At The Feet of The Master | Begum Akhtar & Avatar Meher Baba | 4K Documentary | Multi Subs

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Few know about the connection and relationship Begum Akhtar shared with Avatar Meher Baba in the years from 1963 till she passed away in 1974. This film has actual film footage from her first performance in front of Avatar Meher Baba at Guru Prasad in Poona.

Akhtari Bai Faizabadi (7 Oct1914 – 30 Oct1974), also known as Begum Akhtar was an Indian singer and actress.
Dubbed "Mallika-e-Ghazal" (Queen of Ghazals), she is regarded as one of the greatest singers of ghazal, dadra, and thumri genres of
Hindustani classical music.

She appeared regularly on National TV and was much in demand for live concerts.

Begum Akhtar received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for
vocal music in 1972, was awarded Padma Shri, and later a
Padma Bhushan Award posthumously by the government of India.
in 1994 a Postal Stamp and a coin honouring her was released by the Indian government.

बेगम अख़्तर के नाम से प्रसिद्ध, अख़्तरी बाई फ़ैज़ाबादी (७ अक्टूबर १९१४- ३० अक्टूबर १९७४) भारत की प्रसिद्ध गायिका थीं, जिन्हें दादरा, ठुमरी व ग़ज़ल में महारत हासिल थी। उन्हें कला के क्षेत्र में भारत सरकार पहले पद्म श्री तथा सन १९७५ में मरणोपरांत पद्म भूषण से सम्मानित किया गया था। उन्हें "मल्लिका-ए-ग़ज़ल" के ख़िताब से नवाज़ा गया था।
लोकप्रिय लेखिका शिवानी अपने खास अंदाज में उनके बारे में लिखती हैं, “बालिका अख़्तरी को बचपन से ही संगीत से कुछ ऐसा लगाव था कि जहाँ गाना होता, छुप छुप कर सुनती और नकल करती। घर वालों ने पहले तो इन्हें रोकना चाहा; पर समुद्र की उत्तुंग तरंगो को भला कौन रोक सकता था! यदि कोई चेष्टा भी करता, तो शायद लहरों का वह सशक्त ज्वारभाटा उसे ही ले डूबता।”

Decades later I came in contact with the life and work of Avatar Meher Baba. I was really surprised to find some photos of Begum Akhtar at the feet of Meher Baba. For someone as celebrated and well known for her headstrong character, it was extremely unusual to find her clutching the feet of a man. I started finding out more about Avatar Meher Baba and her connection to him.

I learned that Avatar Meher Baba deeply stressed the importance of
the creative arts in the evolution of a "New Humanity", rather than politics, religion, prayer and rituals. He felicitated many artists and was also deeply involved with theatre and cinema.
Earlier in 1932, while visiting Hollywood He was even hosted by Douglas Fairbanks
at his Hollywood mansion.

In 1937-38, Adi K Irani. who was Meher Baba's secretary, had invited Begum Akhtar to sing before Meher Baba, and expressed his willingness to pay her round trip travelling expenses from Lucknow to Ahmednagar, and make all arrangements for her journey. But she demanded an exorbitant fee, and at the time, Baba informed Adi: “Don’t call her now; one day she herself will come.”

While working on another documentary I found some videos of Begum Akhtar performing in front of Meher Baba. The Silent Master's humour was at play, that clip has no audio and was in 16 fps! I traced that recording to several incidents written in "Lord Meher" concerning Begum Akhtar's involvement in Meher Baba's life. Her coming to Guru Prasad and insisting on meeting Meher Baba and eventually performing for Him is also mentioned.

The surprising fact is how so many leading musicologists and historians, music lovers had/have not found or have will fully ignored this amazing relationship between India's "Mallika-e-Ghazal"
or "Queen of Ghazals" and the Avatar of the Age, Avatar Meher Baba.

MUSIC CREDITS
Ustad Munne Khan: Tabla
Ustad Ghulam Sabir Khan: Sarangi
Accompanying Vocalists: Vasundhara Pandit,
Suraiya Rahman, Kamal Sidhu,
Deepti Bose, Prabhati Mukherjee,
Shanti Hiranand and others.

Recordings
"O Bedardi Sapno Main Aaja"
Lyrics and composed by
Begum Akhtar
Video of performance courtsey
Door Darshan Archives

"Ai mohabbat tere anjam pe rona aaya"
Lyrics: SHAKEEL BADAYUNI
SAREGAMA

"Voh jo hum mai tüm main karar the"
Lyrics MOMIM KHAN MOMIM
SAREGAMA

"Ae Mohabbat tere anjaam pe"
Lyrics: SHAKEEL BADAYUNI
SAREGAMA

"Yeh na thi humari qismat"
Lyrics: MIRZA GHALIB
SAREGAMA

"Meher Hum Nafas"
Lyrcics: SHAKEEL BADAYUNI
SAREGAMA

Video of Begum Akhtar's 1963
performance : Courtsey Sheriar Books
Filmed by Mani Irani

Video of Meher Baba's 1965 Darshan
taken from "The Ancient One"
Courtsey Sheriar Books

Interview: Shri. Madhav Kamble
Arangaon Meherabad

Information Resources
AMBPPCT
Avatar Meher Baba Trust

"Lord Meher"
Bhau Kalchuri

Photos Kind Courtsey
David Fenster
Meher Nazar Publications

Prof. Saleem Kidwai

Vidushi Shanti Hiranand

Avatar Meher Baba Trust Archives

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