maand ( hi, मांड गायकी) is a style of singing in Rajasthan, used in folk songs. It is similar to the thumri and the ghazal.
Well known Mand singers include Allah Jilai Bai from Bikaner (awarded Padma Shri-1982 and Sange ...
,
Thumri,
Khayal
Khyal or Khayal (ख़याल / خیال) is a major form of Hindustani classical music in the Indian subcontinent. Its name comes from a Persian/Arabic word meaning "imagination". Khyal is associated with romantic poetry, and allows the perfor ...
and
Dadra.
Perhaps her best-known piece is ''
Kesaria Balam''.
In 1982, the Indian Government awarded her the
Padma Shri in Arts field,
Padma Shri Awardees
india.gov.inSangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Englis ...
in 1988 for Folk Music, and was posthumously awarded the Rajasthan Ratna
Rajasthan Ratna (Jewel of Rajasthan or Gem of Rajasthan) is the highest civilian award of Rajasthan. Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex is eligible for the award.
Awardees are given one hundred thousand rupees, ...
in 2012.
References
External links
Allah Jilai Bai on realbikaner.com
Listen Allah Jillai Bai's Folk Songs on FolkRajasthan.com
1902 births
1992 deaths
Place of death missing
People from Bikaner
Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
Indian women folk singers
Indian folk singers
20th-century Indian women singers
20th-century Indian singers
Women musicians from Rajasthan
Singers from Rajasthan
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